Montego Bay hosts oversubscribed 11th Jamaica Diaspora Conference opening

Montego Bay, St. James — The 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference opened at the Montego Bay Convention Center with a ceremonial programme that drew delegates from more than a dozen countries under the theme “Diaspora Partnerships: Rebuilding a More Resilient Jamaica.”

Bishop the Hon. Conrad Pitkin, Custos Rotarum for St. James, represented the Governor General at the event, which was addressed by Prime Minister Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Horace Chang, Opposition Leader Mark Golding, Foreign Affairs Minister Sen. the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, and Minister of State Alando Terrelonge. Conference chair Earl Jarrett, managing director of the JN Group, and Montego Bay Mayor Councillor Richard Vernon also spoke before the mayor departed for overseas duties.

Organisers said the gathering was oversubscribed, with more than 1,000 people attending the previous day and hotels and short-term rentals across the city reporting heavy demand. Jarrett noted 80 exhibitors in the Jamaica Marketplace and highlighted recognition for seven diaspora achievers from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, China, and France.

Terrelonge said the conference follows town halls and outreach across the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He cited remittance inflows exceeding US$3 billion last year and pointed to new networking tools, including the AI Tick Connect platform and NFC RFID technology for delegates.

Golding urged continued focus on communities still recovering from Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall on 28 October 2025 as a Category 5 storm. Johnson Smith announced a record 21 service projects planned in parishes most affected by the hurricane.

In his keynote address, Holness thanked the diaspora for relief support after Melissa and outlined economic gains, including unemployment near 3.5%, inflation within the 4–6% target band, and US$6 billion in reconstruction financing. He highlighted the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority and its FAST initiative for large private projects aligned with recovery goals, as well as progress on public safety, healthcare upgrades, and housing investment.

The opening ceremony closed with a 30-minute break before the first plenary on climate, tourism, and disaster resilience.