Homeward push - Efforts ramp up in diaspora to secure registration as biennial conference preparations head into final month

With a little over a month to go before the 11th Biennial Diaspora Conference takes place in Jamaica, efforts are being ramped up to generate interest and get more people in the diaspora to register for the event.

The conference is slated for June 14-18 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James.

For the last conference two years ago, the Government had set an attendance target of 1,000 people. Reports are that this target was exceeded.

This time around, no such target has been set, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade has charged its overseas missions to use every available platform, including social media, to spread the word about the conference and drive attendance.

The officer in charge of the Jamaican Consulate in New York City, Ariel Bowen, told The Gleaner that the mandate from the ministry is part of the effort to promote the conference.

“We will be using various platforms, including our social media platforms, to get the word out into the community. Whenever I attend functions, I remind participants about the upcoming conference and urge them to register,” she said.

Bowen said the consulate is also using its database to push information to the public and increase awareness and participation.

Michelle Tulloch-Neil, the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council member for the US Northeast region, told The Gleaner that she is expecting some 100 people from the region to register for the conference.

“I have about 100 people, who have already register for the conference, taking advantage of the early-bird registration fee of US$180,” she told The Gleaner.

Tulloch-Neil said she is still pushing for more people to register before the early-bird fee expires.

She said that for this conference, the emphasis is not on attendance numbers, but on the depth of the talent, expertise and innovation brought to the table.

“Our goal is to engage thoughtful, solutions-driven individuals who can contribute meaningfully to the sustainable rebuilding of Jamaica, with a strong focus on strengthening resilience and minimising the impact of future disasters,” she told The Gleaner.

However, one issue that may affect the number of people attending the conference is the high airfare.

So far, there has been no information on the ministry’s website indicating whether any deals have been struck with airlines to provide concessionary airfares. On the other hand, the ministry has been able to secure concessionary hotel rates for conference-goers at a number of hotels in the Montego Bay area.

Another item missing from the ministry’s website is the conference agenda, but Dr Benzie R. Davidson, the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council member for the US West-Midwest region, said there is a meeting set for Tuesday and he expects the agenda should be finalised and posted.

“I expect this conference to be huge. I already have several groups from the West-Midwest region going to Jamaica before the conference, and so far I have some 75 people who have registered for the conference,” he said.

Davidson said that, so far, he knows of four companies that have said they will be taking booth space. But he stressed that because people are going through the ministry’s website, there are no accurate numbers yet on how many companies will ultimately take booth space at the conference.

David Mullings said that he will definitely be attending the conference and, to date, he has around 12 people registered to attend.

In the coming weeks, the community should see stepped-up efforts to drive participation in the conference, as not only social media platforms will be used, but traditional media outlets as well.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson-Smith, recently urged people in the diaspora to take advantage of the early-bird registration fee, as well as the concessionary hotel rates.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alando Terrelonge, has also been visiting a number of diaspora regions to drum up support for the conference.

Bowen has also expressed her belief that this year’s conference will be one of the better ones held. 

editorial@gleanerjm.com