Grace Kennedy in partnership with Western Union International are hosting the first of two Town Hall meetings tonight, at Badshah Palace in Birmingham under the theme “Caribbean Diaspora – Borderless Possibilities”. With keynote speaker, The Most Honourable P. J. Patterson ON PC QC OE, former Prime Minister of Jamaica, the event looks to be one not to miss.The Phoenix Newspaper caught up with The Most Honourable P. J. Patterson, as well as Sean Mason – Vice President Western Union in the Caribbean and Michelle Allen, CEO Grace Kennedy Money Services on the day before the event to find out a little more about the Town Hall meetings.
“This is our way to engage the Caribbean diaspora. We started in Canada and the US last year, and I think our keynote speaker had a lot to do with that and they came out to see how they can support communities back home and that is exactly what we are looking for,” explained Michelle Allen, “GKMS have been in partnership with WU for over 25 years so we felt that these type of events were key to communities, with all very well attended, and we’re expecting the same in Birmingham!”
Aimed at members of the diaspora to bring information on services, initiatives and also to gather opinions and information from the same members to take back to the Caribbean, the events have been a year in the making and with the calibre of those attending and speaking at the Town Hall meetings, are set to draw the crowds in to listen. Key areas of discussions are around Economic survival, Education and Sport.
The attraction of hearing from Jamaica’s longest serving Prime Minister is sure to be a pull for the events, with bus services put on from outlying areas to enable people to attend the Birmingham event.
“What this series of meetings is intended to ensure, is that people will see the opportunities they have of investing their skills, investing their money and really forging that kind of partnership for the benefit of both those in the diaspora and those at home,” beamed Patterson.
The Birmingham event is today, Tuesday, 7 June 2016 from 18:00 to 23:00 at Badshah Palace - Walsall Road Great Barr, Birmingham, B421 1LR, while the London event is on Thursday, 9 June 2016 from 18:00 to 23:00 at Camden Town Hall - Judd Street, London, WC1 9JE.
Sean mentioned “It has always been part of our mantra to engage with the communities that we serve as our customers are always at the heart and soul of everything we do. Certainly in the UK we are looking forward to engaging with them, we haven’t done so in the ways we have done in other markets. The UK is a large opportunity for us, as the country was the original migration country.”
The Town Hall events are ticketed events with tickets available at the links below:
