Jamaicans in Australia Urged To Support Diaspora Survey

Jul 9, 2015

Perth Caribbean Association endorses project of Jamaican government to engage diaspora community

 

July 6, 2015 (Perth, Australia) – The Perth Caribbean Association (PCA) is urging its members to support the Mapping Jamaica’s Diaspora Project being implemented by the Jamaican government. The Association endorses the initiative which seeks to harness Jamaica’s large diaspora community and find ways for them to contribute to the country’s development.

 

The PCA said the Mapping Jamaica’s Diaspora Project is important for the community because it marks a concerted effort by the government to engage with the diaspora.

 

“There are approximately 499 persons that were either born in Jamaica or of Jamaican decent in Western Australia according to the 2011 Census of Population and Housing. These numbers shows that persons still have a very strong connection to the people of Jamaica and the strong culture that the island possesses,” said the PCA President.

 

“It is fundamental that we in the diaspora give back to the culture that played such an important part of our lives but, more importantly, it is a rare opportunity for us living aboard to shape the direction of Jamaica,” he continued.

 

The Mapping Jamaica’s Diaspora Project is a project of Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration. It aims to use survey responses to identify avenues for the diaspora to contribute to the development of country, through the creation of jobs, fostering competition, in-country business development, productivity and innovation.

 

The project will survey skills in the diaspora community and compare them to skills gaps within the country in order to identify individuals who can to fill these gaps. The government said it will use this information to shape a more strategic and mutually beneficial relationship between Jamaica and the diaspora.

 

Jamaica’s diaspora is among the largest in the world and is estimated to be in excess of three million persons, contributing an annual average of US$152 million between 2007 and 2011 to the country’s economy.

 

About Perth Caribbean Association

 

The Perth Caribbean Association is a newly formed not for profit organisation whose goal is to bring a range of cultural and professional services and resources to the Caribbean community in Perth together.