Mrs.Aloun Ndombet Assamba is perhaps most remembered for her tenure as Minister of what was then known as the Ministry of Tourism, Entertainment and Culture. Along the same vein, others may know her as the former Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Technology. To simply label her a politician however, would be grossly unjust, as there is much more to this astute leader and businesswoman, who has spent as many years in the private sector, as she has working with the Government.


These days, Mrs.Assamba is the managing partner and mediator in her private practice, Aloun Ndombet Assamba & Company, the owner of QuestConsults, a part-time lecturer at the Mona School of Business, a YTB Referring Travel Agent and a Mediator and trainer at the Disputes Resolution Foundation.


Throughout her work life however, Mrs. Assamba served both the public and private sectors and has been extensively involved in non-governmental and voluntary organizations. She served the voluntary sector through her work with United Way of Jamaica, the Jamaica Cancer Society, the Jamaican Bar Association, the Dispute Resolution Foundation of Jamaica, the Lions Club of New Kingston, Association of Development Agencies, Women’s Leadership Initiative, various School Boards and many other organizations.


Her outstanding performances in the many roles she has undertaken have not gone unnoticed. She has been recognised by several organizations including the Kiwanis Club of New Kingston, which honoured her with the Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Award in recognition of her professional achievements. She was also named ‘Woman of the Year’ in 1999 by the American Biographical Institute, and was recognized at the Duke of Edinburgh Sixth Study Conference in Sydney, Australia.


Representing the Caribbean on the Board of CUSO (a Canadian Development and Volunteer Lending Agency) from 1995 – 1999, Mrs Ndombet-Assamba held the office of Treasurer from 1997 - 1999, the only non-Canadian to hold that position in the organisation.


Her Ministerial responsibilities, which include the aforementioned posts, were carried out between the years 2002-2007. She also served as a Government Senator for five years prior to becoming a Member of Parliament and served on a number of sub-committees of the Senate and Cabinet.


Before she entered the world of politics, Mrs. Ndombet-Assamba had an illustrious career at the City of Kingston Co-operative Credit Union Limited (COK), working as General Manager from 1994 to 2002. Throughout her 14-year tenure at the organization, she also held other key positions and still contributes to the organization, as a Director on its Board.


Among her many achievements is the prestigious Heinz Fellowship which she obtained from the University of Pittsburgh in the United States, where she studied Strategic Management. She received her legal training at the University of the West Indies and the Norman Manley Law School and also studied Alternative Dispute Resolution at the Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. Mrs.Assamba is a Supreme Court- appointed Mediator and Trainer.


During her private sector years, she also worked as the General Counsel & Chief Corporate Officer at Paymaster Jamaica Limited, where she had responsibility for Legal Affairs, Business Development/Customer Care and Human Resources & Administration.