There are three statements that keep me focused like a laser on working towards a better Jamaica and keep hope alive when the task seems arduous and even impossible.

The first is a line from our national pledge: “…so that Jamaica may, under God, increase in beauty, fellowship, and prosperity, and play her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race.”

The second is the Vision 2030 summary statement: “Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business.”

The third is from an Independence Day message by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen: “There is nothing wrong with Jamaica that cannot be fixed by what is right with Jamaica.”

The following story embodies all three — going from vision, through intermediate steps or strategies, to attainment of the goal.

May 30 is observed in the United States as Memorial Day. It’s a public holiday for mourning the men and women of the US armed forces who died on the battlefield. This year, as part of this very American official holiday, Jamaica’s consul general in Miami Oliver Mair and founder and organiser of the annual Florida Jerk Festival Damian Tater used the event to also celebrate Jamaica’s Diamond Jubilee by contributing to a very special but underserved Jamaican community, Trench Town.

The festival, as usual, featured the best of Jamaican jerk, music, and culture. But this year there was a value-added feature. US$1.00 from each ticket sold and proceeds from a raffle are being donated to the Jamaica Music Institute (JaMIN) Recording Studio in Trench Town to train youth in music entrepreneurship and studio engineering and recording and publishing their music.

This amazing display of nationalism and the decision to do something to solve the country’s social problems, and not just talk about them, was done under the auspices of the Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE), chaired by Professor Neville Ying and managed by Nora Blake. The JSSE is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), which on two occasions was named the world’s leading stock exchange.

The indefatigable JSE Managing Director Dr Marlene Street-Forrest said the following about the groundbreaking initiative to help people in need and to give them an alternative path away from crime and violence and toward earning a livelihood: “It is through events like this that all parties strengthen their respective brands while solving a social need in Jamaica.”

Consul General Mair bubbled with enthusiasm and pride at being able to mobilise resources from among the Jamaican Diaspora to assist a worthy cause in Jamaica: “I am happy to facilitate this partnership. I consider myself to be a strong advocate for our reggae music. Additionally, I believe this project will go a far way in opening opportunities for young and upcoming artistes through the JaMIN facility.”

Professor Neville Ying places community transformation in the larger context of national development. So important is his contribution to the discussion of how Jamaica can achieve the vision enunciated by the national pledge and Vision 2030 through leveraging the good that is in society, I decided to repeat it verbatim: “Community transformation has always been the most important aspect of our national development because it focuses on the positive transformation of the lives of our people, our most important asset. The impact of COVID-19 and the escalation of crime and violence are important reminders of the need to place community transformation at the centre of our national development initiatives. The JSSE is committed to play a pivotal role in this process through resource mobilisation and networking at home and among the Diaspora.”

The JaMIN project is just one more example of the ways in which institutions and individuals can collaborate to support community initiatives, having the potential to stop the violence, end human trafficking, and give hope to unattached and marginalised youth.

The project is the brainchild of Don McDowell, well known in music circles and through his voluntary work with Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA). The commentary, The Watchman, recorded its 464th edition in the JaMIN studio and is broadcast twice weekly through the generosity of the big-hearted Cliff Hughes and his Nationwide News Network.

Professor Ying, building on 19 years of working with the Diaspora, secured the interest of Consul General Mair who brought Damian Tater on board. Members of the Diaspora are always willing to support a good idea towards transforming the homeland. And the rest is history, as they say.

More Jamaicans should follow their example. Identify a community or group doing transformative work, and support them with time, talent, and treasure. Build the new Jamaica block by block with the help of the community as if it were a little house that will one day be a great mansion. We Jamaicans are the best at doing that and we can adapt that same approach to nation-building.