MIAMI – Jamaica’s Consul General to the Southern United States, C.P. Ricardo Allicock will complete his tour of duty next month (Aug. 31) after serving as head of Mission since September 2002.
He returns to Jamaica to begin his new role as Director of Protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) as of September 1.
Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Allicock served in the Ministry (MFAFT) as special advisor to the then Minister (Hon. Paul Robertson), as well as working in the Department of Diaspora and Consular Affairs (formerly the Overseas Division) of that Ministry. He joined the Foreign Service in 2001.
During his tenure, the Consul General has held responsibility for the thirteen (13) southern States including the second largest Jamaican populated US region, South Florida with a population of nearly 400,000. Under his directorship, two honorary consuls are assigned in Houston, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia.
Consul General, Ricardo Allicock
Among his many accomplishments, the Consul General had started the annual Community Service Awards ceremony, which he said was begun to “acknowledge tremendous contributions of Jamaicans in South Florida and beyond, impacting the community through arts, media, charitable giving and extraordinary achievements. Thirteen recipients were awarded at the second annual event held in March, earlier this year. Last year, eighteen persons were honored at the inaugural ceremony.
The Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce (JAUSAC) is the brainchild of the Consul General and was formed in March 2004. He explained that the growth of the Jamaican Diaspora and its impact and contribution on the local communities and the island’s development, resulted in establishing the Chamber. Simultaneously, Government had begun to intensify its focus in incorporating the Diaspora in Jamaica’s national development. The chamber has since grown to encompass a membership of nearly 400 Jamaican business owners and corporate entities.
Described as highly visible, Mr. Allicock is known for creating a synergy between the Consulate and the Diaspora because of the overwhelming support he has extended throughout the communities within his jurisdiction, and his ongoing involvement with community interest groups and organizations, churches, especially those denominations with large Jamaican populations. Those groups have continued to make significant contributions in the areas of education, health, social services, trade and charitable giving. He also maintained close relations with the media and the diplomatic corp.
Beyond that, he has also enjoyed a relationship with the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board, since its inception in 2004 at the historical inaugural National Diaspora Conference in Kingston June 2004. He has been working closely with the representatives, attorneys Dahlia Walker-Huntington, (2004 – 2006) and Marlon Hill, recently re-elected to a second term.
With an ongoing focus on international relations and trade, he continues to impact Jamaica’s development and the wider Caribbean community through his interaction with other global environments, in his capacity as chair of the CARICOM Consular Corp, since 2004. Mr. Allicock was instrumental in the formation of that group in Fall 2002, comprising the team of Caribbean countries with Consular representation in South Florida.
In the interest of Jamaicans residing abroad, the Consul General also continues to share meaningful dialogue with nationals encouraging their participation in the host environment, as they become citizens with voting rights to create leverage for individuals, families as well as for the island.
In addition, Mr. Allicock has had daily protocol encounters with Jamaican officialdom, as well as serving in other areas of diplomatic interests as part of the wide range of consular duties of the overseas diplomatic offices designed to serve the interests of nationals abroad as well as the international community.
Sharing sentiments, Peter Webley, publisher of Caribbean Today, the oldest Caribbean newspaper in the Southern USA, said that through the significant contributions of office, the CG has exemplified the highest standard of diplomacy serving with pride, dignity and integrity and impacting Jamaica in a very positive manner in all areas of the nation’s development.
