Jamaica in the Global PR Industry.

So, you may be wondering why this topic is necessary. I think it is important for us to have an understanding of the regulatory Associations that have an impact on the PR industry in Jamaica.
Where does Jamaica stand in the Global PR market? That’s hard to tell considering that this is just a small island amongst PR giants such as the Americans and the British. There has been some efforts though to increase the visibility of the profession in Jamaica despite many challenges.

Integration, business restructuring and regional expansions, legislations and controls are among the challenges Caribbean public relations professionals face. The industry and its related institutions are responding with greater education offerings and empowered regional and national professional associations. These associations include the International Public Relations Associations (IPRA) and Congress of the Inter-American Confederation of Public Relations (CONFIARP).

Professional associations are necessary for the industry to grow in the region and so The Inter-American Confederation of Public Relations is determined to unify national associations such as the Congress of the Inter-American Confederation of Public Relations (CONFIARP). Juan Carlos Molleda in his article on Public Relation trends across the Caribbean says that ‘CONFIARP, IPRA, Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management allow an active presence of Latin American and Caribbean public relations at international events and participation in global initiatives.’ (Global Alliance for PR and Communication Management READ ARTICLE HERE.

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What does this mean for Jamaica? These associations act as an international voice for countries across the Caribbean region and Jamaica being a part of this association will be represented at International Public Relations events, thus allowing the country to keep abreast with the current trends of the industry. According to the article, communication between members of CONFIARP and IPRA are very stable and adequate.

With that said, Jamaica is one of two Caribbean islands that boast its own PR Association. The Public Relations Society of Jamaica was formed in 1981 and has ever since, strived to create a supportive network for practitioners. In 1989, the Jamaican chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators was established to offer numerous training opportunities for practitioners. So even though the profession remains relatively underdeveloped in Jamaica, there have been steps to enhance the professional status of PR. Some practitioners have even become members of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) as a means of tapping into the international networks. This will make them knowledgeable of the current trends and developments in PR and this of course will come in handy when promoting ‘brand Jamaica’.

References

Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, Transnationals Opt for Latin American hubs by Juan Carlos Molleda http://www.globalpr.org/knowledge/features/frontline-jcm-oct06.asp [Accessed Dec. 30, 2008]