By Okoye Henry
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The government of Jamaica has unveiled two groundbreaking virtual platforms – the Diaspora Registration portal, ‘ConnectMeJa’, and the Jamaica Diaspora Engagement Model (Jam-Dem), which aim to enhance diaspora engagement and connectivity globally.
The innovative platforms were officially launched by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, during the 10th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall, St James, on Wednesday, June 19.
ConnectMeJa, developed in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is a mobile application designed to map the diaspora and facilitate better communication between Jamaicans and their government.
The app, which is currently available on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, aims to understand the needs of diasporans and how they can contribute to Jamaica.
This platform will provide valuable information for Jamaicans living abroad and encourages user participation by offering incentives.
It requires people to enter their names, countries and email addresses in order to be actively engaged.
The Jam-Dem platform, on the other hand, was created in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and will serve as a secure virtual space that can be accessed through the ministry’s website https://www.mfaft.gov.jm/ for enhanced connectivity between the Government and the diaspora.
The platform is intended to attract diaspora-led investments, promote entrepreneurship, and drive innovation through four main features.
These are a visual map documenting the global movement of the Jamaican diaspora, a directory of Jamaican groups and organisations globally, curated investment opportunities and ways to give back, and a comprehensive resource library.
The platform also offers a unique ‘Out of Many Roots Search’ feature, allowing users to trace their family lineage in collaboration with the Registrar General’s Department (RGD).
Minister Johnson Smith expressed enthusiasm about reaching a “sweet spot” in diaspora engagement efforts.
“It is a fact that the diaspora has been asking, for years, for ways to receive curated investment information. They say, ‘we want to know how we can invest [and] where we can invest; we don’t want to have to fly down to find out’, and this Jam-Dem Portal will deliver that,” she explained. “People are always asking, ‘if I want to connect with someone in the diaspora or an organisation or if I’m moving overseas and I want to see what’s happening over there, how can I connect?’ ConnectMeJa will now allow that opportunity.”
Senator Johnson Smith indicated that the launch of these platforms is a demonstration of the government’s commitment to listen to the diaspora’s concerns. The virtual spaces also form part of a continuum of diaspora engagement initiatives, inclusive of regional conferences and ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships and connectivity.
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