OCHO RIOS (JIS) — Governor-General, His Excellency, the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen has lauded the organisers of the just concluded 2011 Jamaican Diaspora Convention, for their role in engaging Jamaicans overseas in the affairs of the nation.
Speaking on the closing day (June 17) of the Convention at an awards luncheon, held at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, Sir Patrick said, “This has not been one of the easiest conventions to stage but… you did it nonetheless,” he said.
The Governor-General also congratulated the awardees and commended them for their efforts in encouraging Jamaicans abroad to remember their homeland and to contribute to the country’s development.
“This comes at no easy cost, as you are not only faced with the challenges of living and operating in an environment outside of your own roots, but also in being ambassadors for a nation…you bear the task of educating, most difficult of all, those who think they know the ways of our culture. Thank you for reminding the world of who we are as a nation and as individuals,” he stated.
The awards ceremony, which formed part of the activities of the Convention, saw representatives from Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom being recognized for their outstanding work, and representation on behalf of Jamaica.
Over 300 Jamaicans, mainly from the North American and European Diaspora attended the three-day Convention, which was held under the theme, ‘One Nation: Jamaica and its Diaspora in Partnership’. The Convention was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.