NEW YORK, USA — Integrated Diaspora Services (IDS), a technology service firm here, has announced the appointment of Jamaican-American Peter Gracey as its global development representative, saying it is part of plans to strengthen and empower Jamaicans worldwide.

The move is also part of the company’s strategic plans to expand its agent network, deepen real estate capabilities, and leverage technology “to make every client experience faster, more transparent under the one-stop shop model”, the company said in a press statement.

The appointment of Gracey — who is the immediate past representative for the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council for the southern United States, and an activist for Jamaica — comes as the company has been experiencing an increase in demand for its services from Jamaicans within the Diaspora, according to Nordia Teape, the company’s chief executive officer (CEO) and Diaspora specialist consultant.

“We are seeing a 50 per cent increase in demand for our services in a recently short space of time, driven in large part by the introduction of a special telephone number, 777 JAMAICA, through which text messages can be sent and a response is guaranteed within 24 hours,” Teape said.

“So far this year we have launched a dedicated digital transaction portal, giving clients real time visibility of their transaction from anywhere in the world,” said Teape.

She noted that the company has “connected with and engaged over 7,000 Jamaicans in the Diaspora through transactions, consultations, webinars, and digital outreach since its inception in 2020.

While the bulk of the requests for its services have come from the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada — which together comprise the largest concentration of Jamaica’s Diaspora community — Teape said its services also expand to Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and beyond.

Launched in March of 2021, Teape said, “IDS was born out of a real problem. Jamaicans abroad wanted to invest in their homeland but could not always be in the country physically, so we built IDS to be their trusted hands on the ground. We are Jamaicans; we know what it feels like to want to invest back home but don’t know who to trust,” she said.

Business partner Percival Hurditt and Teape have a combined 30 years of experience in banking that, she said, had allowed them to witness first-hand some of the frustration and bureaucratic challenges Jamaicans face in their quest to do business in their homeland.

Land titles; banking needs; business facilitation and investment issues; government services; real estate purchases, sale, maintenance, and land surveying are among the many services which are provided by IDS.

“Our core mission is rooted in accessibility, efficiency and trust. Our vision is to empower and support the Diaspora, not to reinvent the wheel, and so we have subjected ourselves to learn about the needs of those we seek to serve,” said Teape .

Expanding on the appointment of Gracey, Teape said that “his ability to communicate, connect, and lead, aligns perfectly with the mission of IDS”.

The partnership with Gracey will see him spearheading global awareness initiatives to ensure that, “Jamaicans everywhere understand that there is now a centralised, verified, and trusted hub for accessing essential services”, the IDS said in its press statement.

“This collaboration with Mr Gracey also reinforces the importance of innovation in Diaspora engagement,” the company said, adding that it plans to launch an app,
Jamaica Stay Connected, soon which will serve as a gateway for users to connect with its services, thus creating a seamless experience for Jamaicans seeking assistance, guidance and opportunities. Gracey told the Jamaica Observer that he views his appointment “as an opportunity to educate, unify, and empower the Jamaican Diaspora by bridging the gap between need and access, awareness, action and opportunity”.

In its operations, IDS says, it has worked closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica National, and the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).