Nationals in the UK to form Diaspora Consultative Committee

LONDON, UK, July 23, 2010 - Even before the Diaspora Preparatory Conference is convened in St. George’s next month, nationals in the United Kingdom have started the process of planning for the Founding Conference in 2011.

About 15 Grenadians, from various professional backgrounds, met on Thursday night in London to discuss and break ground on the Diaspora Consultative Committee.

The idea of a DCC (UK) was discussed at the Diaspora Outreach Visit in Huddersfield which was attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Peter David and High Commissioner Her Excellency Ruth Rouse.

“The DCC (UK), I would say, is now constituted and we will have our first formal meeting in mid-September following the preparatory conference at which time, we believe the way forward will be clearer,” said High Commissioner Rouse who had invited interested persons to meet for initial discussions.

The DCC (UK) is expected to provide a link to the Office of Diaspora Affairs in Grenada and hold consultations throughout the United Kingdom in the coming months, to gather the views of the UK Diaspora to feed into the decision-making process in Grenada.

The DCC (UK) is also expected to support and encourage the UK Diaspora to attend and participate in the 2011 conference and would hope to have a document produced by March of 2011, which would be expected to influence the agenda for the conference.

“The team in the UK is happy that the Government has taken such an initiative and highly commends the Foreign Minister for his foresight and determination,” she said.

Thursday’s meeting was described as very encouraging with the participants expressing their full support for the DCC (UK).

“Great meeting and lots of enthusiasm,” said Anthony Noel. “I would like to see the government work with the other parties (political) within parliament to support this initiative such that should there be a change in the result of a future election this initiative will live on.”