‘Jamaica’s a great place to be’

AS she departs from her three-and-a-half-year stint as Canadian high commissioner to Jamaica, Emina Tudakovic says despite initial challenges, she has gained life-changing experiences during her tenure.

“I mean the first year was a little bit unusual because of COVID, so it was a bit of a strange time. I wouldn’t describe it as rough; I think it was more unusual because, like everybody, when you moved or travelled during COVID it was strange, and so usually because our jobs are so much about connections and meeting people it took a lot longer to meet people and to get to know people,” she expressed.

Tudakovic, who arrived in Jamaica during the pandemic but was officially given the post of commissioner in March 2021, said two of the reasons she initially asked to come to Jamaica were because of the country’s close relationship with Canada and its reputation as the largest Caribbean territory.

“We cover pretty much everything you would as a diplomat here in Jamaica so for me, I thought, ‘Okay, if I’m going to apply to become a high commissioner or ambassador, Jamaica’s a great place to be….We do security, we do trade, we do migration — everything — and that was the goal. So my expectation was a really interesting, dynamic post — and that was definitely met,” she said.

However, she expressed that during her tenure she was met with some pleasant surprises that made certain aspects of the job even more interesting than she initially anticipated.

“There was a part of me that thought it would be a little bit more laid-back than it is. I was thinking more of the Jamaica you see, not just the beaches, but kind of the music. So there is a part of Jamaica that is that, where people are super friendly and they chat with you, but on the work side, on the professional side, I think people are a lot more formal than I expected, and that was a bit of a surprise,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

She added that she was impressed with the formal interactions she had, not just with other government officials but with co-workers and other local residents she met when she visited the communities. Emphasising the importance of local interactions, Tudakovic noted that her engagement with small business entrepreneurs stood out to her during her tenure, highlighting the resilient spirit amongst many Jamaicans she met.

“In my position you spend a lot of time with government officials, or you meet a lot of people that are very prominent in the business community, but what’s often the most interesting is when you meet the small entrepreneurs, like the female-owned businesses, or the youth-owned businesses or, you know, someone who’s really not asking for a lot but they need a little bit of something to get their business going, or they need some help with skills in terms of agriculture to get to that next level,” she said.

As it relates to some of the major projects she engaged in, Tudakovic expressed pleasure with being able to renew some of the major projects such as the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) wherein they did small grant projects for small and medium-size businesses — alongside women and youth — yearly; and the Social Justice Programme (So-JUST) which was implemented in 2023 to enhance access to justice for Jamaicans.

Tudakovic noted that as she departs the island she will miss the country’s dynamic culture and unique interactions with people, alongside some of the everyday practices, admitting that it will take some time to readjust when she returns home.

“When you live somewhere long enough you kind of start to feel almost like you belong to that place. Even when you’re driving you no longer need to look for directions, and there are certain things that become almost muscle memory because it’s a place you know,” she told the Sunday Observer.

She highlighted that one of the things which stood out to her during her tenure was how much people wanted to hear from her, specifically the young women she interacted with. She said the opportunity to engage with young women as a leader was important, as she often encouraged them that even in a society where many aspects of leadership are still male-dominated, they should remember that female leaders can have a major impact on today’s society.

“I think in Jamaica you generally do well with women in positions of authority in many ways but what you find here is there is still a gendered notion around traditional social roles, and I think for me, for young women and girls, there’s a lot of really key female figures included in people’s lives. A lot of people have been raised by their mothers or their grandmothers,” she declared.

“There’s no shortage of strong women in Jamaica but I think for me, part of what’s important is, for some of the young girls I’ve talked to, is to remind them that having their own independence, and their own money, and their own agency is really important.”

In the meantime, Tudakovic admitted that despite enjoying her time in Jamaica, she did miss home and felt it was the right time to return.

“This summer will be eight years abroad for my husband and my family. We have two daughters, and the youngest has never studied in Canada so it is time for us to go back to Canada. The oldest is going into grade 10, so it’s actually just easier for them to finish high school. I’m not entirely sure of the job I’ll have but really, it’s time for us to also come home. And even though we’re looking forward to that, it’s a bit bittersweet,” she said.