The Jamaican Community in the US North East of which I am the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Member, is completely dumbfounded by the recent statements/protest of JMA President Azan regarding the importation of Caribbean Food Delight’s patty into Jamaica.

Jamaica has no monopoly on patty and like Minister Samuda explained, is a part of an international community that participates in “free trade”. Recently I stayed in a hotel on the north coast and was very disturbed with the absence of “Jamaican Alcoholic beverages” , I never recall hearing Mr. Azan or other “concerned Jamaicans” complain about this.

Ironically Mr. Azan never mentioned that the company he is protesting is owned and operated by a “Patriotic Jamaican” and his family – Mr. Vincent HoSang. Ask all the athletes who have participated in Penn Relays for the past 20 years about Caribbean Delight and the HoSang family, indeed they will tell you sir and all Jamaica that this is the company who feed them and donate on top of this, money to assist in hotel and transportation.  Royal Caribbean is incredibly generous to the Diaspora Community and to charities in Jamaica.  They have donated close to US$1 million in cash and equipment, including a medical mobile that brings health care to thousands in rural Jamaica.  Just recently, they gave US$30,000 to Father Ho Lung to help the poor in Jamaica.

The entire Diaspora community, especially the tri-state area of New York/New Jersey & Connecticut knows who Vinny & Caribbean Food Delight is to the community:

Over 60% of Caribbean Food Delights employees are Jamaican.

Caribbean Food Delights is the largest Jamaican frozen food manufacturer in the United States owned and operated by Jamaicans.

One of the few Jamaican plants inspected by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Caribbean Food Delights is a state-of-the-art plant over 100, 000 sq. ft. on 10 acres.

Six full scholarships were given to six students totaling US$150,000, for the entrepreneurial program at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica.

In 2005, VHFF donated a fully-equipped mobile health clinic worth US$180,000 to Dr. Roy Streete of the Organization for International Development (OID) for the people in Jamaica. Dr. Streete and his team provide free dental and medical services to the less fortunate.

VHFF donated US$250,000 to Father Ho Lung of Missionaries of the Poor to build a chapel in Jamaica. The chapel will all serve another purpose: in the day time, it will be a basic school to educate children in Jamaica.

Caribbean Food Delights serve over 400 student athletes from Jamaica at the Penn Relays for three days and donate $10,000 to help provide accommodations and transportation which they’ve been doing every April since 1994.

In 2004, a donation of $5000 was given towards Hurricane Dean Relief fund.

In 2005, assistance was given to 20 Jamaicans who were affected by Hurricane Rita in Texas by donating $5000.00.

In 2008, the company donated clothes, shoes, food, toiletries and money to Haiti for their Hurricane relief efforts.

Computers were donated to schools in Jamaica.

We in the Diaspora love to give back to our “beloved Jamaica”, but Jamaicans must understand also we are importers as well as exporters and indeed organization like JMA have for years neglected what we can offer, in terms of expertise and investments in their individual companies. I am surprise that following the recent complaint about Trinidad JMA would go this route!

We urge the government to not yield and to our fellow Jamaicans to support  Caribbean Food Delight, because we are positive that profits from this company does indeed circulates in our communities directly and indirectly. This is shortsighted and selfish of Mr. Azan and JMA.

Patrick A Beckford, Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board Director
US North East,  22 Heinrich Rd, Somerset NJ 08873

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