Marks lauds diaspora contribution to nation’s progress

WASHINGTON, DC: Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States Audrey Marks has expressed deep gratitude to the Jamaican diaspora, whose contributions in a number of areas, she says, have enhanced the nation’s progress.

Addressing the gala hosted by the Jamaica Association of Maryland on Saturday, August 19 to mark Jamaica’s 61st anniversary of Independence, Ambassador Marks said “through initiatives in business, health and education, and generous donations of time and resources, our diaspora has significantly enriched Jamaican communities, leaving a lasting impact that will resonate far into the future”.

“As a nation, we have achieved steady progress, surpassing economic forecasts and social benchmarks. Financial barometers, such as our debt-to-GDP ratio and unemployment rate are at historic lows of 78 per cent and six per cent, respectively, paving the way for enduring financial stability and sustainable growth. It is the indomitable determination of our people that has propelled us towards these goals,” Ambassador Marks noted.

“We are renowned for our heritage, culture, and prowess in sports. Our athleticism and resilience as a people are exemplified by the Reggae Girlz’s performance in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the fight put up by our Reggae Boyz in the recently concluded Gold Cup, and the performance of our athletes ... in Budapest, Hungary.

“As we pay homage to our ancestors for their invaluable contributions in securing Independence, let us celebrate all our accomplishments in the areas of sports, music, art, academia, and politics,” Ambassador Marks declared.

REMARKABLE WORK

She lauded the Jamaican Association of Maryland (JAM) as a shining example of a “robust, change-making diaspora organisation helping to move Jamaicans and Jamaica forward”.

It is against this background that Ambassador Marks proposed that the organisation consider implementing a youth travel and mentorship programme – Upliftment, Learning, and Intervention through Foreign Travel (UPLIFT).

She explained that this programme would aim to expose young Jamaican boys from age seven to 18 by hosting them and their parents with families in the United States, who will expose them to different experiences over a two-to-three-week period.

“This is one area that I know this organisation can assist with that will make a tremendous difference in the lives of our young boys. I am asking the JAM president and its members to join me in launching this pilot project in Maryland.

“The organisation will need to form a committee to assist with the recruiting, vetting and monitoring of suitable families for the programme. The participants will spend at least two weeks with a host family that has been qualified as a safe, nurturing environment ,and I know that will start a transformation,” Ambassador Marks advised.

The Jamaican ambassador commended the president of the association, Ricardo Nugent, his executive team, and the members of JAM for the remarkable work they are doing in and for the community.

Emmy Award-winning journalist from the CBS Channel 9 station in Washington, DC, Jamaica-born Larry Sindass received the Marcus Garvey Award for his outstanding contribution to journalism.

Sindass is the news producer and chief editor for CBS’ Channel 9, and producer for Carib Nations, a weekly news magazine television programme which is syndicated to 21 countries.

The event was held at Martin’s West in Baltimore.