New JCI Jamaica president pledges focus on leadership and community service

Dr Farin Williams has been elected national president of Junior Chamber International (JCI) Jamaica for 2027, pledging to place leadership development, community service, health and wellness, and entrepreneurship at the centre of his tenure.

Williams, a member of JCI Hopewell in Hanover, was elected on Sunday during JCI Jamaica’s annual convention at the Grand Palladium Resort & Spa in Lucea, Hanover. He will assume office on January 1, 2027, succeeding National President Marklon Bedward.

Also elected to the 2027 national executive were National Executive Vice-President Yochel Samuel-Williams of JCI Hopewell and national vice-presidents, Matthew Gibson and Joseph Gibson, of JCI Kingston. The three-day convention was held under the theme, ‘Igniting What’s Next: Leaders Ready for More’.

In his address as incoming national president, Williams outlined a vision centred on building what he described as “a United Jamaica of Healthy Leaders and Strong Communities”. Under his leadership theme, ‘Unity is Strength. Leadership is Action’, Williams said JCI Jamaica would focus on developing leaders equipped to respond to the challenges facing communities across the island.

“Leadership is not a title we wear; it is an action we take every single day,” Williams said. “Let us lead by example. Let us act with conviction. Let us build a stronger, more resilient JCI Jamaica together.”

He said the organisation plans to undertake coordinated community projects during his tenure, including health and wellness check-ups, a national blood drive, environmental restoration and sustainability initiatives, and social outreach and relief programmes.

Williams also placed strong emphasis on leadership training, particularly for young people, teachers, public-sector workers and community leaders. He argued that greater attention must be paid to preparing young people to become responsible leaders and citizens, particularly against the backdrop of crime, violence and poverty affecting many communities.

JCI is a leadership and civic-development organisation for young adults that seeks to create positive social change through community action and leadership training.

“We need to get back to the system where we train our leaders,” Williams said, calling for greater emphasis on leadership development in schools, local government and Parliament.

He also identified mental health and leadership as important areas of focus, noting the pressures faced by people trying to cope with the demands of everyday life.

Williams, an integrated medicine specialist, entrepreneur, philanthropist and author, has held several leadership positions within JCI Jamaica. His previous roles include national executive vice-president, director of special projects, adviser to the Local Board for Entrepreneurship and Business Management, and local vice-president for business and entrepreneurship. He is also a 2026 graduate of the JCI Japan Academy.

His achievements within the organisation include being named a JCI Jamaica Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) awardee in 2025, JCI Hopewell’s Most Outstanding Member in 2024 and 2025, JCI Jamaica’s Most Outstanding New Member in 2024, and Most Outstanding Participant at the Conference of the Americas in 2025. Williams is also the author of The Five Laws of Money and the JCI Hopewell Business Academy Manual.

During his address, he encouraged Jamaicans to look beyond traditional employment and embrace entrepreneurship and job creation as pathways to financial independence and legacy building.

“It’s time not to look for a job, but it’s time for you to start creating jobs,” he said.

Williams argued that leadership should not be confined to those holding formal positions of authority, maintaining that teachers, lawyers, police officers, cosmetologists, plumbers, fishermen, farmers and others all have a role to play in leading their communities.

“Whether you are a teacher, lawyer, police officer, a cosmetologist, a plumber, a fisherman or a farmer, you need to learn leadership,” he said.

A major highlight of the convention was the conferring of JCI senatorships on 12 members. Senatorship is the organisation’s highest honour for members who have rendered distinguished service to JCI.

The convention attracted JCI members and senators from across Jamaica and the United States. Also in attendance was past JCI International Vice-President Senator Karen Grant-Sangster of JCI Hopewell, the first Jamaican to hold that position.

As he prepares to take office in January, Williams has called on JCI members to make 2027 a year of action, unity and measurable community impact.

“I charge each of you today: rise to the occasion, step into your purpose, and let us make 2027 a defining year of action, unity, and extraordinary impact,” he said.

editorial@gleanerjm.com