Current Issue now available

The new issue is now available online. Visit Caribbean Business Digest and follow the link to the current issue.

This issue features artist entrepreneur Nerissa Street as she talks about her firm The Artist Initiative, how she got started and the influence that led her to help fellow artist-entrepreneurs.
Attorney Jasmine Calder, Esq talks about being a wife and mother and what drove her to start her own firm, Calder Law Firm, P.L.

Trinbagonian Gillian Smart is also featured as she talks about her project The Smart Group; and a question and answer article with Stella Tokar of the Miramar Pembroke Pines Regional Chamber of Commerce rounds out this issue.

Enjoy your reading.

Jamaica's Election 2007 Forum

Jamaica elections 2007 made its stop in South Florida with the two parties being represented for a debate/question and answer from the Jamaican Diaspora living in the area. I will not comment on the debate itself but I will make a few observations.
Jamaica is right up there with the technologically advanced what with the proceedings being made available on Youtube and viewers having the ability to join in via the Internet courtesy of Jamaicans.com.
Also, no matter who wins the elections come August 27th the Jamaican Diaspora will play a huge role in the Jamaican economy. And I say this without consideration to what both representatives may have said at the forum. With a huge amount of remittances being sent to the island, the Diaspora influence will be there. Now, it remains to be seen how this cash source can be translated into direct investment in the Jamaican economy.
Here are a few articles that I found that covered the event: the Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald and South Florida Caribbean News. If I come across any more, I will post.

DOTT Meeting

As has been made clear numerous times on this blog and at the various meetings by the Diaspora of Trinidad and Tobago (DOTT) that I have attended, I think this group is capable of wonderful things that will serve to be of immense benefit to the Caribbean American climate. If the activities of the Jamaican Diaspora can serve as a model, the DOTT seems to be emulating this with what I believe to be good effect. As has been pointed out at the meeting on the 25th of July, there is still a lot of work to be done, and as radio personality Mike Andrews pointed out there now needs to be a structure and a plan put in place. And I believe that is where the individuals in the forefront of this movement are moving next. The plan seems simple: build awareness, decided on a structure and put objectives in place, create a road map on how to get there and put the plan in to action. Still a long way off but interest is there and the foundation for this endeavor is being set where it is most vital: at the grassroots level.

There is so much I could opine on the meeting but I choose to focus instead on the two guests that were invited: Sylvia Henry and Arthur Joseph. Both guests were there for very different reasons but both served to illustrate what a movement like this is all about.

Joseph was a recent contestant on the television game show Deal or No Deal and from all the reports brought a bit of the Caribbean to the audience. Steel band and limbo were in evidence and T&T certainly gained some good exposure from his involvement. What was more remarkable here is that Joseph passed on an opportunity to win one million dollars in favor of a package worth just over seventy thousand including tickets to his beloved Miami Heat. But the clincher was that his native T&T got a new basketball court courtesy of the Miami Heat where the youths of the island can aspire to compete in competitions like the Olympics. In his speech at the meeting, he pointed out that the press T&T received from this was, to quote a popular commercial, priceless. This very charismatic individual with a bright smile talked for a bit about his experience and encouraged his fellow T&T family to unite in furtherance of great things. {I found two blogs that talked about his involvement with the show one by Carnival (how fitting that he works for Carnival and is from T&T, the land of Carnival) and another by a T&T blogger}.

Sylvia Henry on the other hand was invited to the meeting because her daughter Stepha is missing for quite some time. In reaching out to be of assistance a few of the leaders of this movement asked her to come and speak. She is trying to raise additional funds to increase the reward being offered for any information leading to the whereabouts of her daughter. Anyone wishing to donate to help in the search for Stepha can do so at Banco Popular where there is a special Stepha Henry Fund. (Click here to read the Sun Sentinel article concerning the disappearance of Ms Henry) As the article points out other Caribbean Diaspora groups are also seeking to help.

Just as much as a Diaspora movement is there to celebrate the successes of its members as in the case of Joseph, it must also be there when members of the community needs it, as it is now for Sylvia Henry. I applaud DOTT for the foresight in recognizing this and the attempt to help even though the organization is in its infancy. The invitation of these two individuals no doubt epitomizes what is at the heart of this endeavour.

JA Elections 07

Below is the reminder about the Town Hall meeting before the elections in Jamaica. It looks like both parties are taking it seriously. I think it is interesting who are being sent as representatives. Mr. Paulwell is the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Science and Technology and Mr. Bartlett is the Opposition Spokesperson on Diaspora Affairs and Tourism.

I am not advocating either party but am glad to see there is an emphasis on commerce related matters judging from the representatives chosen. A wide cross section of the diaspora are interested in business linkages with JA and hopefully these gentlemen can expand on that.

Other hot button topics are sure to be crime and education. Should be interesting to see what weight the diaspora will have if any. I do think it is admirable that both groups are seeking to dialogue with the diaspora. That can only be a good thing. Hopefully, this is not just a token gesture.



Thursday, July 26, 2007, 6pm -------- MIRAMAR, FLORIDA
Jamaican Diaspora Southern United States
Community Conversation & Town Hall Meeting
“Elections 2007: Our Vision for Jamaica’s Future”
Miramar Town Center Hall
2300 Civic Center Place, Miramar
A conversational town hall meeting to share and discuss any and all issues facing the discourse and decisions for the upcoming elections (August 27th) in Jamaica
Welcoming Party representatives:
Hon. Phillip Paulwell: Minister of Industry, Commerce, Science & Technology and parliamentary representative for East Kingston/Port Royal (People's National Party - www.pnpjamaica.com)
and
Hon. Edmund Bartlett: Ed Bartlett, Opposition Spokesman on Tourism & Diaspora Affairs and parliamentary representative for East Central St. James (Jamaica Labour Party - www.thejlp.org)
Media and community leaders, and THE VOICE and INPUT of Jamaicans in the Diaspora
For more information call: 786-349-2584 or info@marlonhill.com
Live Online Chat Room during the Forum @ http://www.jamaicans.com (Submit your questions or comment today)
Live results of the elections will also be broadcast on News/Talk 1080 AM WTPS - Monday night, August 27th - http://www.wtps1080am.com

Print and Online Debate again

The more I think about it, the more I believe this issue will be the last print issue. I am going to transform the CBD into an online magazine. The form of the online magazine is yet to be determined such as whether it would be a web newsletter, html newsletter or plain text newsletter. Some more specifics still need to be worked out such as how to get ads on the newsletter. But I believe that this is the way to go as I can do monthly issues with no printing costs and if I get the format just right, I can have shorter articles covering a wider range of subject matter. I also will be able to cover a wider geographic area as well.

So the next month or so I aim to come up with a format for the newsletter and contact my writers to work out the arrangements. There is a chance I would be isolating the print readers by going online but the print circulation was low anyway due to cost constraints. And, I think I can gain more online readers than print readers that I will lose.

I guess this is tantamount to reinventing my vision for the magazine and is no different than what companies, big and small do. Upon realizing the limitations with the current status, it is now time to go in a different direction.

So now on to coming up with a strategy for the directional shift.

CBD in the news (again)

Here is the second instance where I found the Caribbean Business Digest referenced. It was in a paper much like the one I blogged on before in regards to the Diaspora conference back in June.



Click here for the article. The CBD is referenced on page 7.



My only clarification here is the the T&T forum that the writer refers to was not on "Crime and Investment" but on broad issues that were of concern to the T&T diaspora here in the South Florida area. Crime and investment were only some of those issues.



Visit http://www.caribbeanbusinessdigest.com/ to learn more about the CBD.

Upcoming activities in the next month

I was supposed to be at the Greater Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce today but had to cancel last minute. Second month in a row I had to for ego this event but this August is a must attend on my calendar. The Let's Talk forum is in August and this is where the Caribbean community in South Florida come together and have a discussion about the progress we are making as a community. All the media houses will be present including the Caribbean print and radio and television media as well as some of the larger newspapers: the Miami Herald and Sun Sentinel. Well, these organizations were represented last time round and I believe they will be again this year. I attended last year and will be curious to see what they dialogue will be like this time round. More and that in the coming weeks.

Before that event will be a litany of activities marking Jamaica' independence. There is already a schedule out with all the activities that I will post here at a later date. I believe T&T also has independence celebrations this year all well. August will be busy and significant. I am looking forward to it.

Sweet Home Jamaica.......... a novel

Found the following story online. Apparently this book written by a Jamaican, Claudette Beckford Brady is getting some rave reviews. I hope to get the book and have a read. Here is the article. The review itself makes me want to get this book asap...............
Nice to see this addition to the Caribbean Diaspora literature creating a buzz.

Forum on National Elections in JA

I recieved this earlier this week about the Jamaican Diaspora meeting in South Floida. Might turn out to be very interesting with elections is JA on the horizon...................


JAMAICAN DIASPORA SOUTHERN U.S. TO HOST
FORUM ON NATIONAL ELECTIONS IN JAMAICA

The Jamaican Diaspora Southern United States will host a Community Conversation and Town Hall Meeting, titled “Elections 2007: Our Vision for Jamaica’s Future”, on Thursday, July 26, 2007, 6pm to 8:30pm, at the City of Miramar City Hall, 2300 Civic Center Place in Miramar. The Town Hall meeting will welcome a community conversation with invited representatives from Jamaica’s two main political parties, the People’s National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), local media and community leaders, and the voice and input of Jamaicans in the Diaspora.
“Jamaicans in the Diaspora are not constitutionally eligible to vote in national elections, but our ongoing voice and contributions to the development of Jamaica should certainly be embraced in the national discourse of the choice of leadership and issues related to the future direction of the nation . We intend to approach our civic engagement in a proactive manner,” stated Marlon Hill, Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board Member for the Southern United States.
On Sunday night, July 8, 2007, at a mass rally in Half-Way Tree, Kingston, after announcing all parliamentary candidates, Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller announced that nominations will take place on Tuesday, August 7, 2007 and national elections officially on Monday, August 27, 2007.
Print, radio, and internet media partners in the local South Florida community are expected to play an integral role in facilitating the format and content of the forum. The public is welcome to participate.
“The engagement of the citizens of any nation is the bedrock of the democratic process. For Jamaicans, this is just as important for those who are on island and those living overseas. We hope that this town hall meeting will open the dialogue of the elections in Jamaica,” stated Winston Barnes, Commissioner, City of Miramar and renowned broadcaster with WAVS 1170AM and formerly with RJR Jamaica.
"I believe this town hall meeting will be a great opportunity for the online users in the Jamaica diaspora to ask the representatives of both parties questions in an informal setting and to discuss issues of importance to all Jamaicans wherever they may reside," stated Xavier Murphy, webmaster of Jamaicans.Com, a website community for Jamaicans worldwide.
Community Partners include the City of Miramar, Air Jamaica, Infinite Markets, My Virtual Office, HOT 105, News/Talk 1080AM WTPS, WAVS 1170AM, Mystik 1400AM, Jamaicans.com, SouthFloridaCaribbeanNews.Com, Caribbean National Weekly, Caribbean Today, Caribbean-American Commentary, The Miami Herald, Miami Gardens Observer, Sun-Sentinel, among others. For more information on the Town Hall Meeting on the upcoming national elections at the Miramar Town Center, call 786-349-2584 or email info@marlonhill.com.
The Jamaican Diaspora includes all Jamaican nationals and persons of Jamaican heritage (their family and friends) who reside overseas around the world, including the Southern United States. The Jamaican Diaspora Movement is a historic opportunity to unite and galvanize all Jamaicans, their talents, resources, and potential throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and around the world for the benefit of their local communities and the future development and support of Jamaica. For more information on the Jamaican Diaspora Southern United States, call 786-349-2584 (U.S.) ● 876-621-0102 (Jamaica) ● Facsimile: 786-551-0785 or email: info@marlonhill.com.

Promises, Promises, empty promises

The latest issue of the CBD is in its review stage and will go to print early next week. And as I look back, I remember a couple of situation where I was promised fervently promised advertising by at least two business owners but both fell through. At the time speaking with both men, it was all great and seemed like a slam dunk. It was like "yes yes, this is great I am in call me next week though!" Next week became the following week and then a myriad of excuses as to why it won't happen. Of course, in my budgeting I was counting on those ad revenue to take care of some promotional expense.

One even promised to introduce the magazine to other business owners he is friends with. I believe he did but in the end it was all promises and nothing concrete. Lesson learned: a promise is not worth the paper it is written on; nothing is certain until the deal is closed. In my case that means getting a check the signals the contract is confirmed.