SULUKI FARDAN
Geneive Brown Metzger, Consul General of Jamaica
Promoting Brand Jamaica
By Al McFarlane & B.P. Ford, the Editors
editors@insightnews.com
At a time when Barack Obama's US govern-
ment is injecting trillions of dollars of taxpay-
er money into efforts to salvage collapsing
financial institutions and jumpstart the atro-
phied American economy, Geneive Brown
Metzger, Consul General of Jamaica, New
York, remains hardnosed in her core belief
that the free enterprise system and entre-
preneurial muscle hold the best solutions for
the world's small- and medium-size busi-
ness sectors. And it is these businesses,
Brown-Metzger says, that will mean the
most in saving and growing national
economies worldwide.
Brown Metzger was in Twin Cities at the
end of last month for talks with state interna-
tional trade officials, area corporate leaders
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and Jamaican and Caribbean nationals who
live in Twin Cities. In meetings organized by
McFarlane Media Interests for Jamaica
Minnesota Organization, the Consul General
said, "Jamaica offers a fine example of a
national financial policy and infrastructure
providing a backbone aligned with a robust
small business network.
"Government can't do it alone," she said.
"But we can foster and promote the devel-
opment of the small business sector. Our
Minister of Finance says despite the turn-
down in the economy, the government is
willing to support small business develop-
ment."
Brown Metzger was appointed Jamaica's
eighth Consul General, New York, on
February 21, 2008. Prior to her appointment
she worked in public relations and marketing
establishing the firm Geneive Brown
Associates in 1984.
Brown Metzger met with Tony LoRusso,
Executive Director of Minnesota Trade
Office and Amelia Goeppinger, with the US
department of Commerce Commercial
Service.
She said her mission was to encourage
business investment in Jamaica and in
Jamaican products that could be purchased
by US consumers. She spent an afternoon
introducing Minnesota consumers to a bou-
tique of Jamaican frozen food entrees, being
sampled at a Cub Foods store in
Bloomington. Cub and its parent corporation
SuperValu have aggressively pursued acqui-
sition of Jamaican food products on the
strength of the popularity and value of sales
of Caribbean foods to Caribbean customers
and to sophisticated "foodies" consumers
who enjoy global food palattes. Cub Foods
has been a leader in acquiring and market-
ing ethnic brands reflecting world cultures, 
from Asian, Latino/Hispanic, European, and
Caribbean/African markets. In doing so, the
company expands its customer base,
strengthens customer loyalty, provide
expanded choice for all customers.
Brown Metzger said Cub Foods' refined and
successful marketing prowess creates a per-
fect platform for what she called, "Brand
Jamaica."
Brown Metzger hoisted the Brand Jamaica
flag again at a sampling booth at the sold
out Twin Cities Food and Wine experience
at the Minneapolis Convention Center. "We
had great traffic. People who had been to
Jamaica were happy to discover they could
now find the foods they enjoyed in Jamaica
in their local Cub Foods", said Dr. Karlene
Silvera, President of Jamaica Minnesota
Organization.
"National pride is at an all time high,"
Brown Metzger said. "The spirit of the peo-
ple and our penchant for creativity means
we know how to do more with less. But we SULUKI FARDAN
recognize there are real opportunities espe-
cially for Jamaicans and other small busi-
ness owners who can engage their knowl-
edge of Jamaican assets and culture to
develop business opportunity."
"Jamaica is working hard to reduce
bureaucracy, reduce corruption and remove
waste in the economic and business sys-
tem. The Jamaica Trade and Investment
Agency realizes the need to build partner-
ships and is creating processes that are
investor friendly."
She said the country is diversifying
tourism offerings to expand visitor traf-
fic and opportunity and to promote
growth despite the gloomy economic
situation. Jamaica is promoting invest-
ment opportunity in manufacturing,
agribusiness, mining, renewable ener-
gy, sports, faith-based tourism, creative
industries, like film and music, and
knowledge services.
Brown Metzger said Jamaica has SULUKI FARDAN
embarked on a program to create
Top photo (L-R) Mark McDermoth, Jamaica Tourist Board, Geneive Brown Metzger, Consul General of Jamaica,
24,000 jobs with an accompanying
and Jeff Long, Cub Foods manager. Bottom photo (L-R) Demonstrator, Geneive Brown Metzger, Consul General
expenditure of $70 billion over the next of Jamaica, and JMO volunteers.
three years.
Brown Metzger is a founding member sary commemoration of the U.S. Jamaica Limited.
of the Caribbean American Chamber of Supreme desegregation case, Brown She is an amateur classical violinist
Commerce and Industry (CACCI), the vs. Board of Education. In 1977, she and a devoté of the arts, serving over
Jamaican Association of Alumni also was the administrator of the 25th the years on the Caribbean Steering
Associations (UJAA), and has served anniversary celebration of the same Committee of the Brooklyn College
on several trade and investment Boards case. Center for the Performing Arts, the
Brown Metzger has also been a Her very successful consulting prac- Board of Directors of the Paramount
Director of Policy and Government tice was merged with the worldwide Center for the Arts and special commit-
Relations at the National Council of public relations firm Ruder Finn in tee of the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Negro Women, Senior Administrator at 1990, where she established the She's the founder of the Amadeus
New York Civil Liberties Union, and at Emerging Markets and Caribbean Circle, and the One World Arts and
the NAACP Legal Defense and Business division. Ruder Finn currently Culture Fest, a multi-day cultural cele-
Education Fund. She was the national manages the public relations account bration on the Hudson River in northern
Managing Director of the 50th anniver- for the Jamaica Tourist Board and Air New York.

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