Golding Pushes for Diaspora Appointments to Jamaica’s Public Boards

Opposition Leader Mark Golding is urging that more Jamaicans in the Diaspora be included in national decision-making through appointments to public boards, saying their skills and commitment can improve how public institutions operate.

Golding made the call on Tuesday while speaking at the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James. Addressing delegates, he said practical systems should be put in place to make that participation possible.

“I would encourage mechanisms to be established to facilitate your presence and participation on public boards in the country. There are over 100 of them, and they cover a wide array of very important activities,” Golding told delegates.

He said this can be done without changing the law. The conference is being staged under the theme, ‘Diaspora Partnerships: Re-Building a More Climate-Resilient Jamaica’.

Golding also welcomed the continued expansion of the conference, noting that it started in 2004 and has grown into a major gathering where Jamaicans living overseas and at home exchange ideas, share experiences, and support national development. He also acknowledged former Senator Delano Franklin for helping to establish the event in its early period.

Describing Jamaicans overseas as one of the country’s strongest assets, Golding pointed to their wide contribution to both the economy and social support systems. “It has been said many times and in many different ways, but the reality is that Jamaica and the Jamaican family, we are a global people,” he said. He added, “Our country is blessed with this large reservoir of talent, of resources, of persons with a strong emotional connection to yaad that we call the Diaspora.”

According to Golding, the Diaspora remains the country’s leading source of foreign exchange and continues to carry many families through difficult periods. “You are, de facto, the most important social safety net that keeps Jamaica and Jamaican society on an even keel,” he said.

While commending that support, Golding also called on the Government to give stronger priority to post-disaster recovery following Hurricane Melissa, which hit Jamaica as a Category 5 system on October 28, 2025. He said many people are still dealing with serious fallout months later.

“We are still feeling the residue of Hurricane Melissa,” he said, pointing to reports of heavy school absenteeism, businesses that are still under pressure, and families remaining under tarpaulins in parts of Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, Hanover, southern St James, Trelawny, and sections of St Ann.

Golding said the immediate focus should be helping affected residents rebuild their daily lives and income. He urged the Government, including the National Recovery and Reconstruction Authority (NaRRA) and related agencies, to speed up assistance. “Prioritise the restoration of broken lives. Let these people get back on their feet so they can make their contribution to national development,” Golding said.