Elections underway for new Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board Representative for Southern USA
SOUTH FLORIDA -The voting process opened Monday (Aug. 4) for the position of Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board member for the Southern USA. Elections will close promptly ) at 8:00 p.m., (EST) on Friday, Aug. 15.
The person securing the majority of votes will be declared the duly elected Diaspora Advisory Board Representative by Monday, August 25, according to interim Diaspora Board coordinator for the Southern USA, Reverend Horace Ward of the Holy Family Episcopal Church in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Three Jamaican nationals are vying for the two-year volunteer position serving the thirteen (13) Southern States of the United States of America, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
The candidates are Wayne C. Golding, Sr. Esq., resident of Orlando, Florida (top left); Courtney G. McFarlane, resident of Atlanta, Georgia (right), and Alexander A. Williams, Esq., resident of Fort Lauderdale, Florida (bottom left).
Sharing information regarding the conduct of elections, Rev. Ward encouraged all Jamaican nationals residing in the Southern USA to participate in the election process. Given the wide geographical area of that region, voting will be conducted electronically and via mail-in ballots submitted to Holy Family Episcopal Church, 18501 NW 7th Avenue, Miami, FL 33169. Each voter will be limited to one ballot by selecting one of the three listed candidates and is required to give name and address.
To learn more about the candidates, and for further information and instructions on the voting procedures, persons can visit the Jamaica Diaspora election website (www.JamaicaDiasporaElection2014.com).
Rev. Ward emphasized that all ballots received by closing time 8:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday, August 15. These will be checked, tabulated and verified by an Independent Panel before announcing the successful candidate.
The Diaspora Advisory Board arose out of the first Biennial National Diaspora Conference held in Kingston, in June 2004. The total of seven Board members is required to represent the interest of Jamaican Diaspora populated communities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, while maintaining close relationship with the Jamaican foreign missions and embassies in those regions as well as the Government and people in Jamaica.
In preparation for the election process to elect the new Advisory Board Representative, Rev. Ward reiterated that he is interacting with community associations, media and faith-based leaders in the Diaspora communities to create awareness and interest to the “Diaspora movement to which each of us as Jamaicans residing overseas, is a member” he added. The position has been vacant since last November.
