Thompson elected to represent Canada on Jamaica Diaspora Board

Dr. Sylvanus Thompson

Dr. Sylvanus Thompson, the widely recognized Toronto public health inspector and longtime community worker, has been elected as a member of the Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board.

He will represent the Jamaican diaspora in Canada on the Board which was established in 2004 as “an advisory body to  the Jamaican minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith with portfolio responsibility for Diaspora Affairs.”

The Board  is regarded an important link “between the Jamaican government and Jamaican communities overseas” and Board members are  required to liaise  with community-based groups, alumni associations and individuals in their respective countries “to obtain a clear understanding of the issues, interests and concerns within the  Jamaican community.”

Dr. Thompson  is well known for his work in Toronto’s  Jamaican community and in the African Canadian communities. He served on the Board of the Jamaican Canadian Association for ten years and has led the coordination of numerous disaster relief efforts in Jamaica and several other countries.

He was  appointed to represent the African Canadian community as a Diversity Recruitment Influencer with the Canadian Forces and has represented the African Canadian community on the Humber River Family Health Team. He is the current Director of Public Health and the Environment for the Jamaica Diaspora Canada Foundation.

Dr. Thompson was instrumental in the development of Toronto’s award-winning food inspection and disclosure system, DineSafe and has since provided consultation to several countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, China, Hong Kong and the United States in implementing similar systems.

He is currently an Associate Director with Toronto Public Health and has direct responsibility for the City’s Food Safety Program.

Commenting on his recent election to the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board, Dr. Thompson said that ” the tremendous support from the wider community that resulted in my successful bid for this position [on the Board] is greatly appreciated.

” I intend to continue to demonstrate outstanding leadership, develop a well-established  working relationship with various private and  public- sector agencies and ensure a process to facilitate participation from every member of the Jamaican diaspora in Canada.”