Diasporic Entrepreneurship in the Caribbean - Firm Profiles.pdf Vol 2 | Page 37

Transportation/Freight Firms

As evidence of Fly Jamaica’s commitment to
the Jamaica Diaspora, Reece, Tai, and Christine
Steele, Manager of inflight services, explained
that the Norman Manley International
Airport in the nation’s capital was selected
as its Jamaica destination instead of Sangster
Airport in Montego Bay, the country’s major
tourism hub.24 The flights offer in-flight meals
such as Jamaican favorite ackee and salt fish,
which is designed to cater to the taste of the
Jamaican and Caribbean diaspora.
In addition, the new route structure is geared
to providing easy access from Kingston,
Jamaica (KIN) to Georgetown, Guyana (GEO)
(approximately three hours flying time) in
hopes to provide increased tourism and trade
between the two CARICOM states. The route
structure offers the Canadians and Guyanese
non-stop direct air travel between Toronto and
Georgetown and vice versa.25 It is reported that
the Guyanese nationals and diaspora offer one
of the largest percentage of flights, especially
with the growing Guyanese diasporic
population in Toronto, Canada.
Fly Jamaica states that it is entirely committed
to providing quality service to the diaspora.
Captain Lloyd Tai argues that “we want
feedback from the Jamaican market, the
Diaspora so we can satisfy people’s needs. We
want to hear from Jamaicans about the times,
which are most convenient for them to travel to
and from Jamaica and New York. We are going
to make it a success as failure is not an option.”26

24 Best, Tony. “New carrier ‘Fly Jamaica’ set to take off from JFK
to Kingston.” .NY Carib News http://www.nycaribnews.com/
news.php?viewStory=3383 (accessed April 2, 2014).
25 Ronald Reece, Paul. “CEO’s Message.” . http://www.flyjamaica.com/ceos-message (accessed April 2, 2014).
26 Best, Tony. “New carrier ‘Fly Jamaica’ set to take off from JFK
to Kingston.” .NY Carib News http://www.nycaribnews.com/
news.php?viewStory=3383 (accessed April 2, 2014).

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