WASHINGTON DC — Jamaica’s Consul General to New York Trudy Deans has urged Jamaicans in the diaspora to take advantage of investment opportunities being offerred by the Jamaica Government in various sections of the economy.

Addressing the Jamaica Civic and Cultural Association of Rockland County, New York, last Thursday at the Civic Centre, the Jamaican consul general said it was “high time that members of the Jamaican Diaspora employ a more strategic approach to owning a piece of the ‘Rock’.”

She told the mainly Jamaican audience that “there are myriads of investment opportunities that are available in Jamaica, and while we welcome foreign investors, you are also welcomed to participate in this partnership and lucrative investment opportunities”.

The consul general said that with approximately three million Jamaicans residing in the diaspora, the island could easily double its gross domestic product “if we found seamless ways of integrating the economic power of the diaspora into our local economy”.

She pointed to areas such as tourism, renewable energy, medical tourism, the logistics hub, the redevelopment of downtown Kingston, and the business processing outsourcing sectors, as prime targets for investment.

Drawing their attention to the bouyancy of the Jamaican economy, Deans told her audience that Government had set a target for economic growth of five per cent over the next four years, and was on a path of a higher sustained growth that will ultimately benefit the poor and vulnerable.

“Among my many plans this year is to engage Jamaicans in the Diaspora who are not associated with any organisation, as well as to re-engage those who no longer participate, in an effort to build partnerships for projects that are sustainable projects for Jamaica. This also includes second and third-generation Jamaicans,” the consul general said.

She invited the Jamaicans to take advantage of “Jamaica 55 Diaspora Conference” which will be held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston from July 23 to 26.

There they will have an opportunity to interface with Government and other stakeholders, and get an opportunity to hear what the Government is doing as well as to make suggestions.

The Consul General announced that plans were in high gear for the celebration of Jamaica’s 55th year of Independence by the Consulate and that the Minister of Culture Olivia Grange would launch the activities on April 28, in Philadelphia.

Consul General Deans was recognised by Rockland County, New York with a Proclamation, declaring April 6 as Trudy Deans Day in Rockland.

She was also recognised by the Rockland City Council for being the 10th woman and the youngest person to be appointed in that position.