Charge d’Affairs at the embassy of Jamaica, Marsha Coore Lobban, delivers Prime Minister Andrew Holness’s message at the Jamaican Association of Maryland Gala in celebration of Jamaica’s 54th year of independence in Baltimore on Saturday August 6, 2016. Photo: Derrick Scott

WASHINGTON, USA — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has implored members of the Jamaican Diaspora to renew and reaffirm their commitment to playing a part in addressing critical aspects of national life that remain issues of concern.

The prime minister made his comments in a message to the Jamaica Association of Maryland at its gala to mark Jamaica’s 54th year of independence in Baltimore, on Saturday, August 6, 2016.

Holness, in his message read by charge d’affairs at the Embassy of Jamaica, Marsha Coore-Lobban, said, “I often express the view that Jamaicans domiciled in the Diaspora represent the common wealth of Jamaica, and as such, you must never cease focusing attention on matters pertinent to Jamaica’s development and quality of life for its citizens.”

Holness called on members of the Diaspora to sustain the campaign to leverage the considerable influence and network of resources at its disposal to champion Jamaica’s cause and advance the development interest of its people.

Holness noted that the management of our economy remained a critical area of focus as a lot of hard work had gone into implementing the structural reform required under the existing four-year extended fund facility with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“My administration is unequivocally committed to fostering and maintaining economic stability as well as sustained debt reduction; importantly however we are committed to exercising diligence and creativity in spurring growth attracting investments providing avenues for greater Diaspora participation and creating jobs for our people,” he said.

The prime minister added that, while the government’s hands remained firmly on the wheel in ensuring successful completion of the existing IMF program, collaboration with other key multilateral institution is on in earnest.

He said talks have already begun as to the kind of relationship Jamaica will have with the IMF when the current program ends in March 2017.

Holness added that the government was fully cognizant that, while considerable strides have been made in the implementation of economic reforms, Jamaica was by no means out of the woods.

Holness encouraged members of the Diaspora to play a part in recommitting to improving the productivity and efficiency of the economy by ensuring that the labour force is trained and certified and that businesses are able to retool and incorporate the latest technology into their production.