The delegation that was led by Jamaica’s Opposition Leader and People’s National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding, concluded a successful diaspora tour on Friday, July 22, 2022, in New York City. The tour culminated in a breakfast meeting in Manhattan, organized by Ambassador Curtis Ward, and hosted by Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, (D-NY), who was joined by members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), including Rep. Gregory Meeks, (D-NY), Rep, Troy Carter (D-LA), Rep. Andre Carson, (D-IN), Rep. Sheila Cherifulus-McCormick (D-FL), and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV).
While in New York, the delegation, comprised of PNP General Secretary Dr. Dayton Campbell, Chairperson Dr. Angela Brown Burke, Treasurer Kisha Anderson, Shadow Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Lisa Hanna MP, Jr. Shadow Spokesperson of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Attorney Christopher Henry and Bancroft Stanley of the National Workers’ Union (NWU), met with stakeholders, affiliates, and supporters. The delegation made a courtesy call to the Consulate General of Jamaica, meeting with Consul General Alison Roach Wilson and members of her team. National Diaspora Co-chair Dahlia Walker-Huntington and the New York Organizing Committee escorted the delegation around the city.
The delegation was warmly welcomed at each stop, with attendees eager to engage in discussions about Jamaica and the diaspora and celebrate Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence. On Thursday, July 21, 2022, while addressing a packed auditorium at Medgar Evers College, Mr. Golding delivered an informative lecture at the invitation of Dr. Ken Irish Bramble, executive director of the college’s Caribbean Research Center, on the impact of the Caribbean diaspora on the United States. The lecture was followed by a well-attended reception for party supporters at Brooklyn Commons, featuring food and entertainment. On Wednesday, July 20, 2022, the delegation made a courtesy call to the Mayor’s Office at the Freeport Village Hall in, Long Island, and were given proclamations, before they attended a private function at Platinum Cuisines, hosted by noted attorneys Dawn and Dennis Warren.
The delegation arrived in New York City on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, after making stops South Florida, Atlanta, and Washington DC. Senator Peter Bunting arrived with the delegation in Florida and participated in the activities in that state, while Senator Donna Scott Mottley traveled with the delegation to both Florida and Atlanta.
The Diaspora tour resumes in October with visits to England and eventually to Canada.–PM
