Atlanta, Jamaica and the Caribbean Diaspora mourns the passing of Vin N. Martin, Esq. Today, Martin, a long-standing active member of the Atlanta Caribbean community lost his fight against cancer.
Mr. Martin served as Honorary Consul to Jamaica for over 16 years prior to his retirement last year. In his capacity as Honorary Consul, he provided passport and ancillary services to the estimated 45,000 Jamaicans living in Georgia and the neighboring states of Alabama, North and South Carolina and Tennessee.
“Serving Jamaica in Atlanta has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I can only hope that, as we move forward in service to our country, we will together continue to forge a partnership which will see Atlanta as one of the most recognized groups in the Jamaican diaspora worldwide.” ~Vin Martin
Mr. Martin was born in Trelawny, Jamaica, and migrated to the United States to attend College. He is an honor’s graduate of Howard University in Washington D.C., and holds an MBA degree in Finance and Investment from Pennsylvania State University. He also has a Juris Doctorate degree from American University in Washington DC. Mr. Martin has been a member of the District of Columbia, Georgia and Maryland Bar associations and has numerous other professional affiliations as well.
As well as being Honorary Consul, Mr. Martin had a thriving law practice specializing in immigration law, real estate closings, bankruptcy, divorce and business law. Before starting his own practice, Mr. Martin worked for Fannie Mae for 30 years, where he worked his way up to Associate Regional Counsel.
Mr. Martin also served on many community organizations in various capacities including the Atlanta-Jamaican Association where he was a Past President and is a Lifetime Member; former Board member of his neighborhood YMCA; former Board member of the Georgia Council of International Visitors; the Benevolent Missions of Atlanta; UJOIA – Union of Jamaican Organizations in Atlanta (which later became the Jamaica 50th Atlanta Planning Committee, which hosted Jamaica’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Atlanta). He also served as the Chair of the Atlanta-Montego Bay Sister Cities Committee, an organization that has led a medical teams of dentists, nurses, doctors and other volunteers to serve the people in the Montego Bay area.
Mr. Martin has received several honors over the years from the Atlanta community as well as from Jamaica and the Consulate community. In 2006, Mr. Martin was appointed by Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue to serve as Board Member of Hemisphere, Inc., an organization responsible for seeking to locate the secretariat of the Free Trade Areas of the Americas in Atlanta. Mr. Martin has also received the Phoenix Award, this is the highest civilian award given by the City of Atlanta, from several Mayors, including Andy Young, Bill Campbell and Shirley Franklin. Always modest, Mr. Martin believes that his work for the Jamaican community was a labor of love and would not change it for anything. Most recently, Mr. Martin was honored at the 2014 Caribbean American Movers & Shakers.
Martin is survived by his adoring wife Hazel and their two adult sons. Mr. Martin will be missed by the countless friends, family and associates whom have had the pleasure of knowing him.
RCS SIDEBAR: I knew Mr. Martin personally and he was a wonderful man. Despite his many commitments and community activities he ALWAYS had time to help others no matter what. I spoke with him earlier this year to inform him that he would be an honoree at this year’s Caribbean American Movers and Shakers. He was very pleased and promised to try to make the event. He will be sorely missed by all of us in the Atlanta community and throughout the Caribbean Diaspora. R.I.P. VIN MARTIN
