One familiar message that rings throughout the 22 years of the Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference – from Government and Opposition leaders alike — is the call for nationals living overseas to invest in their homeland.

The call was especially poignant this year in the shadow of the Hurricane Melissa disaster of October 2025, and it evoked a keen sense of emotion in the outstanding Jamaican American attorney Alison Smith, sitting among the large attendance at the 11th biennial unfolding in the Montego Bay Conference Centre, St James.

“I am weighing several options available to members of the Diaspora to invest in Jamaica,” said Smith who gained fame among Floridians by becoming the first Jamaican woman to be elected president of the 4,000-strong Broward County Bar Association.

Smith, who hails from St Elizabeth, told the Jamaica Observer that she makes every effort to attend the twice-yearly Diaspora conference, and that she has a significant interest in investing in stocks, or purchasing real estate for investment purposes.

She took particular note of the call on members of the Diaspora “to stop sitting on the sidelines and to meaningfully participate in the opportunities” that abound in Jamaica for various forms of investment.

“It was reinforced that investment opportunities are not limited to simply stocks or real estate, but more non-traditional investment opportunities such as in the film industry or agro-investment, to include pig farming,” said Smith.

Jamaica’s Consul General to Miami Oliver Mair in a photo op with Attorney Alison Smith at the 11th Biennial Jamaica Conference. 

The conference was held from June 14 to 18, kicking off with a church service at Calvary Baptist Church in the tourist mecca. The theme was centred around the need for Jamaicans to be more engaged in the wake of the devastation caused by the Category 5 hurricane.

The church service was followed by a mixer at the popular Snappaz Seafood Grill and Sports Bar, where members of the Jamaican Diaspora from across the world converged to network and share ideas and concerns regarding their beloved island nation.

Smith noted that for Jamaicans like herself the conference plays an important role in ensuring that members of the Diaspora, many of whom contribute to the economy through remittances, receive relevant communication about the growth and development of the island, and opportunities available to them, as well as motivating them to become or remain involved with issues affecting their homeland.

The conference culminated with a day of service where Diasporans had the opportunity to volunteer to assist with a number of community initiatives around healthcare, education and development.

Diasporans were also reminded to seek out resources such as the State-run Jamaica Promotions Corporation (Jampro) to assist them should they be interested in conducting business on the island.

Among the high points of the conference, Miami-based Jamaican consul general to the southern United States Oliver Mair moderated a panel showcasing successful returnees to Jamaica and noted:

“It was a most moving and inspirational session. The participants committed themselves to not only hearing the successes of the panellists, who featured world-renowned Jamaican Levi Roots and noted international coach Jewel Daniels Radford.”

Janice McIntosh, Global Jamaica Diaspora Council representative for the US southern region, struck a patriotic chord, saying: As members of the Diaspora, our connection to Jamaica never fades, no matter how far we travel.

“This conference reminds us that through stronger ties, we can help build a smarter future, one shaped by our skills, investments, service, and shared love for Jamaica.”

There was also a robust discussion about the need for affordable housing solutions, such as modular housing, particularly in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

Special effort was made to motivate Diasporans by informing them that Jamaica is changing day by day and had experienced stability and exponential growth over the last several years. Moreover, Jamaica is having its lowest level of crime in three decades, crime having been a major concern for members of the Diaspora.