Miss Lou lookalike, Letna Allen-Rowe (left), and drummer, Calvin Mitchell, of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, entertain the audience at the Jamaican Diaspora Day celebrations, held recently at the Revivaltime Tabernacle in Toronto, Canada. - JIS photo

The Jamaican Diaspora-Canada Foundation (JDCF) has launched the 'We A Go Help De Pickney Dem' Fund, which is designed to raise money to improve sanitary conveniences in 600 basic schools across the island.

The initiative was launched at the Jamaican Diaspora Day celebrations held last week at the Revivaltime Tabernacle in Toronto.

Treasurer for the JDCF, Clive Banton, said the project - which is designed to replace pit toilets with flush toilets - will cost approximately Cdn$5,000 per school for a total of Cdn$300,000.

Opposition Spokesman on the Diaspora, Ed Bartlett, who was the keynote speaker at the event, lauded the Canadian diaspora group for its continued contribution to the development of Jamaica and Canada.

Mr. Bartlett challenged the group to take another step in their involvement in the affairs of Canada and start to influence decisions at the municipal and national levels. Noting that their political influence cannot be understated, he called on members of the diaspora to make use of opportunities that can bring about change in the way migrants are viewed.

Pleased with plans

Jamaica's Consul General to Toronto, Anne-Marie Bonner, said she was pleased the JDCF saw it fit to plan three activities to mark this year's Diaspora Day. A youth conference was held a week earlier and a discussion/forum on the diaspora and the role of the church in transforming inner-city communities was scheduled to take place on Saturday at the Revivaltime Tabernacle in Toronto.

At the event, pastor for the diaspora, Bishop Peter Morgan, his wife, Dr. Pat Morgan, and their son, the Rev. Carrington Morgan, were to speak about their work in the inner cities of Southside, Trench Town and Majesty Gardens in Kingston, and how the diaspora can play a role in transforming the communities.