KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – The Kingston and St Andrew Development and Homecoming Foundation (KSADHF) Limited was officially launched on Wednesday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

An initiative of the Custos of Kingston, Steadman Fuller; Custos of St Andrew, Dr Patricia Dunwell and former Custos of St Andrew, Donna Parchment Brown, the KSADHF is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation formed with the objective of leveraging the human, economic, educational and cultural resources to foster development and improve the quality of life of the residents of the parishes.In his address at the ceremony, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, said the initiative will further advance and renew the spirit of the general Kingston area.“In order to increase our sense of national pride and improve our quality of life, we must seek to exploit and make use of resources to create opportunities for meaningful social and economic development,” he said.“We are encouraging everyone to contribute to the rebuilding of our communities and to re-engage each other to create a sense of belonging and ownership focused on fostering positive people development and positioning Kingston as the centre of the Caribbean,” the minister urged.Meanwhile, Custos Fuller, who is Chairman of the KSADHF, said the Foundation aims to mobilise and encourage all Kingston and St Andrew citizens and their friends, resident and overseas, to combine the human and financial resources of these parishes for the development of the economic, educational, cultural and social capacity of the people.“The foundation’s goal is for Kingston and St Andrew to provide a platform for capacity building for the people of both parishes to bring about economic and social changes through culture, business, heritage, trade and sport,” he said.Among the priority areas of the Foundation are the establishment of a ‘Skills Bank’ of available talent – resident and in the diaspora – who are interested in contributing to the work of the Foundation and the development of the parishes; setting up of a database of Kingston and St Andrew diaspora residents; implementing financial and other resource/capacity building and community development projects in both parishes; undertaking promotional homecoming programmes in key diaspora destinations – Atlanta, Florida, New York/Tri-State Area, Toronto and London; and establishing an Education Development Unit Fund to assist with scholarships/grants for needy students in these parishes and make contributions to educational institutions.A special feature on the foundation’s calendar of events is the hosting of an annual Kingston and St Andrew Homecoming Week celebration to showcase and pay homage to the achievements of outstanding citizens of Kingston and St Andrew.Also at the launch were Town Clerk, Robert Hill, who represented the Mayor, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams; former Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, and former Mayor of Kingston, Dr Angela Brown Burke.