Results in for diaspora council elections

The results of the recently concluded Global Jamaica Diaspora Council elections have been released, with several new members set to join the few returnees to the committees.

In the USA Northeast, the new council member is Michelle Tulloch-Neil, who received 91 votes. In the US Southern Region, the winner is Peter Gracey, who won with 737 votes. In the US West/Midwest Region, the winner is Shauna Chin, who got 157 votes. In Canada, the new council member is Rhona Dunwell, who won with 74 votes, and in UK North, the winner is Dr Kevin Brown, and in the UK South, the winner is Nathaniel Peat.

In the United Kingdom, both Dr Brown and Mr Peat ran unopposed as no new person came forward to contest for the positions.

Michelle Tulloch-Neil replaces Dr Karren Dunkley as the northeast council member. Dr Dunkley did not seek re-election. In the South, Mr. Gracey replaces Dr. Allan Cunningham who also did not seek re-election. Returning from the original council of three years ago are Shauna Chin in the West/Midwest; Dr. Brown and Mr. Peat in the United Kingdom North and South regions.

Voting also took place for the Global Jamaica Diaspora Youth Council.

Asha Richards won in the Northeast, Renae Miller won in the South, and Vanessa Myrie won in the West/Midwest. For UK North, the Youth Council member is Shermara Fletcher, and for the UK South, the Youth Council member is Thara Johnson-Reid. No candidate came forward to run for the Canadian Youth Council member position.

Miller, Myrie, Fletcher, and Johnson-Reid all ran unopposed.

The Global Jamaica Council members as well as the Global Jamaica Youth Council members will serve for three years. The entire council comprises 29 people. Fourteen of these are now elected, and the minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade will appoint the additional 15. Shauna Chin served as vice-chair of the last council.

The Youth Council members were elected for the first time this cycle. During the last council, all youth council members were appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has responsibility for diaspora affairs.

A breakdown of the votes shows the following.

For the US Northeast region, which reportedly has the largest concentration of Jamaicans, 574 persons were invited to vote in the election. Of that figure, only 250 actually voted. In the US South region, 1,792 people were invited to vote. Of that number, 1,208 actually voted. In the US West/Midwest Region, 246 people were invited to vote. Of that figure, 203 voted. In Canada, 199 people were invited to vote, and 129 voted. In the UK North, 196 persons were invited to vote, and 95 voted. In the UK South, 102 persons were invited to vote, and 47 actually voted.