The 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference kicked off on Monday at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, bringing together key economic leaders and diaspora delegates to unlock the country’s growing investment potential. Under the overarching theme of “Diaspora Partnerships: Re-Building a More Climate-Resilient Jamaica”, senior industry officials delivered a clear, urgent call to action: Jamaicans at home and abroad must step up to claim a stake in the island nation’s rapidly improving economic outlook, even as billions in international capital flows into the country.
Delano Seiveright, Minister of State in Jamaica’s Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, opened his address by framing a core concern for the country’s long-term inclusive growth. While he affirmed that Jamaica’s economic trajectory is undeniably positive, he warned that too many local and diaspora Jamaicans are remaining on the sidelines as foreign investors snap up emerging opportunities.
“My concern is not whether Jamaica’s future is bright — the evidence is already there. My concern is whether Jamaicans themselves will own enough of that future,” Seiveright told conference delegates. “Because while international investors are lining up around the block and investing billions of dollars across Jamaica, too many Jamaicans are still watching from the sidelines — too many!”
Seiveright challenged diaspora members to move quickly to capitalize on emerging opportunities, urging them not to delay entry into the market. “Do not wait until everybody else tells you Jamaica is a place to invest. By then you may be too late. Come home, invest, partner, build, own,” he said.
To back up his call, Seiveright outlined a series of dramatic improvements to Jamaica’s investment landscape that have captured global attention. Most notably, he highlighted a steep decline in national crime rates, a longstanding barrier to economic growth. The country recorded roughly 673 murders in 2025, a sharp drop from 1,100 in 2024 and less than half of the 1,400 murders recorded in 2023. Seiveright attributed this progress to $90 billion in sustained national security investments, intelligence-led policing strategies, and strengthened institutional capacity, labeling crime reduction one of the government’s most significant recent successes.
He also pointed to major public infrastructure projects that are improving connectivity across the island, including the newly completed Montego Bay Perimeter Road and the planned Long Hill Bypass, which will cut travel times and boost economic activity across western Jamaica. Alongside these tangible improvements, Seiveright emphasized that Jamaica boasts unmatched stability for a developing economy: exchange rates have held steady, political institutions remain strong and democratic, and core economic fundamentals have consistently outperformed expectations amid global volatility. “Jamaica is stronger, more stable, more investment ready than at any point in our modern history,” he concluded.
Following Seiveright’s address, Shullette Cox, President of Jamaica Promotions Corporation (Jampro), expanded on the country’s investment advantages, outlining key high-growth sectors open to new investors and breaking down the incentive programs available to both local and diaspora participants.
Cox noted that even in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful storms to impact the Caribbean in recent decades, all three major global credit rating agencies reaffirmed Jamaica’s stable economic outlook — a testament to the country’s strong economic governance and disaster resilience that has bolstered international investor confidence.
She highlighted Jamaica’s world-class maritime infrastructure as a major logistical advantage, noting that the Kingston Container Terminal boasts a total capacity of 3.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units, positioning the island as a regional logistics and trade hub. For qualifying investors, Cox explained that incentives under the Fiscal Incentives Act offer a graduated corporate income tax structure: while banking institutions pay a 33 1/3 percent rate, most other sectors face a 25 percent rate, and these benefits are available to both foreign investors and Jamaican diaspora members.
Cox went on to spotlight specific emerging sectors primed for new investment, aligned with the government’s strategic economic priorities. The fast-growing local film industry is seeking new investment to build much-needed studio infrastructure, and the government is actively supporting co-production partnerships to grow the segment. Additionally, as part of the country’s push to reduce dependence on costly imported fossil fuels, a new request for proposal (RFP) for renewable energy projects will launch in August. The RFP will seek 220 megawatts of additional renewable energy generation capacity and 110 megawatts of battery energy storage systems, opening significant new opportunities for investors in the clean energy space.
The three-day conference, which opened on Monday, is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday, with additional sessions focused on advancing diaspora engagement and climate-resilient development across the country.