By Atkilt Geleta

According to the Jamaica Information Service, the Jamaican diaspora in Toronto, which numbers approximately 300,000, has established a special emergency and disaster relief fund for the island.

Consul General George Ramocan has stated that a coordinated effort between roughly 80 community-based organizations in Toronto will be assisting in the effort.

These organizations are currently making charitable contributions in various areas including capacity building initiatives in the education sector, funding health care facilities, supplying equipment and delivering volunteer health care practitioners.

Ramocan stated in a sit down with JIS that, “The idea behind this is driven by the many needs that are there, particularly when we (Jamaica) enter periods of disaster. We cannot ignore the fact that disasters may come and there ought to be not just a response at the time of the (disaster), but there should be consistent forethought,”

In light of the Haiti earthquake earlier this year, Toronto’s Jamaican community will help in erecting effective emergency  relief in the wake of catastrophe.