Information Minister urges PR practitioners to tell the amazing stories of Jamaican achievement

President Benjamin welcomes Minister Falconer

August 29, 2012

One billion people saw something good about Jamaica, build on this -
Information Minister to Public Relations Practitioners

Minster with responsibility for Information, Senator Sandrea Falconer, urged public relations practitioners to build on the positive images of Jamaica that were broadcast across the world during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Breaking news on the media coverage achieved, Minister Falconer said, "Preliminary information on the USA, Canada and Latin America Markets point to some amazing media coverage that we just could not begin to quantify in dollar terms. Jamaica House O2 Coverage between May to August in terms of Circulation and Audience Reach is estimated at 258 million. General Olympic Coverage between August 1 and August 13 in terms of Circulation and Audience reach is estimated at over 770 million. Total overall reach 1.035 billion people worldwide who heard something positive about Jamaica."

Speaking yesterday (August 28) at the General Meeting of the PRSJ in Kingston, Minister Falconer said that the country's communicators had a unique opportunity to capitalize on the awareness of Jamaica and said that she would shortly be inviting public and private sector PR practitioners to Jamaica House as a way to prepare for upcoming international initiatives, and also to build internal communications.

Minister Falconer was at home with practitioners
Cheryl Smith (left) and Meris  Haughton

"We need the skills and expertise of all of the nation's communicators....My central message to you therefore, as the Public Relations Society, is that there is a seminal role for you to play in Jamaica's journey into its next 50 years and beyond. I challenge you to become bolder in your expressions. Let your voices and opinions be heard as part and parcel of the process of the development of our society. It is no longer enough for communications people to remain in the background and be the ‘moving hand' in the shadow of your organisation," Minister Falconer said.

The Minister said that a joined-up government approach had been used to create the Jamaica House platform in London which created an enabling environment for entrepreneurs, international dealmakers, tourism interests and other persons wanting to do business in Jamaica.

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Treasurer Mark Thomas welcomed Minister Falconer