MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith has described the latest protests in the United States by a dissident group of Jamaicans as inconsequential to the outcome of the 10th staging of the Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference.

On Saturday, just a day before the start of the conference activities, a group of individuals led by Dr Rupert Francis, head of the Diaspora Task Force on Crime Intervention and Prevention, and attorney Wilfred Rattigan, a former special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, staged a protest outside the Jamaican embassy Washington, DC.

There was concern in some circles that the protests by the group, which was being used as a means to demand from the Government of Jamaica greater engagement on issues such as crime and corruption, would have placed a damper on things.

However, according to the minister, that has not been the case.

“It [protest] has come to my attention, but if you feel the spirit here and if you have been engaging, that is not even a blip on the radar,” she told the Jamaica Observer just after the church service that kick-started the week on Sunday.

“Not even a blip, and you can quote me on that.“

Instead, Johnson Smith spoke about the unity that is already evident, with reports that over 1,100 attendees had registered for the conference, more than the 1,000 they had initially they had planned for.

The attendees are from 15 different countries.

“The spirit is entirely positive,” she added about the atmosphere going into the conference that is slated to get fully underway at Montego Bay Convention Centre today.

She also sought to clarify another issue concerning some individuals complaining about the lack of involvement of the Diaspora in the planning of the conference.

“The programme was planned with the Diaspora so we have been listening to the Diaspora, including having it in St James this year. These are things that our Jamaican community overseas made sure to make known and we listened, we’ve engaged, and we’ve tried to make sure that the programme is as wide-ranging as possible to deal with the various interests that exists,” Johnson Smith said.

Her second in command, state minister in the ministry Alando Terrelonge, was also of the view that there would be little impact from the protest proceedings.

“We are completely focused and pleased with the start of what is meant to be a memorable and historic Diaspora conference,” he remarked.

“We have over 1,100 registered attendees here in Jamaica, from more than 15 different countries, to play their part as true patriots, as true Jamaicans representing Brand Jamaica without fragmentation.“

Further to that he used the opportunity to laud the efforts of the counterprotesters, who had stood against the dissenting group in Washington, DC, on Saturday.

“I should laud Mr Vegas and others who were in the streets of DC singing praises of Brand Jamaica. Unity, not fragmentation. One Jamaica,” he said.

Over the next few days Montego Bay Convention Centre will come alive with the conference that will continue up to Wednesday.

A wide range of topics will be up for discussion.

“We have everything — from entrepreneurship and wealth creation; health education at every level; training; early childhood; digitisation; the environment; national security; and immigration —that’s an issue of concern for the Diaspora,” Johnson Smith stated.

She also highlighted that topics such as business development in the Diaspora, and other commerce-related ventures, will also be ventilated during the meetings.

“It’s not just about sending money for philanthropy, it’s about how we work together to build wealth together for our Jamaica and our Diaspora,” she remarked.