Impacting Jamaica: Recent Episodes
Impacting Jamaica
There is an abundance of positives taking place across Jamaica and the diaspora. Impacting Jamaica is an initiative to provide exposure to positive happenings, acts of kindness, activities and investments positively benefiting communities at every level, across every sector – to inspire, motivate and excite people everywhere.
Giving up wasn’t an option for Nayana Williams despite the struggles to get business going 18 years ago. She had no money, and financial institutions were unwilling to help.
Notwithstanding, she started a bottled water company – Lifespan – in Portland after returning home from abroad with her husband.
Today she and her team – which moved from three to over 150 – are celebrating their achievement. On National Heroes Day in October, Williams will accept a national award – the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Officer – for entrepreneurship and philanthropy.
She joins Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill to talk about her journey and tells those who want to enter business to always remember that “the effort comes before the reward”.
Counselling psychologist Kevin Bailey is urging men to always be open and willing to adjust to thrive.
“Don’t make a bad situation worse…be ready to make changes,” he told a group of men at a recent virtual health and wellness summit.
He told them too that “we must have a mission statement of our personal life”; and that there is need for good mental health to cope in certain situations.
Mr. Bailey, in the following excerpts from the summit, urged men not to join the 99 Club. What’s that? Find out in this episode of Impacting Jamaica.
On National Heroes Day, October 17, 2022, Dr Amina Blackwood-Meeks will accept the conferment of the Order of Distinction, in the Rank of Officer, for her outstanding contribution to arts and culture.
Dr Blackwood-Meeks is happy that she is being recognised for her stellar work, especially storytelling, that is world-renowned, especially in Africa.
The highly acclaimed international storyteller has been featured in festivals in South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Mexico and across the Caribbean.
She joins Impacting Jamaica and shares her fascinating story with host Keisha Hill.
With the impact of motor vehicle emissions on climate change becoming more obvious throughout the world, the switch to electric vehicles from traditional petrol-powered ones is set to accelerate in coming years. Jamaica’s electricity provider, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), is playing a critical role in this change.
In this episode of the Impacting Jamaica podcast series, Dionne Nugent, Director, Business Development at JPS, discusses, among other things, the company’s roll out of charging stations across the island and its partnerships with public and private sector stakeholders in building an ecosystem for the growth of electric mobility in Jamaica.
The electricity bill is a source of angst and frustration for many Jamaicans as the cost of this indispensable commodity continues to soar. Efforts to keep electricity costs under control have been futile for many.
But here on the Impacting Jamaica podcast Ruthlyn Johnson, Customer Service Manager for Area East at JPS, breaks down your light bill in simple terms - what aspects you can control, what’s out of your control, what appliances are the big contributors to your bill; and how you can use them optimally.
Don’t miss this opportunity to understand your electricity bill and plan to keep your bills to a reasonable level in the future.
Jamaica is set to feel the impact from what is being described as its largest Social Transformation and Renewal initiative - Project STAR.
Project STAR is an initiative of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) in partnership with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and a plethora of non-governmental and civil society organisations. The $2 billion, five-year project is community-led and is designed to involve Jamaicans locally and in the diaspora.
Join Impacting Jamaica host, Shelly-Ann Harris in her discussion with Keith Duncan, President of the PSOJ and Project STAR co-chair. Mr. Duncan is calling on 'All of Society' to be a part of the impactful movement.
The advent of big tech companies like Amazon and Google have significantly influenced consumer behaviour and expectations worldwide, including in Jamaica. COVID-19 pandemic has also reduced access to in-person interactions and hastened the transition to online services.
Electricity provider JPS has been adjusting to its customers’ changing needs, by digitalizing its Customer Service, the introduction of its Mobile App, as well as other Self Service Options giving customers choice and control in their use of electricity and the payment of bills.
Shanique Donaldson-McIntosh, Manager, Customer Experience at JPS, elaborates on the changes and the benefits, especially to Jamaicans in the diaspora and those involved in the Airbnb business.
“Listen with your eyes and your heart” when dealing with suicidal persons; that’s the advice from Dr. Donovan Thomas, founder, and president of Choose Life International, a non-profit organisation that has been working with suicidal persons since 2008.
Dr. Thomas, who is also the author of the book, ‘Confronting Suicide: Helping Teens at Risk’, also warns parents against comparing children; and offers other helpful strategies.
He tells Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris that he is happy for the focus now being placed on mental health in Jamaica today.
Rhenay Harris is excited that her life-long dream of building a library and literacy centre for children in her community of Pusey District, in Point Hill, St. Catherine, has been realised.
The facility, funded from her own pockets, was built in memory of her grandparents, Lucille, and Bertram Pinnock, who played an integral role in her early childhood development.
Harris joins Impacting Jamaica host, Keisha Hill, and tells us about her experience growing up in this quaint community, and how thrilled she is that Pinnocks Oasis is no longer a dream, but a reality.
Pinnocks Oasis will officially open its doors on July 29, 2022.
Principal of Great Start Academy Sheron Bent is passionate about doing all she can to help students fulfil their greatest potential.
Mrs. Bent has countless stories of how just a little dedication can shape a positive outcome for students who may be ‘lagging behind.’
As we take on the summer holidays, she advises that the programmes should be well structured and focus on both the social and academic needs of students. As Jamaica also marks 60 years of Independence during the summer, she expresses that she is proudest of the strength and the resilience of the Jamaican people.
Listen to her hopeful and insightful perspective as she chats with Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris.
The ambition of children is unfathomable, but achieving those dreams is not something that can be done alone, they need help to get there. Burger King aspires to give their academic rocket ships the fuel they need to chase their dreams.
This year, Burger King has committed to providing over 25 scholarships and book grants to high-achieving children and young adults across Jamaica.
Joining us in this episode of Impacting Jamaica are Anna-Kay Hudson and Zaira Ferguson, past winners of the coveted Burger King Open Scholarships.
They will share how the scholarships have helped to change their lives and bring them closer to their dreams.
The VM Foundation is on a mission to help build Jamaica. Launched in May 2018, the Foundation aims to positively transform the lives of Jamaicans in the areas of leadership and nation building; youth empowerment; and health and family life.
To date, the VM Foundation has impacted millions of lives and it continues to embrace charitable causes that are relevant to the betterment of Jamaica.
The VM Foundation is committed to empowering individuals and communities, locally and in the diaspora, with programmes delivered through a dedicated team of volunteers and partners.
Samantha Charles, the Chief Executive Officer at the VM Foundation, joins Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill, to share how the Foundation creates opportunities to positively impact people and communities.
Stephen Hill has been there, done that. Now the boss of CIN TV, the number one television broadcaster of Caribbean-centric programmes in the New York tri-state area, is encouraging Jamaican businesses to recognize the value and aggressively take on the lucrative diaspora market as he has done.
In this edition of Impacting Jamaica, with Host John Myers, Jr, Mr. Hill emphasises the benefits of tapping this growing market for Jamaican food and other goods and services. He shares how he first started out in this highly competitive market; and the roadmap he used to select and broadcast programmes that would captivate this large group of Jamaican viewers in a fast-paced, multicultural metropolis.
After 29 years of dominance in providing television content for Jamaicans and other Caribbean nationalities, he gives advice and tips for local producers of uniquely Jamaican goods and services aiming to make their diaspora entrance.
Marianne Sunshine is a writer, cultural commentator, and publicist.
She is of Jamaican and Dominican heritage and has contributed to Black platforms, including The British Blacklist, Melan Magazine, and The Voice Newspaper. She began her career as an international publicist for Warner Music and Universal Music.
Marianne is a leading voice in the Black British community and has also appeared on SKY TV, BBC Radio, and BBC News to discuss politics, parenting, and Black culture. She joins us today on Impacting Jamaica with host Sinai Fleary, an outstanding British journalist.
In these times, many people are exploring how to make their money work for them. Plus, markets are showing a distinct shift towards counting many more millennial investors among their ranks. And investors are getting younger these days.
In Jamaica alone, for example, millennial investors ages 25 to 40 has jumped significantly, according to available data.
Keisha Bailey is an investment educator and chief executive officer of Profit Jumpstarter. She spent 17 years making money for wealthy individuals and corporations before shifting her expertise towards serving the up-and-coming generations of wealth builders.
She joins Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill to help us ‘un-struggle the struggle’ of the wealth game. She is passionate about teaching investors how to turn the money they have into the money they want, using the stock market to build generational wealth.
Malta is the drink of choice that fuels energy for everyone. They are committed to giving back to caregivers; and supporting children-based initiatives such as the hosting of annual back-to-school events, the sponsorship of sporting activities in addition to supporting teams involving students.
Melissa-Kim Johnson, Malta Brand Manager, and Cavell Robinson, Assistant Malta Brand Manager, join Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill, to discuss the role Malta has played in supporting caregivers who oversee the welfare of the island’s children.
They also speak about past and future activities geared towards the benefit of children, the nation’s future.
The Barita Foundation was formed out of Rita Humphries Lewin’s passion to serve Jamaica’s children, especially in early childhood education.
They foundation has emerged as an expanded form of the Barita Education Foundation, and its mission today is to contribute to national development goals. It is therefore supporting partnerships in education, youth development, entrepreneurship; and health and wellbeing in order that Jamaica may achieve its Vision 2030 agenda.
Tanketa Chance Wilson, Executive Director of the Barita Foundation, joins Impacting Jamaica host, Keisha Hill, to share the outstanding achievements and partnerships, that the foundation has undertaken since its inception.
Many across the length and breadth of Jamaica, know actress and comedian Kathy 'Tandedeh' Grant as just that. What many don’t know, is her passion for education.
All jokes aside, the trained drama teacher wants to see young people thrive and wants to see a day when Jamaica takes its culture so seriously, that a visual and performing arts high school for children who are so inclined becomes a reality.
Join her for an easygoing chat with Impacting Jamaica host, Shelly-Ann Harris.
In his 40-year career in the public service, Joe Halstead, a leader in the business and recreational sectors of the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario who is now retired, says he has never taken on a role which did not provide him with satisfaction. Some, he says, may define that as being successful.
He served as Commissioner, Economic Development, Culture and Tourism, City of Toronto (1998-2006) and the Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Culture (North York 1994-1998). Before that he spent 24 years with the Government of Ontario in a broad range of management positions, rising to the position of Assistant Deputy Minister in the Provincial Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Recreation.
A prolific volunteer, he was the former Chair of the Festival Management Committee, organizer of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, and was the Co-Chair of the Jamaica 50th Anniversary Steering Committee, Toronto Chapter in 2012.
Recently, the Black Business and Professional Association announced that he is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at its prestigious 40th Anniversary Harry Jerome Awards this year.
Host Neil Armstrong chats with Mr. Halstead in this episode of Impacting Jamaica.
As the education sector in Jamaica rebounds from the paralyzing effects of the global health crisis, members of the Cornwall College Old Boys’ Association are ready and willing to offer much-needed help and support to the present cohort.
Their bold rescue plan includes a robust mentoring initiative, bursaries to needy students and improvements to the e-learning platform.
President Barry Harvey; Treasurer Helwig Stewart; and Director Charles Barnett are confident that they are onto a good thing for their alma mater and want others to join the process and be engaged.
In this episode with Impacting Jamaica with host Aubrey Campbell, executive members talk about a range of initiatives, including a major November 19 event set for New York.
The advertisements are everywhere; luring Jamaicans to buy a ticket to their dreams. Legalised gambling is big business with huge amounts of money being won – and lost – daily.
Children are not immune from the attraction of gambling, and some are betting from an early age, mostly on unregulated games in schools and communities. Some children lie, steal and fight to maintain the habit.
On this Impacting Jamaica episode with host Luke Douglas, Mr. Richard Henry of RISE Life Management Services speaks about efforts of a programme, “to nip in the bud” the problem of underage gambling.
The programme, sponsored by the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission, targets everyone – children, parents, community members and providers of gambling services.
Blackie, East Indian, Number 11, Bombay and of course Julie are just some of the types of mangoes we know and love in Jamaica.
But no doubt about it, many Jamaicans love Julie. Interestingly, they are also quite enamoured by another ‘Julie Mango.’ Nicknamed by her father, Julie Mango is a popular social media influencer whose videos depict everyday aspects of Jamaican life with brilliance, accuracy, and humour.
She is also a mental health advocate who is passionate about helping others to overcome their struggles. Join Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris for this inspiring conversation with Juliet ‘Julie Mango’ Bodley.
Guided by the mission of the Morant Bay High School (MBHS) Alumni Association, (to develop the leaders of tomorrow by preparing all students to meet the high academic, technical, civic and workforce challenges of the twenty first century), past students in the global space, along with faculty members and parents, are making a difference.
They have supported a computer lab, launched a scholarship programme (that sees students through their stay at the school from second form); and now are building out the school’s Internet and Information Technology infrastructure.
“We have been able to accomplish this only because of the significant contribution of our personal time, effort and resources, the support of our community, families, friends and sponsors, all working together,” said the association’s president Charles Murray in this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Aubrey Campbell.
Health and wellness take the spotlight today with fitness expert Shani McGraham-Shirley as Impacting Jamaica celebrates its first anniversary.
Shani, chatting at a virtual wellness summit earlier this month, declared that when it comes to taking control of your wellness, “half the battle is what we eat”.
She added: “I feel moderation is key; and if we eat the correct portions and sizes that our bodies need you are better off…have a little bit of everything.”
Shani told her audience of mainly men, that size does matter; she gave numerous reasons, including this one: For every 25lb to 30lb that a man loses, he actually gains up to an inch on his penis.
The fitness expert has more in this anniversary episode of Impacting Jamaica.
The VM Group is committed to working for the benefit of all its members, declared CEO of VM Pension Management Limited, Mr. Conroy Rose.
“We thrive on helping people to achieve financial wellbeing,” he emphasised. “We are driven by the need to serve our members…and that is the fundamental driving force that VM is driven by.”
Looking at the pension situation in Jamaica, Mr. Rose noted that less than 10 per cent of the working population is a member of a retirement scheme.
“You know what are the implications of this? When persons reach the age of retirement it is highly likely that many persons are going to be a burden on their loved ones or possibly a burden on the State,” he pointed out.
Mr Rose implored workers, including the self-employed, to get on board and begin the process to save for retirement, noting the earlier persons begin, the better. “We are on a drive to educate Jamaicans about the importance of a pension plan,” he stated.
The VM executive shared what the Group has to offer workers and members in this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Keisha Hill.
Sadiki Harris, a child of Jamaican parents, is now a man fighting to keep his black community healthy through the organization, Black Thrive.
His journey has brought up powerful questions, like ‘what is the black man?’ and ‘where does the idea of what a black man is come from?’. As he speaks to Impacting Jamaica’s Sinai Fleary, his work with Black Thrive and mental health takes an ever-so-slight detour, and he delves into deep-routed issues like what the ideal of a black man should be.
But he comes full circle in what is the final episode in a three-part series and the work of Black Thrive is seen for what it is, incredibly necessary.
Sadiki Harris is Jamaican, but the marketing ace didn’t always want to be. Media representation and poor examples made him ashamed.
That was until a trip to the island taught him different. A big part of Sadiki’s work with Black Thrive, an organization focusing on black mental health, is who he is, a Jamaican. Impacting Jamaica’s Sinai Fleary began a conversation with Sadiki about his work with Black Thrive but could not avoid his intriguing take on his rich Jamaican heritage. Listen.
Sadiki Harris is responsible for ensuring Lambeth’s black communities engage with mental health projects that Black Thrive provide.
Sadiki joined Black Thrive after meeting Jacqui Dyer at a mental health conference in 2016.
Initially he joined as a volunteer, but now he is a key and valuable part of the team – changing the “look” and “feel” of the mental health industry.
Between 2010 and 2014, he was vice-chairman of the Lewisham Stop and Search group. He is also an unpublished writer, avid videographer, and talented graphic designer.
Sadiki was raised in Brixton, south London, and is the child of Jamaican parents.
He chats with Impacting Jamaica host Sinai Fleary in this the first of a three-part episode.
The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) is the Government of Jamaica’s arm in the fight to give the nation’s children, the very best start possible, with the recognition that stage is critical to the island’s development.
The head of that arm is its chairman, Trisha Williams-Singh, who has overseen year-on-year growth in the number of institutions certified by her organization, but there is much work to be done.
There are just under 2,800 early childhood institutions in operation in Jamaica and all of them must maintain the protocols that lend themselves to positive results for the most important element of the equation, the child.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica, with host Keisha Hill, Mrs. Williams-Singh outlined various innovations under her leadership, including a brain builder project, and a capacity-building initiative to guarantee the sector’s sustainability.
The University of the West Indies (UWI) continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development, residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.
At the forefront of its benevolence is the AFUWI (The American Foundation for the University of the West Indies), a fundraising arm, under the executive directorship of AnnMarie Grant.
“We need to be able to increase the number of persons who have access to higher education in the region,” she said, noting that this is important to community, national and regional development.
Ms. Grant pointed out that this “is even more important now than ever before (as) the new economies require creativity, entrepreneurship, Artificial Intelligence…and many of those things require knowledge that comes from the higher education space”.
Over the past 10 years, AFUWI has provided 500 tuition scholarships to students pursuing their degrees at UWI, donated $8.3 million in goods, and brokered multiple relationships with other tier-one institutions.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Aubrey Campbell, Ms. Grant talks about the work of the AFUWI and its upcoming 25th annual legacy awards that will recognize individuals and companies, including the GraceKennedy Group which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Today, Tuesday, March 22, is World Water Day; and to observe the day, Impacting Jamaica links with the Managing Director of the Water Resources Authority, Mr. Peter Clarke.
“Jamaica is not a water scarce country,” he declares, noting that “we do have quite a lot of water and a lot of water reserves.” Mr. Thomas notes however that there are issues relating to distribution and access to the commodity on the island.
In this podcast episode, Mr. Thomas touches on multiple topics relating to water with environmental journalist and Impacting Jamaica host, Miss Zadie Neufville.
Human resource and leadership consultant Natassia Wright feels more companies in Jamaica should invest in training and mentorship programmes for their teams.
“It’s unfortunate that in our society here in Jamaica, I find that you have many companies that don’t see the value in developing people,” she says.
She notes that each individual is a leader and points to the importance of having a positive mindset to achieve goals in life.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Shelly-Ann Harris, the cofounder of Mind Food International shares thoughts on effective leadership and understanding responsibility at every level.
Natassia Wright has overcome the fiery pangs of poverty and the tragic loss of both parents by age 17 to become an inspirational UN Peace Ambassador, Governor-General Awardee, and cofounder of Mind Food International, which now hires over 30 employees.
“I was a dreamer as a child so even though things were happening to me my imagination never left me,” declared Natassia. “When I was young, I would always see myself on a stage…I don’t know what I was doing but I would always be in crowds.”
Join the inspirational Natassia as she chats with Shelly-Ann Harris on this edition of Impacting Jamaica. Natassia is an authentic ‘hope dealer’ and firm believer in the view that there is “purpose in your pain.”
Everything is on track for the phased execution of Jamaica’s National Identification System (NIDS).
The Andrew Holness-led administration has even appointed a minister to take charge of the system, Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Floyd Green.
He said the system is highly protected; and that it is one of the best in terms of security ever to be implemented in Jamaica.
“I can tell you, this is the most secure identification card we have ever seen and not only by Jamaica standards, but by regional and international standards,” emphasised Minister Green.
The minister added that, “this is a voluntary system so we are not trying to mandate people to enter into the national identification registry”.
Join Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris as she continues an informative discussion with Minister Green who explains the main components of the National Identification System in its current form and its main components.
“Mom was a teacher and dad worked in agriculture,” shares Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister Floyd Green.
Green, who is an attorney, credits his rural upbringing and country values of respect for your elders, principles of kindness and having ‘good manners’, as core to who he is today.
Passionate about serving, he was involved in many school activities, and discovered his leadership potential from very early. Green, who received the award for the most involved senior student at Munroe College, advises young people to believe in self, cautioning that “life is not a straight path”.
Join host Shelly-Ann Harris for a relaxing chat with Floyd Green in this interesting edition of Impacting Jamaica.
Last year, when Chris Strikes, a Jamaican Canadian Toronto-based filmmaker and award-winning music video creator, read about the “patty wars” that took place in Toronto in 1985, he thought the story was absurd.
Then he decided to research the story and found that it did happen in February — 37 years ago — when federal food inspectors deemed Jamaican beef patties did not match the technical definition of "beef patty" under the Meat Inspection Act.
They thought Canadians would confuse the beef patty with the hamburger patty. A “patty summit” was held involving local Toronto businesses selling Jamaican patties, Jamaica’s consul general and Canadian bureaucrats. It resulted in a victory for the businesses, some of which were selling Jamaican patties from the 1960s, and the lovers of Jamaican patties.
A celebration was held on February 23, 1985. The issue made it onto the front page of The Sunday Gleaner and at the centre of it was Jamaican Michael Davidson, manager of Kensington Patty Palace that was established by his parents in the late 1970s. Chris Strikes was born on February 23, 1986 — exactly one year after the “patty wars” ended.
As Jamaica gets ready to celebrate its 60th anniversary of independence, he thought it was important to produce a documentary, “Patty vs. Patty,” about the resilience of Jamaicans in this fight. Strikes talks about this with Impacting Jamaica host Neil Armstrong in this new episode of the podcast series.
Even throughout the pandemic over the last two years, real estate was one of the most vibrant sectors in the Jamaican economy. All over the island, construction of homes of all types - single family dwellings, high rise apartments, housing schemes - continue apace.
But before you shell out your money to make a purchase, there are some things you should know - especially Jamaicans abroad who have not lived on the island for a while.
Veteran realtor of 22 years, Ruth Fraser, of Stroll Property Services, offers sage advice to prospective buyers in this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Luke Douglas. She answers frequently asked questions about location, security, the bureaucracy involved, the buy or to build, AirBnB and more.
For members of the Meadowbrook High School Alumni Association, giving back comes as easy as A-B-C, 1-2-3, Doh Ray-Me!
“We want to reach back, to give back, while making it better for those now at the school, the institution that gave us so much when we were there as students,” offered three presidents – Nadine Moulton; SharoAnn Chisholm and Wayne Swaby – as if speaking with one voice.
Their shared perspective on why they choose to be ‘difference-makers’ at this time at the St Andrew, Jamaica-based school, makes for another interesting and inspiring conversation in our ongoing podcast series, Impacting Jamaica.
The Meadowbrook High School past students spoke with host Audrey Campbell. Take a listen!
The National Baking Company boss is getting ready to make one of the firm’s largest investments in its history.
Butch Hendrickson says he wants to see a better attitude in business and other sectors as Jamaica emerges from the damaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since 1994 he has headed the National Baking Company, a successful business producing quality bread, buns, crackers and other baked products for generations of people in Jamaica and abroad.
Equally important is Hendrickson’s invaluable philanthropic contribution to Jamaica through the National Baking Foundation, in diverse areas such as early childhood education, small business development, food for persons in times of disaster and assistance for the elderly.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Luke Douglas, Hendrickson talks about why he continues to give back to his country; the success of providing learning materials for every basic school in Jamaica; his passion for growing small businesses; and sobering thoughts about what it will take to address the decades-old problem of violent crime.
The Manchester Beliefs, Values and Attitudes programme has been launched by Custos Garfield Green, to foster positive values and attitudes and a sense of social responsibility among citizens in the parish.
The aim is to restore core values and principles that make communities thrive and promote civic pride in the society.
Custos Green and his team, including Anieta Bailey, Public Relations Officer, is targeting the youth population. The initiative will work with schools to promote patriotism and respect for the nation’s national symbols, especially the National Anthem, as well as adherence to proper deportment.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Keisha Hill, Custos Green and Ms. Bailey indicate that there is interest coming from other parishes, but the focus now is to first get it right in Manchester.
Hailing from Jamaican parents, British-born Nathaniel Peat, is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur as well as a business coach and TEDx speaker.
A pilot by profession, Nathaniel decided to become an entrepreneur and has since been acknowledged for his work on the Black Power List and Financial Times List.
In 2015, Nathaniel was the only UK entrepreneur to be selected by Virgin United to attend a week-long leadership gathering on Necker Island with Sir Richard Branson.
Nathaniel is results driven, he is the founder of The Safety Box, a company directed at changing lives.
Appointed by the police, prison authorities and other groups, Nathaniel has re-educated, rehabilitated, and turned around the lives of some of the worst prisoners in the UK.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica, he tells of his wish to expose high-risk young people in Jamaica to The Safety Box.
From very humble beginnings in rural Jamaica, Carolyn McLean moved to the United States for a better life for herself and her family.
The untimely loss of a younger brother some eight years ago was painful, and as faith would have it, that adversity would bring with it, an opportunity to give back to her community and country, in memory of her dearly departed brother, Wayne O. Johnson, in whose honor, she created the Wayne O. Johnson Youth Leadership Foundation, in 2020.
Carolyn McLean, a certified insurance agent, a minister of religion, notary public and a philanthropist, is a ray of hope for children in the Coffee Piece community of Clarendon but wants your help to continue making that dream a reality.
“I love people. I love to help. I love to give back because I started from humble beginnings myself,” she said.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica, Ms. McLean talks with host Aubrey Campbell about her work and plans for the future.
Born and raised in the UK to Jamaican parents, Mbeke Waseme grew up wanting to be an air hostess, but was encouraged by her parents to be more realistic in choosing her vocation in life, so she became a teacher.
Traveling, living, and teaching in many different countries, Mbeke has inspected, analyzed, and made recommendations within the education system in many different countries.
“If we get education right it affects everything,” she declared, adding: “Once you master the science of teaching you will have more successful lessons…”
Not only has she observed, retrained teachers and senior leaders, but she has also developed bespoke programmes to help make an impact on the teaching profession within those countries.
Get more about the live and work of Mbeke Waseme in this inspirational episode of Impacting Jamaica.
The D&G Foundation has been at the centre of several initiatives that, for want of a better phrase, are ‘Impacting Jamaica’.
One such is the way the organization has partnered with the St Monica’s Home for the Abandoned Elderly.
Listen as Impacting Jamaica host, Shelly-Ann Harris speaks with Hermine Briscoe, Manager of St Monica’s. Hear her story of the tangible impact the D&G Foundation has had on the 24 elderly residents there.
Then hear from Dianne Ashton-Smith, Red Stripe’s Head of Corporate Affairs, who eloquently puts forward her organization’s vision for the future.
'Music was my mother and father,' shares comedian, filmmaker, recording artiste and notable branch manager at one of the largest financial institutions in Jamaica, Don Reid.
The Boom Shot artiste shares his inspirational journey of overcoming significant odds, such as being given away by his mother at two years old.
He insists that the formula for success is hard work and an acceptance that failure is simply not an option.
Join Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris as she chats with the affable entertainer who says listeners to his new ‘Boom Shot’ album can expect fun and laughter.
The Heart Institute of the Caribbean (HIC) is on a massive drive to fight heart disease in Jamaica and the rest of the region.
Located in Kingston, the institution, under the leadership of the highly respected and highly qualified Dr Ernest Madu, has engineered initiatives to make cardiovascular care affordable to all.
He explained that many locals, including young doctors, have been trained by the Institute, hence making more professionals available across the country. Centres have been established in Mandeville and Ocho Rios to improve access to care and cut the need to travel into the capital Kingston.
Additionally, there is a low-cost membership scheme for a fee of J$100, as part of the drive to make care available to as many people as possible. This gives members free consultation for an entire year.
“Our key objective is still to provide accessible and high-quality cardiovascular care in the Caribbean, and to make such level of care available to all citizens,” declared Dr Madu.
He noted that in Jamaica 40 per cent of deaths each year are from heart disease; and estimated that 7,500 Jamaicans have heart attacks annually.
The Heart Institute of the Caribbean was opened for business in April 2005 and since then has provided life-saving cardiovascular care to more than 200,000 Jamaicans.
Its head, Dr Madu, is an internationally recognised authority in cardiovascular medicine and innovative healthcare systems and solutions. He holds the academic rank of Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Advanced Imaging Technologies.
The lives of some 7,500 students and their families across Jamaica are being impacted by Red Stripe’s No Mind Left Behind project. The goal of the project is to “foster academic excellence and personal development for youth, specifically focusing on young people, ages three to eighteen,” said Red Stripe’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Dianne Ashton-Smith.
The beer company, through its Desnoes & Geddes Foundation, provides this support through “increased access to educational tools, social interventions and experiential activities or excursions where possible,” Ashton-Smith pointed out.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Corporate Affairs Head noted that the Foundation recognized that there was a pressing need in the education sector brought about because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She pointed to learning loss and the heightened risk of student disengagement, particularly, for the most vulnerable, which can have long-lasting effects on their life outcomes, and their future economic growth and wellbeing, as major concerns.
Impacting Jamaica’s host Shelly-Ann Harris also speaks with Guidance Counsellor at the Academy of Yallahs High School, Sheldon Howell, who gives first-hand knowledge of just how this project is changing lives.
Located in the tough neighbourhood of South St. Andrew, Rose Town has faced its share of challenges for decades such as poverty, unemployment and violent crime.
Today, good things are happening in the community. One such is a construction internship programme for young men and women, funded by the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation.
The foundation is partnering with the Rose Town Foundation to execute the project, and its Executive Director Ruth Jankee is excited. “It’s a pleasure to find a partner that you see eye-to-eye with,” she declared.
She said the project is already reaping results in the community and building relationships. “This project is about empowering community members and the community at large,” she said.
Ms. Jankee is pleased with the structure and focus of the Gore Foundation initiative. “It’s not, oh we are sorry for these poor people, let’s just give them hand-outs,” she explained. “It is, we want to help empower and build community and community members so that they can build themselves.”
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Luke Douglas, Ms. Jankee speaks about the construction internship programme sponsored by the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation that is sparking hope, fostering friendships and breaking down barriers to a better future for the residents of Rose Town.
The Jeffrey Town Education Association based in Toronto, Canada, is making its mark in the St Mary community. Patrick Buchanan, the president and one of the founders of the association, notes that both students and teachers at the all-age school and residents of the community get support from the body.
On September 6, 1998, a fire destroyed the Jeffrey Town All-Age School. The institution, which was built in the 1950s, is the only public school for many students of six neighbouring communities.
Some travel a far distance to get to there. Six years after the fire, the Jeffrey Town Education Association was founded in Toronto in 2004. It has been helping to rebuild the school, provide the students with furniture and tablets, and assist the teachers and administrators with important items.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Neil Armstrong, says his organization works closely with the school community.
The Sagicor Foundation is continuing to pump millions of dollars into Jamaica’s early childhood education sector.
It has just spent in excess of $20 million to upgrade three schools in St Catherine, St James and Westmoreland, massively transforming the learning environment of hundreds of children between three and five years old.
“It is a growing family,” said Sagicor executive Michelle-Ann Lettman who notes that three schools are selected for upgrade every academic year; and that the plan is to push this to five.
The relationship with the early childhood education sector is taking place under the Adopt-A-School programme, run by financial services giant Sagicor Group Jamaica.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Luke Douglas, Sagicor’s Lettman talks about this worthy initiative in that is transforming education for thousands.
After the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Jamaica in March 2020, Montego Bay High School past students went into overdrive to support their beloved institution.
Chapters across North America and Jamaica came together and pool resources to acquire tablets and laptops and other supplies for students. They also ran development courses such as time management, sexuality and mental health.
President of the Montego Bay High School Alumnae Association, New York Chapter, Merlene Mullings, also pointed to the mentorship programme supported by past students; and a weekly Friday night Zoom gathering – Girls in Grey - started at the height of the pandemic. Those virtual link-ups also involved persons who did not attend the school.
“It is something that we are very proud of,” declared Ms. Mullings who reported that the meetings inspired a book that has been published and is now on sale.
“Every penny (from the sale) will go to the Montego Bay High School,” she promised.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Aubrey Campbell, Ms. Mullings detailed the many initiatives done in the name of the 85-year-old St James learning institution; and restated the commitment of past students to continue working in support of education and the nation’s children.
Twelve communities across Jamaica are getting outstanding support from a United States-funded initiative to reduce crime and violence.
Positive Pathways is already having an impact among young people, parents and caregivers in ‘hotspot’ areas. The programme runs for five years, ending in 2025.
The initiatives under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded unique project are wide-ranging, designed with the involvement of participating communities, the government and dozens of leaders from multiple sectors.
Speaking about the financial literacy component, USAID’s Paul Teeple said: “For parents to be able to support their families, they need to be able to earn more and to manage the money they have in a more productive way.”
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with Keisha Hill, Mr. Teeple outlined details of Positive Pathways, its various components and what’s coming next.
Kadene Vidol does not scoff at what people do for a living. Everyone has a goal and must do everything possible to achieve.
When she was faced with financial problems and couldn’t continue to pay her university fees, she headed to the market – the Charles Gordon Market in Montego Bay, St James, as a vendor.
“When I started the business I said to myself I need this money to pay for my tuition and my other expenses, so this must work,” recalled the 26-year-old. She later graduated from the University of Technology, Jamaica, with a first class honours degree.
Kadene said that she learnt the value of hard work and pig-headed determination and discipline from her mother. She was also anchored around strong Christian principles, and firmly believes those who can help others must do so.
“I want to help others out there who are struggling,” declared the highly confident and focused Kadene.
In this inspiring episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Keisha Hill, she talks about growing up in Sandy Bay, Hanover, and some of her future goals.
Glen Christian is one of Jamaica’s most outstanding businessmen, heading the Cari-Med Group. Throughout his business successes, he often recalls his roots as a proud graduate of the Mico University College, the country’s oldest teacher training institution.
Now, the veteran entrepreneur is taking on possibly his biggest project to date – developing a centre for the training of teachers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), along with his beloved Mico, to benefit the entire country.
“We are not moving ahead because our education system needs to be revamped,” declared the Clarendon-born businessman, who notes that up to 70 per cent of Jamaica’s labour force is not certified.
“If we are going to move the economy into a growth sustainable position that we can compete, we must have trained people,” he emphasized.
But can Christian pull off this mammoth undertaking estimated to cost US$50 million? Find out more in this instalment of Impacting Jamaica with host Luke Douglas.
Laughter is your vaccine and social distance from negative energy are the timely nuggets of wisdom shared by beloved comedian, actor and entertainer Ian ‘Ity’ Ellis.
He emphasized the importance of remaining positive along life’s journey. “Bask in the moment. Surround yourself with persons who have positive spirits…if they are not, say far,” said the noted comedian.
The talented Jamaican, who is in the process of working on his own sitcom, is encouraging everyone to count always their blessings.
Ellis is also producing a fascinating online programme that has no script. It is completely about improvisation, he tells host Shelly-Ann Harris in this episode of Impacting Jamaica.
York Castle High School is “embedded in the community” of Brown’s Town in St Ann, said Milton Brady, the managing director of the York Castle Foundation.
“York Castle is not a school. It is a community,” declared Irwin Clare, Snr, Trustee of the York Castle High School Alumni Association, New York Chapter.
The two emphasized the importance of the school to the community, and its role in shaping well-rounded students for the global space. “We have learned to be resourceful. We don’t have big donors but we get big things done,” Brady beamed.
Added Clare, “We trail-blaze. We do not wait for things to happen. We engender their doing.” Dwight Clarke, president of the association, emphasized community focus agenda of the St Ann school started in 1875. “Community is big for us,” he restated.
For members of the alumni association, New York Chapter, they continue to be guided by the motto; nothing is achieved without great effort. Little wonder then, that their alumni dot boardrooms across the United Sates, thereby affording the present student population an opportunity at a secondary level education that will allow them to be productive highly citizens.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Aubrey Campbell, the executive team of Brady, Clare and Clarke talk about the passion for their school, the work of past students and plans for the future.
Christine Gore is making a difference in the lives of thousands of Jamaica’s youngest and most vulnerable.
She walked away from her highly successful law practice in 2004 to focus on giving back to her country. Mrs. Gore and her husband use the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation as the primary vehicle to take on philanthropy full time.
“I have no regrets about doing it,” declared Mrs. Gore, who added that she and her husband, a prominent housing developer, are passionate about Jamaica, its development and the welfare of its people.
As a successful attorney-at-law and happily married, Christine Gore seemingly had the kind of life most Jamaicans could only dream of. However, that was not enough. Instead, she focused on supporting early childhood education, sports development, and skills training for mainly young people in inner-city communities.
What drives this woman to selflessly dedicate her time and money to improving the lives of young children and at-risk youth in our society? Find out in this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Luke Douglas.
Red Stripe is helping beer lovers, bartenders and bar operators to better appreciate, serve and enjoy the beverage. Through its Beer Love Academy, the company is aiming to raise the standard and improve the careers of professionals in the industry through skills development.
According to Red Stripe’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Dianne Ashton-Smith, the programme is about building beer connoisseurs.
“It is about helping people to understand what makes a beer; how beer came about, the importance of it, how to serve and how to pour,” she explained.
Ashton-Smith added, “It is also about strengthening their skills in customer service, responsible consumption and the sale of alcohol, and so it’s a broad scale.”
All graduates from the programme are dubbed Certified Beer Advisors with a range of skills covering customer service, responsible serving, bar skills, product knowledge and employability (soft) skills.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Shelly-Ann Harris, the Red Stripe Corporate Affairs Manager talks about the importance of the Beer Love Academy.
Professor Brendan Bain caught the interest of many in 2021 when he spoke to the early beginnings of HIV/AIDS in Jamaica and compared it with the early beginnings of the COVID-19 virus, now a pandemic.
He also urged the public not to discriminate against those with the disease. The professor said: “Whereas I have learnt to respect the viruses that caused these diseases, I try not to be so afraid of them that it causes me to scorn or avoid persons who are infected either with HIV or in this case with COVID-19.”
In this repeat episode with host of Impacting Jamaica Shelly-Ann Harris, Professor Bain also spoke about ‘Man Up Jamaica’, a programme that promotes healthy and strong life among men.
The story of businesswoman Audrey Hinchcliffe inspired listeners during 2021. She shared this in her book, The Will To Overcome, and in a podcast interview with Impacting Jamaica.
Mrs. Hinchcliffe was also at the forefront of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, writing a riveting series for The Gleaner newspaper in Kingston, Jamaica. Many look to her and her business, Manpower & Maintenance Services, to provide sanitization support throughout the pandemic.
The businesswoman has been urging Jamaicans “to go take the damn vaccine” as the Government continues its massive campaign to get people to take the jab. The vaccination rate is still just over 20 per cent, very small when compared with other countries in the Caribbean.
In our looking back, we repeat this episode with businesswoman Audrey Hinchcliffe.
Jamaicans abroad were excited with news of the launch of a radio station with them at the centre – The Bridge 99FM. That was in July.
In November, the Caribbean Global Network-owned station launched into Canada with a series of simulcasts with G98.7FM.
"This is the very first time that three commercial stations from Canada, New York and Jamaica are simulcasting, all in the name of connecting Jamaica with the US/Canadian Diaspora,” said the network’s boss Bobby Clarke.
“It is hugely significant as it allows listeners/viewers in these markets to be connected through a virtual media super highway that will benefit them culturally," he added.
Clarke said he would continue to work to strengthen connections with the diaspora. He sees Jamaicans as the strongest promoters of the country abroad.
We repeat this 2021 episode with Clarke and Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris.
Listeners fell in love with the pig-headed discipline and focused determination of Mrs. Kadian Palmer-Asemota. As a child, she hopped from parish to parish in Jamaica to live with relatives, and eventually dropped out of high school.
Palmer-Asemota went to work as a bartender to help fund her brother’s schooling. She migrated to the United States to join her husband but life wasn’t easy. An empty house greeted her. There wasn’t even a bed.
However, she and her husband didn’t give up. They persevered with their young daughter. Today she is the author of a children’s book. We repeat her story in this inspiring Impacting Jamaica episode with host Danik Frazer.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic over 18 months ago and the massive loss of jobs that followed compelled many Jamaicans to turn to alternative means to survive.
A number of persons, including some in the hospitality sector, pivoted to agriculture.
Poultry and egg farming suddenly became a viable business for many and with assistance of HiPro Farm Supplies, small producers were able to supply almost 40 per cent of the country’s poultry needs – up from just above 30 per cent before the pandemic hit.
“The small farmer stepped up to the plate to feed the nation,” said Dayne Patterson, the Business Development Manager at HiPro Farm Supplies. “And they are continuing to do it.”
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica, host Luke Douglas talks with Patterson who provides insights into the critical role his company plays in Jamaica’s food security and the provision of employment.
There is no greater joy than the joy of giving back to an organisation or association benefiting individuals, in this case students.
That’s the mantra of members of the newly-formed Tivoli Gardens High School Alumni Track Corporation, the newest member of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA), USA, Inc.
“It is just an honour to be right here giving back,” said an executive member of the association, Omaall Wright. “I want to make a special appeal to everyone out there, please, I am saying, support your alma mater.”
In this edition of Impacting Jamaica with host Aubrey Campbell, executive members Kahiefa Walcott-Johnson; Omaall Wright; Jermaine Bailey; Dwayne Smellie and Fiona Williams, are in full stride. Their mission, to be agents of change.
Do you want to earn extra cash? Do you have items to sell? Check out GOFFAH, an e-commerce platform founded by a Jamaican. It is where you can earn, shop, sell and save, said Odetta Rockhead-Kerr, the platform’s owner.
“There is no other e-commerce platform like it in the world,” said Rockhead-Kerr, who has 20 years of entrepreneurial experience in the outsourcing, technology and transformation space.
She walked away from a senior corporate job to pursue her passion for creating income-earning opportunities for all -- GOFFAH Global.
“GOFFAH is the only platform I am aware of where somebody can earn indiscriminately,” she said. “I see it completely changing the landscape as it pertain to financial independence and financial freedom; and empowering our nation to get out of the situation that we are in.”
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica, Rockhead-Kerr tells host Keisha Hill why GOFFAH will be an agent of change for scores of persons in Jamaica and the diaspora.
The Immaculate Conception High School Alumnae Association, New York Chapter, is focused on improving the human capital at the all-female institution of secondary learning in Kingston, Jamaica.
Boasting an impressive list of accomplishments, including but not limited to scholarships, mentorship, donation of e-learning devices and a diaspora outreach to volcano-ravaged St. Vincent and The Grenadines, the phenomenal ladies of Immaculate, already have their eyes fixated on the next 35 years, in the words of president Karen Wilson Robinson.
“We must direct our efforts to facilitate the needs of the young ladies to ensure their success and growth into phenomenal women”, capable of taking their rightful place in society, upon exiting the halls of learning at Immaculate Conception High.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica, Wilson Robinson talks with host Aubrey Campbell about the work of the 35-year-old association and plans for the future.
Dawn Butler is a highly committed, determined and focused Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent Central in North West London.
She won’t back away from a challenge. She is a fighter for justice, a fighter for equal rights.
Dawn works tirelessly for the betterment of her constituents and others across the United Kingdom, walking in the footsteps of her late father who was always supporting and giving to others.
She is one of six children, born and raised in East London to Jamaican parents. During her early years, she worked on a market stall and helped her family run a bakery.
Dawn first became a Member of Parliament in May 2005 and later elected as the first African-Caribbean woman to become a Government Minister in the UK. She was re-elected to her parliamentary seat in 2015, receiving the largest vote swing in that election; and again in 2017, winning 73 per cent of the vote in her constituency.
In this episode, the MP chats with Impacting Jamaica host Sinai Fleary about growing up in the UK and her work across the country.
What is happiness? Many people want to learn the secrets on how to be truly happy in life. Noted counselling psychologist Andre Allen Casey says happiness is a state of mind and thinking.
Did you ever wonder what it really takes to be truly happy? Many people tried pursuing relationships, money, and success, and most of them have reached that point when they have realized that happiness does not really come from the outside, or from the world where you live in.
In all essence, happiness is something that comes from deep within you, lying in that secret place within yourself, waiting for you to finally tap it and release it from its prison.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica, Allen Casey talks with host Shelly-Ann Harris about happiness and its importance for healthy living and family.
Grab your special happiness e-book here: go.impactingjamaica.com/hmmain
Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) continues to transform its operations to better serve the public, both in Jamaica and diaspora communities.
Its online offerings are vastly improved and public satisfaction has been high, said Courtney Johnson, the taxpayer education officer at the TAJ. “Over 75 per cent of our customers found that using the online platform is convenient, it is safe…,” he said.
Johnson said the TAJ continues to work to ensure it provides the best service possible to all customers. He notes too that the TAJ is already number one in the Caribbean; and the vision is to become a world-class organisation.
In an interview with Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley, the TAJ taxpayer education officer spoke about various improved offerings and others to come on stream soon.
The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) has been supporting charities in Jamaica for close to 40 years. Its areas of focus are education, healthcare and economic development.
AFJ Executive Director Caron Chung says it is now time again for entities in Jamaica to apply for support through the organization that has issued grants in the region of US$16 million over the last 39 years.
The deadline for applications is February 4, 2022 and charitable organizations in Jamaica must apply online at https://theafj.org/grants/ before the deadline. She notes that all the requirements are available on the website but they include registration with the Charities Act, updated financial accounts and an active board of directors.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica, Ms. Chung talks with host Keisha Hill about the work of the AFJ, its supporters and how the foundation is impacting lives across Jamaica.
Red Stripe’s Head of Corporate Affairs Dianne Ashton-Smith is passionate about shaping a culture of responsibility and ensuring that parents have the tools to enable their children to say no to underage drinking. As one parent put it, “Sometimes we don’t have the full information about the issues relating to underage drinking.”
Through a programme, including the teaching of parents about their role in eliminating underage drinking, Ashton-Smith believes there can be change in attitudes to drinking in a country where a boy or girl under the age of 18 having a drink, is no big deal.
“Parents are the first level of influence with their children. Children take their cues and their nurturing from their parents and so we feel it is important to give them these tools so they can have the right conversations,” said Ashton-Smith.
Ashton-Smith discusses with Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris matters relating to under-age drinking and the wider issues of responsible drinking.
The lived experiences and traditions of Nanny, were largely spent on activities outside of warfare, noted Dr. Leo R. Douglas, an Assistant Clinical Professor at New York University (NYU).
In contrast, the lived experiences of maroon leaders of the day revolved around African spirituality, facilitating community wellness, and deepening their understanding of the Jamaican interior, the forests, and local flora and fauna that provided them with medicine, shelter, food, faith, ancestral memory, camouflage and escape.
Within the current climate and biodiversity extinction crises, and concerns about the rapid degradation of Jamaican watersheds and water access, this project (Nanny: Her Sword – A Seed) aims to mainstream a discussion of Maroon traditional ecological knowledge, practices and beliefs with respect to their deep and existential relationships with the natural and the eco-spiritual worlds.
Dr. Douglas noted that the project is seeking to retell the story of Nanny in keeping with her significant roles, both real and symbolic. This visual arts project thus situates Nanny as shaman of the forests, as healer, as priestess and protector of the springs and watersheds, and commander of the natural forces of the Blue and John Crow Mountain watersheds.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica, Dr. Douglas told host Zadie Neufville that the current international call for visual artists to submit entries aims to produce a gallery-type art piece in honour of National Hero Nanny for the 60th anniversary of independent of Jamaica.
Ricardo Allen heads one of Jamaica’s top education digital service providers, One-on-One Educational Services Ltd. It has experienced exceptional growth since its start in 2013, expanding into several Caribbean countries.
Today it stands ready to assist Jamaica and the region to tackle the gaps created in the system by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that shut down schools across the region for in excess of one year.
Allen says its recent acquisition will allow the digital business to expand its coaching and tutoring services to all levels of the education system. The courses that students take, he argues, “are personalised, and that’s what One-on-One is all about – a personalised education experience online.”
The company wants “to empower more than 1,000,000 Caribbean nationals to bridge the digital divide and learn and take their exams online, laying the foundation for rapid skills acquisition for a number of subject areas and business skills”.
Allen tells Impacting Jamaica host Zadie Neufville that he wants to see a greater level of investment in education in Jamaica to build an infrastructure to allow access to digital education for all. He floated the idea of a “technology bond” for Jamaica.
Terri-Karelle Reid is the human ethernet-connector of people and dots. Having graced the stage at events across the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and North America, Terri-Karelle has built a brand that is synonymous with the word excellence in every way.
She is an events and television host, speaker, content curator, online branding expert and storyteller. Recently, she stepped onto a huge stage – the TEDx stage.
TEDx is a nonprofit organization that uses its events to help share ideas in communities around the world. Her topic was Untapped, but specifically focussing on parenting.
Terri-Karelle told one of her best friends – Garfene Grandison – that her parenting style is part traditional, part modern. She told him too during this Impacting Jamaica interview that she was devastated when she first found out she was about to become a mother, and more recently astonished by the TEDx invitation. She joins us today as we explore her road to the TEDx stage, her role as a mother and as one of Jamaica’s more beloved gems.
Egbert von Frankenberg moved to Jamaica from Germany 16 years ago. He entered the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector six years ago when he co-founded the software development firm, Knightfox Apps Design.
He’s upbeat about the sector, arguing that it is a huge plus for the Jamaican economy and its people, as a key employer of labour.
The chief executive officer of the business is a graduate of the European Business School in London, and his company has been leading the charge in bringing more attention to the potential of software outsourcing in the Caribbean.
Knightfox Apps Design has the distinction of being the first in the Caribbean to be certified as an accredited technology partner of US-based online shopping platform Amazon, and focuses on e-commerce and block chain products, as well as, mobile phone and cloud applications.
From an inner-city St Catherine community to a graduate of one of the top universities in the United States and the world, Tarick Walton has turned his sights on giving back to Jamaica.
He, and others, are working with educators to transform the St Johns Road Primary School through the Walton and Friends, a non-profit organization that he co-founded while in college.
Tarick, a graduate of Campion College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has also written a book with 10 mentorship lessons to guide persons, at any stage of life, to achieve their dreams. For him, a civil engineer, living is anchored by perseverance that focuses on the vision; reciprocity that encourages love; and humility that emphasises others over self.
He tells Impacting Jamaica host Luke Douglas that for Jamaica to proper government, business and community must align around entertainment, spirituality and sports.
The power of reduce waste, fraud and corruption in the public sector lies in the hands of Jamaicans, according to passionate civil society advocate for better public governance, Jeanette Calder.
For the last several years, has been vocal on governance issues, in particular those relating to procurement, corruption and public sector reform.
Jeanette is also the founder of JAMP – Jamaica Accountability Meter Portal. She joins Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris for an unusually inspiring conversation on accountability and corruption in Jamaica.
Since the start of 2021, registered art therapist, Lesli-Ann Belnavis Elliott has seen an increase in the number of clients calling for mental health support. This, she believes, means more Jamaicans are crying out for help as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact people’s lives.
Lesli-Ann, who is also a photographer, has conducted creative arts-based clinical assessments and art therapy sessions with clients of various ages, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds in a variety of locations including, schools and community centres as part of projects or her private practice.
Currently, she offers services both in-person and via telehealth to persons dealing with grief, trauma, stress, anxiety, depression, and family and work-related concerns.
Lesli-Ann sits down with Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris to chat about Art Therapy; and how it is helping Jamaicans to heal.
Where does one find York Street in Jamaica? Ask Elaine Coleman and Elaine Chen. They will tell you: About three and a half miles from the town of Linstead, St Catherine. They are executive members of the York Street Past Students Association, New York chapter.
The past students have fenced the school, paved the walkway; built a library and a computer lab, among several other projects. Their mission is to help students at the York Street Primary School and surrounding basic schools and communities.
The association, started 25 years ago by Ms. Coleman, now vice-president, is headed by president Elaine Chen. Under the umbrella of Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA), Inc., York Street has used the critical subsets of education and healthcare to bring much needed hope and assistance to school and community. Their story is the subject of this edition of Impacting Jamaica with host Aubrey Campbell.
Employees at the Jamaica Customs Agency went into their pockets and came up with funds to purchase 61 tablets for students at two schools close to their offices.
“It was done without hesitation,” declared Tameka Goulbourne, Director of Internal Affairs and chairperson of the customs agency’s Corporate Social Responsibility Committee.
The tablets went to the Farm Primary and Infant School in Green Pond, St James, and the Edward Seaga Primary School in Denham Town, St Andrew.
Tameka notes that the agency’s committee focuses its efforts in and around communities close to its offices. “We want to have a greater impact on our stakeholders beyond our current mandate, especially with everything that has been going on since the pandemic,” she said.
She spoke with Impacting Jamaica host Luke Douglas about the commitment of the agency’s workers to corporate social responsibility initiatives and plans for the future.
Levi Roots is an award-winning musician, broadcaster and entrepreneur, whose grandmother taught him how to cook in Jamaica. He is the founder of the Reggae Reggae Sauce.
He appeared on BBC2’s Dragons Den in 2007 and won an investment on the TV show. Within a few weeks, his sauce was on supermarket shelves. His sauce was an instant hit with the British public and at one point Reggae Reggae Sauce was outselling other popular brands.
Levi has written several cookbooks championing Caribbean food and has become a favourite on British TV. His brand has branched out into several foods; and is one of the most recognisable brands in the UK.
Levi has announced he is having a multi-million-pound movie made about his life. He sits for a chat with Impacting Jamaica host Sinai Fleary.
Standing at the head of Jamaica Impact Inc. (Jampact) Tassie Scarlett has seen the importance of giving back to the efforts of early education.
But a funny thing has happened with the state of the world today. Rather than suffer through the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jampact has found that the diaspora, understanding the plight that faces Jamaica’s youth, has been even more generous.
Scarlett has seen her organisation improve its capacity to give back; and she wants more. Even after 23 years, she firmly believes there is more in the tank.
According to her, she will be tasking her team to produce more towards the effort of creating youth in this nation, who can contribute to its betterment.
Impacting Jamaica host Luke Douglas sits down with Tassie, as she verbalises her ambitious vision for Jamaica’s youth
No one is turned away at the Good Shepherd Medical Centre in Montego Bay, Jamaica, thanks to the kind support and donations from US-based charitable organization, Partners of Good Shepherd, founded by Joy Dufour in 2013.
Dufour, through support from her friends and her church in the US, has been supporting education and health care efforts in Jamaica with joy and compassion over the years.
“Probably it is the best thing I have done for myself,” she declared relating to work done at the Mustard Seed Communities in Jamaica.
The philanthropist sits down with Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris to discuss their mission and heart for Jamaica. She asserts that COVID-19 will not stop them from doing God's work.
Members of the Friends of Port Maria, New York Chapter, have spent the past 25 years, building partnerships for a brighter tomorrow for not just students at the Port Maria Primary & Infant Schools but several communities in the parish of St. Mary.
They remain focused on the mission and a vision to create an environment where enhanced education and healthcare opportunities are more available.
For executive members, Angella Cummings, treasurer; Guyline Tate Witter, secretary; Dawn Silvera Ndure, floor member; and Lorna Fairweather, chairperson, public relations and membership, their activism is more than a labour of love, it’s who they are.
Their story is the subject of this edition of Impacting Jamaica with host Aubrey Campbell.
This is the story of a real Rastafarian who will never give up. Mikal Asher, a member of the musically acclaimed Morgan family and the prolific Twelve Tribes of Israel group, has travelled a long, sometimes difficult road.
From a teenager in the church, to owning his sound system in the West African country of Ghana, to an aviation and commercial pilot and an entrepreneur, Asher has triumphed.
He is also a disc jockey and a toaster… but his journey to musical stardom started in May Pen, Clarendon. He recently released an album, ‘Binghiman’, and talks with Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill about his work and plans.
For the directors and members of the New Day School Alumni Association, New York Chapter, their mantra “Helping Students Help Themselves”, is more than words, evidenced by the many acts of kindness and benevolence that stretches beyond the confines of the school in St. Andrew, Jamaica.
The focus is on amplifying the learning experience of the students at the school.
Evelyn Godden, the president; Jennifer Johnson, secretary/treasurer; and Beverly Gordon-Wells, the assistant secretary, all noted that size does not matter for the organization, formed in 2012.
“We likkle but we tallawah”, came the chorus of response!
A new day, tomorrow…beckons!
Manpower & Maintenance Services Limited is playing a huge role in helping to keep Jamaica clean, safe and informed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company started by primarily providing janitorial, building and ground maintenance services to health care institutions; but, because of its proven record of performance, starting at the prestigious Tony Thwaites Wing of the University Hospital of the West Indies, it quickly attracted other health facilities and commercial businesses such as telecommunication companies, banks, offices, hotels among others.
Manpower & Maintenance Services Ltd. is now a full-service human resource and facilities maintenance company, providing clients with services at multi-sites island-wide, with best-in-class and cost-effective solutions.
Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris sits down with Deputy CEO Garth Hinchcliffe to talk about Manpower’s vision and core services as well as its passion for education and charity.
Andrew Morris, a Jamaican-born US-based businessman, was inadvertently added to a primary school WhatsApp ‘classroom’ in Jamaica.
He was so impressed with the diligence, participation, and commitment of the students and teacher that he decided to, not only stay in the group, but also to provide a treat for the students who hadn’t seen each other for an entire term.
Interestingly, Morris would later find out his wife was a past student of the primary school in question. Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris chats with Andrew about how this all transpired.
High-performing 12-year-old triplets Tomoya, Dennis and Denrique Barrett are determined to excel at academics and repay their mother, Tamara, for her unwavering support in ensuring they have a good education.
Mrs. Barrett has been the driving force behind the trio’s top performance in the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams at their former school, Mountainside Primary in St Elizabeth.
The exceptional performance of the children has resulted in them now attending the high schools of their choice. Dennis and Denrique now attend Munro College, while Tomoya is at Hampton High School.
Mrs. Barrett says it has not been an easy road but she will continue to work hard to ensure her children get the best education possible.
The children and their mother, in this episode speak, with Impacting Jamaica host Mark Titus.
Barbara Blake Hannah, author, filmmaker and cultural consultant, is full of joy today. However, it has not always been a happy time for her. She has travelled through many challenges, including face-to-face with racism and homelessness.
She is beaming today. Highly respected, she has lectured around the world about Jamaican history and culture. Young Blake Hannah left Jamaica for London, England in 1964 and later became one of the UK’s first Black TV journalists, when she worked as a current affairs reporter on daily programme, Today With Eammon Andrews.
She moved back to Jamaica and in 1984 became an Independent Opposition Senator in the Parliament of Jamaica. She served until 1987. In this edition, Blake Hannah sits with Impacting Jamaica host Sinai Fleary to talk about her life and work.
Amari Gutzmore is an 18-year-old high achiever from East London in the United Kingdom. Based on his outstanding academic results, Gutzmore is heading to one of the best universities in the UK – the prestigious London School of Economics that has produced at least 32 world leaders and 14 Nobel Prize winners.
Gutzmore, whose grandparents are Jamaicans, studied economics, politics and mathematics at GCE A’ Levels and will study philosophy, politics and economics at the London School of Economics.
Two years ago, he received a Prime Minister’s Award at 10 Downing Street for 10 distinctions in the GCE O’ Level examinations.
Young Gutzmore talks which Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill about his achievements so far and his plans for the future.
Math Whiz Shinnell Williams' favourite person is CARI-MED’s Glen Christian because he has a heart for giving back to community.
Like Christian, Shinnell hails from Brandon Hill, Clarendon, and has also been playing her part to empower her community of origin.
The 25-year-old, who is enrolled as a final-year student at Mico University College, believes she is gifted in mathematics.
Upon receiving her degree, she will be qualified to teach the subject at CSEC and CAPE levels. However, even before Shinnell officially enters the classroom she is sharing her math skills and giving back to her community thanks to support from CARI-MED.
Shinnell chats with Shelly-Ann Harris on this edition of Impacting Jamaica.
Growing up was a struggle for her. Moving from place to place to live. No money for food. Hungry at school.
Kadian Palmer-Asemota dropped out of a high school in fourth form, in Clarendon, Jamaica, and went to work as a bartender. However, the struggle continued. At 23, she became a wife and moved to St Elizabeth to live with her husband who later migrated to the United States. She remained in Jamaica.
Her husband didn’t have a good time in the US then, at one time he lived on the streets of New York. In fact, when Kadian joined him she went to a house with no furniture, not even a bed.
Today, Kadian is a self-published author of a children’s book. Follow her story in this interesting chat with Impacting Jamaica host Danik Frazer.
St Mary born Leo Gilling continues to do outstanding work on behalf of Jamaica across diaspora communities. He has a packed schedule (including his personal work) each day, as he is committed to continuously giving back to the land of his birth. Today he chairs the growing Jamaica Diaspora Taskforce Action Network, mobilizing Jamaicans for Jamaica.
The group is one of the largest in the diaspora, with more than 1,500 volunteers, across 22 countries with 25 chairs and 15 sub-teams, overseeing the successful execution of 30 to 50 service programmes and projects to Jamaica with about 30,000 participants each year.
Gilling is also founder and past chairman of the Jamaica Diaspora Education Task Force, a global team of professionals, who, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Jamaica Teachers Association, the National Education Trust and USAID, delivers programmes and resources that positively impact the education sector.
He talks with Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill about Jamaica and his work with scores of other Jamaicans who are committed to serving their homeland.
The Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation is making a difference in Jamaica, one community at a time.
Now it is Rose Town and they have tried different things to give the community’s youth a fighting chance at escaping the ravages of poverty.
Their latest project, an internship programme that seeks to train youth in the multi-faceted business of construction, where the Foundation has its expertise, has gone swimmingly.
Part of the reason for that, as Christine, the matriarch of the foundation explains, is because the organisation has learned along the way, how to allow these youth to achieve their goals by personalising their experience and allowing their interests to come to the fore.
She speaks with Impacting Jamaica about the Rose Town initiative.
Meet a physician who has successfully treated over 300 COVID-19 patients. He hasn’t lost one yet.
Dr. Roger Hunter is an internationally accomplished consultant neurosurgeon and consultant spinal surgeon, who has been passionately caring for the sick in Jamaica for years.
He is controversial in Jamaica and some do not support or believe his positions in relation to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Hunter and one of his patients, who recovered from COVID-19, chat with Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris about strategies for beating the virus.
How do people really change for the better? In this edition of Impact Jamaica, Shelly-Ann Harris chats with noted counselling psychologist Andre Allen Casey to learn how people can really overcome personal and interpersonal challenges and effect lasting change, which is key to how we can have stronger families, communities and a better Jamaica even in these times of great uncertainty.
Andre Allen Casey is a counselling psychologist for over nine years with hands-on experience in counselling and serving several people, groups and entities.
Trained in Alabama at Heritage Christian University; André holds a Bachelor of Arts in Bible with a minor in counselling. He also has his Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology from Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica.
Sandra Brown-Pinnock is an award-winning entrepreneur, founder and director of Primal Beauty, an Afro Caribbean hair and business. She has established herself as an industry leader and innovator. Her company sells hair and beauty products; and they are the manufacturers too.
Additionally, she is the first woman to bring lace front wigs into the UK and credited for its expansion in the UK. Brown-Pinnock, the only Black woman to own an Afro Hair Store in south east London, talks with Impacting Jamaica host Sinai Fleary about her work. She is passionate too about inspiring the next generation of Black business owners in the UK.
Teachers have always been a beacon of hope for children in Jamaica, says noted veteran educator, Esther Tyson, a former Vice Principal and Principal of a few notable schools in Jamaica and a sought-after education consultant.
Mrs. Tyson also believes children need more play time away from tablets and other devices in order to do well academically.
She is also encouraging parents to find other ways for their children to socialize, perhaps by having small family gatherings within your ‘bubble’ while observing COVID-19 guidelines.
Listen in on an insightful conversation with Esther Tyson in this edition of Impacting Jamaica hosted by Shelly-Ann Harris.
He told then British Prime Minister Tony Blair, ‘no thank you’, for the second highest ranking Order of the British Empire award. The Order of the British Empire (OBE) was offered to Benjamin Zephaniah for his work in literature.
He felt, however, that was a “safe ticket” as his work in defence of human rights was completely ignored.
Born in Birmingham, England, to Caribbean parents who came from Jamaica and Barbados, Zephaniah remains one of the most influential Black Brits of our time.
He is an award-winning poet, novelist, playwright, musician and television and radio presenter. He is currently the Professor of Poetry and Creative Writing at Brunel University, Uxbridge, England.
The UK freedom fighter urges those who want to get into music and poetry to understand the business to avoid being exploited by others. Today, we share part two of an intriguing interview with Impacting Jamaica host Sinai Fleary.
Benjamin Zephaniah is an award-winning poet, novelist, playwright, musician and television and radio presenter. He is currently the Professor of Poetry and Creative Writing at Brunel University, Uxbridge, England.
Zephaniah is a proud Rastafarian and has been at the forefront campaigning against social injustice in the UK.
His work has seen him named as one of Britain’s best-loved poets and writers. His work has also allowed him to travel around the world.
Zephaniah was born in Birmingham, England, to Caribbean parents who came from Jamaica and Barbados. He remains one of the most influential Black Brits of our time. He spoke on wide-ranging topics with Impacting Jamaica host Sinai Fleary in this the first part of a two-part interview.
Professor Denise Eldemire Shearer has continued to show an immense propensity for hard work on behalf the elderly. She feels that many of those in their golden years still have important contributions to make to the society.
On this World Senior Citizens Day – Saturday, August 21, 2021 – the Jamaican society should celebrate its seniors and at the same time examine challenges facing this group; and how to fix them.
She notes that the over 80-age cohort is the fastest growing segment of the Jamaican population; there are more than 1,000 centenarians across Jamaica; and 92 per cent of older people in Jamaica are not bedridden.
Eldemire Shearer, who is patron of the National Council for Senior Citizens, Director of the World Health Organisation Collaborative Centre on Ageing and the Elderly, and Chairperson of the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons, speaks with Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill about the importance of senior citizens to society.
The Guardsman Group is transforming security and other services in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean region. The Group is stepping up the game by using the latest in technology to serve its wide customer base.
Corporate social responsibility is also a top agenda item for the Group, according to its General Manager for Sales, Marketing and Customer Service, Ms Roxan Wais-Shirley. The focus is on the nation’s children, especially through education. And a University is in the making!
Ms. Wais-Shirley and Director of Corporate Communications Mr. George Overton sat down to discuss some of the Group’s various achievements with Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill.
Paul Barnett is involved in organizing almost every 'welcome' or 'thank you' event that is held for Jamaican diplomats starting or ending their tenure in Canada.
His hospitality is steeped in the examples set by his parents who, on many occasions, had the founders of Ardenne High School, Reverend George and Nellie Olson, at their home as guests.
As a child, he listened to their conversations and eventually became a very involved student at Ardenne High. He says the school gave him a second chance at life, literally.
His love for the institution has fuelled his efforts to give back to his alma mater -- something he has been doing for 40 years. Paul Barnett, president of the Toronto Chapter of the Ardenne Alumni Association, the longest-serving president, tells Impacting Jamaica host Neil Armstrong about the importance of giving back or "paying it forward". He also discusses plans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the alumni association.
The outstanding performance by track and field athletes at the recently concluded Olympic Games is the latest demonstration of the indomitable spirit of the Jamaican people, according to Leighton Beckles, communication officer at Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ).
Beckles says this can-do spirit, as well as our ability to "tun our hand and mek fashion" has been a hallmark of Jamaicans in various fields of pursuit since Independence in 1962.
At the organisational level, the revenue official reports that TAJ has invested heavily in technological infrastructure to provide a customer-centric service.
"More specifically, for the Diaspora, we have gone even further to allow persons from anywhere in the world to pay their property taxes and meet their obligations here at home," Beckles tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.
However, Beckles worries that the Jamaican cultural identity is being gradually eroded by Westernised influences. In addition, he has issued a call to arms for Jamaicans to arrest the rising level of crime and violence.
The ability of the people of Jamaica to distinguish themselves in various endeavours is the most significant achievement for the island nation since gaining Independence in 1962, according to Simone Murdock, Corporate Services and Client Experience Manager at Kingston Wharves Limited.
Noting that she lived overseas for 10 years, Murdock says the personality of the Jamaican people attracts others, causing many people to want to be affiliated with the country. This is demonstrated in the island’s tourism product, she points out.
Murdock says the 75-year-old Kingston Wharves Limited, as the leading port and logistics service provider in the Caribbean, contributes to Jamaica’s development. She points out that having the seventh-largest natural harbour in the world Jamaica has become a global trans-shipment hub in the world.
In identifying the area of greatest disappointment as a nation, Murdock points to “opportunities not optimised.”
“We know we have the potential as a nation, so we need to move from knowing the potential to maximising and materialising that potential into real deliverables for our people,” she tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.
Senior civil servant Andrew Wynter cites being, a “powerhouse” in Track and Field, as one of Jamaica’s most significant achievements since gaining Independence in 1962.
He attributes this accomplishment largely to the contribution of the GC Foster College of Physical Education that has produced a cadre of high-calibre coaches who are integrated into the school system. In addition, other tertiary institutions have introduced sporting education programmes.
Wynter, who is the CEO of the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), also points to the transformation of his organisation from a unit in the Jamaica Constabulary Force to a customer-centric operation, utilising technology as a major plus since 1962.
However, he bemoans the lack of respect for each other and the country, which is showing up in the high incidence of crime and violence.
“As we learn to respect our country, respect our self, and our institution, then, as a country, we will see more development because that will help us to appreciate what we have,” the PICA CEO tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.
Wynter says a process of resocialisation is needed starting at the early childhood education level.
Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) head Marlene Street Forrest scores the nation high for its ability to maintain a stable democracy since gaining Independence in 1962. She says this political stability has set the stage for socio-economic growth, continuity, and relations with the international community.
“It really is to me the bedrock of how our country continues to grow and develop,” Street Forrest tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.
She notes that an outflow of the political stability is financial maturity as evidenced by a great stock exchange, a banking sector and a model exchange framework that shows transparency and integrity.
However, Street Forrest is disappointed by the decline in moral values and attitudes, which leads to high levels of crime and violence. She says arresting the moral decline has to start with resocialisation in the family.
Have boys been victims of a flawed transition to independence in Jamaica? Is that why there are more women doing well in country's education system? Anthropologist and Senior University of the West Indies lecturer Dr. Herbert Gayle has a powerful view.
He has high marks for Jamaica’s advancement in education since the attainment of Independence. He highlights the achievements of women in this area, which he attributes largely to the positive messaging about women’s place in society that became prevalent under the Michael Manley administration in the 1970s. However, Dr. Gayle posits that the uneven development of the educational status of females, vis-à-vis males has produced a very poor social structure, with high levels of violence being an inevitable outcome.
“At the current rate, a lot of women are going to have a MA and no M-A-N; and a lot of men will have dollars, but no sense,” he tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.
Diaspora representative and local entrepreneur Dr. Karren Dunkley applauds successive administrations for the “tremendous accomplishment” in infrastructural development, as evidenced by the road network, since the island nation gained Independence in 1962.
Pointing to the building of the interstate highway system in the United States, Dr. Dunkley says this accomplishment will facilitate economic growth across Jamaica. She is in favour of the establishment of a ministry that coordinates infrastructural needs in the health, education and water sectors.
Dr. Dunkley, who represents the Jamaican Diaspora in northeast United States, says the wider community is interested in pooling its financial, and knowledge assets to accelerate development on the island.
At the same time, she shares with Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley her disappointment with the weak governance structure in the Jamaican society as evidenced by, the high levels of corruption, garrison politics and cronyism. She is calling on civil society to demand a strong governance structure.
President and CEO of Scotiabank Jamaica Ms. Audrey Tugwell Henry rates the “maturity and depth of the Jamaican financial sector and market” as one of the most significant achievements of the small island nation since gaining Independence in 1962.
She highlights the country’s good mix of financial institutions in the form of local, regional and international commercial banks, building societies, credit unions, finance companies, insurance companies and investment houses.
“The strength and chief hallmark of our sector is that we are highly regulated,” Tugwell Henry explains to Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley. “We have allowed the Jamaican consumers and businesses to play seamlessly in a global space,” she adds, pointing to the array of tools available to conduct commercial and financial transactions.
Tugwell Henry, a career banker, points to the urgent need for sustained human capital development. This is evident, she says, in low matriculation to post-secondary institutions, inadequate numbers of people trained in higher-order skills, and high levels of crime – of which hamper the sustained high level of GDP growth. She advocates the forging of a strong public-private partnership to ramp up the nation’s human capital.
Internet entrepreneur Gordon Swaby believes Jamaica’s most significant accomplishment since Independence is the improvement in life expectancy of the population, which has moved from about 50 years old to above 70.
“I think for a country that is not wealthy we have done extremely well. We have benefitted from our people living longer,” Swaby tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.
Swaby, who is the CEO and co-founder of EduFocal Limited, an e-learning platform, identifies underperformance of the education system as one of the most disappointing features of the Jamaican society.
He recommends the leveraging of technology in combination with expert teachers to improve the quality of education outcome on a wider scale.
Archbishop Howard Gregory is proud of the strong democratic tradition that Jamaica has developed since gaining political Independence in 1962. He points to the regularity of the nation changing governments by the ballot and not subterfuge. With the high level of maturity of Jamaica’s electoral system, its election officials have served abroad in professional capacities and as observers, Archbishop Gregory notes.
Additionally, he is impressed by the significant improvement in the island’s physical infrastructure such as roads, housing, and educational facilities, with the church playing a significant role in the latter.
However, the Archbishop, whose jurisdiction includes the West Indies, is disappointed that nearly sixty years after gaining Independence Jamaica is still tied politically to Britain. He believes it is time to complete the process of decolonization.
Jamaica needs to replace the United Kingdom Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final appellate court, Archbishop Gregory tells Impacting Jamaica Host Byron Buckley.
Industrialist Richard Pandohie celebrates the fact that, since gaining Independence, Jamaica has expanded as a global brand and huge influencer, both culturally and in the terms of the positions Jamaicans hold internationally.
He points out that the Vice President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris, is of Jamaican descent.
“One of my disappointments is that we have not even begun to scratch the surface of what that brand can do,” Pandohie tells Impacting Jamaica Host Byron Buckley. “We do not know how to monetise the brand.”
Pandohie, the immediate president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association, reasons that maybe Jamaica does not have the local capability to manage its cultural assets, and should employ the expertise.
His most disappointing feature of the Jamaican society is the poor quality of life being experienced by the majority, which he describes as iniquitous. He slams the high crime rate as a burden on the economy and calls on civil society to be more demanding of political leaders.
The Spanish-Jamaican Foundation (SJF), founded in 2006, is a collaborative effort of a number of Spanish companies with current investments in Jamaica. The main objective is to strengthen the friendship between Spain and Jamaica. The foundation stages and supports educational, cultural, and community development initiatives with the support for the teaching and learning of Spanish being one of its priority areas of focus.
Today, we learn more about the excellent work being done by the foundation from Project Manager Vanessa Meggoe who sits down with Impacting Jamaica host, Shelly-Ann Harris.
Long before Simone Thomas, president of the Merl Grove High School Past Students’ Association, Canada Chapter, became involved in the organization, she knew that she wanted to give back to her alma mater. She believes that others contributed to her education and therefore she is required to do the same for students at the institution.
Having been a member of the association since 2009, and its president from 2014, Thomas can easily list the names of students who are succeeding because they were supported and are determined.
In an interview with Impacting Jamaica host Neil Armstrong, Thomas pays homage to mentors who guided her path. In return, she is doing the same for students at Merl Grove High School in Kingston, Jamaica.
The National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation spends millions each year on individuals and projects across Jamaica. It is strong on supporting education at every level and has supported hundreds since 2003, the year the foundation was formalised by Jamaica’s largest commercial bank.
Additionally, it promotes and encourages knowledge and appreciation of Jamaica's culture in all aspects. The foundation and its board are passionate about ensuring that Jamaica’s youth are prepared to participate in the future of work, and are in a position to become the global tech entrepreneurs of the future.
The foundation’s boss, Mrs. Nadeen Matthews Blair, spoke with Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill about uplifting work across the country.
CIBC First Caribbean International Bank has been a supporter of various philanthropic efforts to aid education, healthcare and individuals. These include supporting frontline healthcare workers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, rehabilitating schools and supporting projects that assist with educating students.
In this edition of Impacting Jamaica with host John Myers Jr., Managing Director Nigel Holness explains the importance of giving back to the corporate culture of this Canadian banking subsidiary that has been operating in Jamaica and the Caribbean for in excess of 100 years. He also implores others to give back and underscores the positive impact of such undertakings on the lives of people and the society.
Stephen Hill has been there, done that. Now the boss of CIN TV, the number one television broadcaster of Caribbean-centric programmes in the New York tri-state area, is encouraging Jamaican businesses to recognize the value and aggressively take on the lucrative diaspora market as he has done.
In this edition of Impacting Jamaica, with Host John Myers, Jr, Mr. Hill emphasises the benefits of tapping this growing market for Jamaican food and other goods and services. He shares how he first started out in this highly competitive market; and the roadmap he used to select and broadcast programmes that would captivate this large group of Jamaican viewers in a fast-paced, multicultural metropolis.
After 29 years of dominance in providing television content for Jamaicans and other Caribbean nationalities, he gives advice and tips for local producers of uniquely Jamaican goods and services aiming to make their diaspora entrance.
Telecommunications giant – Digicel – is transforming communities and organizations, while at the same time helping to improve people’s lives across Jamaica. It is doing this through the Digicel Foundation. The telecoms company is increasing access to special needs communities to improve quality of life; expanding access to education through technology; supporting and empowering survivors of domestic violence; providing health interventions; and fostering a spirit of self-reliance through sustainable enterprise within communities.
Chairperson of the board, Mrs. Jean Lowrie-Chin, talks about the work of the foundation with Impacting Jamaica Host Keisha Hill.
Rainford ‘Perry’ Bloomfield is not your average past student and not because he breathes ‘purple. He is the president of the Kingston College Old Boys’ Association-USA; and given the task of leading those brave souls in their quest to help with the new dynamism, that is changing the delivery of secondary education in Jamaica.
In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Aubrey Campbell, President Bloomfield provides an insight into a number of projects that are not only changing the physical landscape at the famed North Street institution but those who will benefit as well.
“We provide a network, in partnership with Kingston College, where ‘Old Boys’ and friends can join us and share in our Fortis pride, networking and philanthropy,” he declared.
Donette Chin-Loy Chang is a communications leader and prolific philanthropist. Together with her late husband, G. Raymond Chang, chancellor emeritus of Ryerson University, she has made transformational investments in the areas of education, health, social justice and the environment.
Chin-Loy Chang, who recently received an honorary doctorate – Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa – from Ryerson, is also the recipient of an honorary degree from the University of the West Indies. She and her family have led The UWI Toronto Benefit Gala Awards – Canada's largest fundraiser for Caribbean student scholarships – for over a decade. Donette Chin-Loy Chang, who believes in the power of education and giving, talks with Impacting Jamaica Host Neil Armstrong about her work and helping others.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GraceKennedy Group Don Wehby has emphasised that the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector has a central role to play in Jamaica’s economic rebuilding process. He told the Senate that the sector is “a key driver for economic growth”, noting that typically, MSMEs account for more than 90 per cent of all firms, 60 per cent of employment; and 40 to 60 per cent of output in most economies.
At the same time, the GraceKennedy boss called for more focus on agriculture, declaring that, “we need to cut our food import bill in half by 2030. We can achieve this by investing heavily in agro-processing, manufacturing, and agriculture, by ensuring our farmers have good crop insurance and technical training to mass produce certain crops.” Impacting Jamaica shares excerpts of Senator Wehby’s speech in the Jamaican Senate.
Junior Rowe is the embodiment of passion for community. As Principal of Riverton Early Childhood, an educational initiative funded by the St. Patrick’s Foundation, Mr. Rowe has been serving the community for several decades and has been a beacon of hope, help and inspiration for children and parents in the Riverton community and the surrounding areas. Mr. Rowe shares stories of success, giving back and commitment with Impacting Jamaica Host Shelly-Ann Harris.
Jamaica’s Government stewardship of the economy during the worst pandemic in 100 years has been hailed by highly respected businessman Don Wehby. He also saluted Jamaicans in the diaspora for their exceptional role in helping to rebuild the country.
Speaking in the Senate, he said, “The Government has managed the country well through this pandemic and I have confidence that they will continue to lay the foundation for us to build back stronger.”
Senator Wehby, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the GraceKennedy Group, lauded Jamaicans in the diaspora, stating that, “during 2020, Jamaica’s remittance inflows increased by over 20 per cent. Regardless of where they live, one thing I know is, our diaspora is passionate about and love our country.”
Impacting Jamaica shares excerpts of Senator Wehby’s speech in the Jamaican Senate.
Coming off a successful year of fundraising in 2019, last year was supposed to be a ‘breeze’ for members of the St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) Alumni Association. The COVID-19 pandemic had other plans, forcing the cancellation of seven events, including the association’s twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations.
“Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, we continue to do well. This association is an association for all STETHS alumni,” said association president Donovan Wilson. “No matter who leads, we must strive to be bigger, bolder, better, and a positive force for STETHSANS as we uphold the traditions of our beloved alma mater.”
At the same time, Treasurer Nadine Whitehead shared that the town of Santa Cruz will not be the same during the school’s 60th anniversary celebrations next year.
Hunger is a challenge for many college students with limited financial resources. Caroline Mahfood, the chief executive officer of the GraceKennedy Foundation, shares how the charity is tackling the issue with the GK Campus Connect Food Bank, which provides over 100 students with food packages on a monthly basis.
She also discloses that the foundation is working with The Ocean Clean-up to tackle the issue of pollution in the Kingston Harbour, for which the first phase of a pilot project will begin in September.
Additionally, Tankita Chance-Wilson, the chief executive officer of the Grace and Staff Community Development Foundation, tells Impacting Jamaica Host John Myers Jr about 'The Journey to 1000', as parent company GraceKennedy prepares to commemorate 100 years of operations in Jamaica next year.
Daddy Ernie is an award-winning Radio Presenter and DJ. He has been instrumental in the growth of Jamaican music and culture in the UK. He was the host of the first five-day-a-week reggae programme outside of Jamaica, with his historic show Superjam - which was born on Choice FM radio at the beginning of the 1990s.
Throughout his career, he has become a household name and has interviewed some of Jamaica’s biggest music stars, including Gregory Isaacs, Shaggy, Buju Banton and Sizzla.
Ernie, born to Jamaican parents in London, has been one of the most consistent advocates for Reggae music in the UK. Impacting Jamaica Host Sinai Fleary talks with him about his work and achievements.
Sheldon Millington is the founder of Elitte Club Limited, a registered charitable organization, working mainly in inner-city communities. The club offers support to the less fortunate, while providing professional guidance to all its members.
Since its inception, the charitable organization has touched in excess of 20,000 persons. Impacting Jamaica Host Keisha Hill chats with Millington about the club’s work and its plans for the future.
Members of the Rosemount Alumni Association may be considered new kids on the block, relative to the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA), USA, Inc. However, that has not dampened the enthusiasm for their St. Catherine-based institution, Rosemount Infant and Primary School. Having weathered the COVID-19 storm, members of the association will continue ‘lending a helping hand for the cause of excellence’.
They are targeting a computer lab that got a big boost from a virtual concert event – Hand To Hand We Stand – last year, involving some big named performers and a collaboration with Love FM in Jamaica. President Thomas Gordon, Treasurer Patrick Dixon and Public Relations Officer Marcia Harris sat down with Impacting Jamaica Host Aubrey Campbell to discuss the association’s work.
As the agency that regulates operations at the island’s ports, the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) has undertaken several initiatives that have positively impacted the lives and livelihoods of people across the island.
Kimberley Stiff, assistant vice-president of marketing communications at the PAJ, explained that roughly $500 million was spent to redevelop and improve the Ocho Rios fishing village, which is nestled between the cruise ship pier and the Reynolds Pier in the St Ann resort town.
Ms. Stiff said too that the Port Royal Ferry Pier in Kingston, commonly referred to as jetty by residents, was rehabilitated by the PAJ when it built a new cruise port to accommodate cruise liners and passengers. That initiative was part of a renewed thrust to establish the history-rich, seaside community as a cruise destination.
Both projects have since transformed the areas in which they are located and have proven to be a major economic enabler for residents. Ms. Stiff spoke with Impacting Jamaica Host John Myers about the various projects.
Businessman Bobby Clarke is promising to transform content delivery to Jamaicans living at home and abroad. He plans too, to incorporate the wider Caribbean in his broader vision. Clarke, head of the Caribbean Global Network Group, is getting ready to launch The Bridge 99 FM in Jamaica. The station, under the umbrella of the New York-based IRIE Jam Radio, will, as of July, serve both Jamaicans at home and those in the New York tri-state area.
“We are excited to introduce The Bridge 99 FM to Jamaica and global audiences,” said Clarke. “By taking advantage of the vast listenership that IRIE Jam has in the tri-state area, we have created the perfect conduit for information sharing between Jamaica and its extensive diaspora of over two million people.”
The network will provide community news, information, entertainment and lifestyle coverage to people everywhere. Impacting Jamaica Host Shelly-Ann Harris sits with Clarke to discuss his transformational plans for Jamaica and the diaspora.
Members of the St Andrew Technical High School Alumni have all the right reasons to be celebrating as the school emerges from the pandemic standing tall. It has been voted the Most COVID-19 Ready among Corporate Area institutions of secondary learning, thanks in part to the ongoing generosity of its membership in such areas as scholarships, care packages, e-learning devices, personal protective equipment and medical supplies.
In celebration of the school’s sixtieth anniversary, the alumni is working on the purchase of a school bus and a solar system for the campus, messages you will hear from President Melanie Forrest and VP Horace Campbell. They spoke with Impacting Jamaica Host Aubrey Campbell.
Leonia McKoy is a ceramic artist. She is in awe of the sea and with each wave that crashes to the seashore, she is inspired to get her hands in clay; to mould, and shape pieces that depict lines, shapes, movements, and event those tiny bubbles that linger on the sand.
She has been a full-time ceramic artist many years, and no two pieces are alike, as her versatility of clay has afforded her the ability to be creative in endless ways.
McKoy, who has won gold, silver and bronze medals in the Jamaica Culture Development Commission Fine Arts Competition, chats with Impacting Jamaica Host Keisha Hill about her work. Her pieces are suitable for home and office spaces.
Formed in 1986, the St. Hugh’s High School Alumnae Association – New York Chapter – is one of the charter members of the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA), USA, Inc. Without much hype, the association has forged a big sister relationship with the school, in many key areas, including mentorship, scholarship and upkeep of the physical plant.
Using an adversity as an opportunity, past students have forged a global alumnae network to boost its fundraising efforts and a five-year plan to assist the school in its shift to e-learning.
“We did not drop out, so we don’t want them to drop out,” in the words of Claudette Powell, vice president and chair of the Health Sector of the Jamaica Diaspora/USA North East.
Now in its 20th year, the Jamaica National Small Business Loans (JNSBL) has been redefining access to affordable funding for micro and small businesses with its flexible and holistic approach. Gillian Hyde, its general manager, speaks about the JN Group subsidiary’s employment of flexible terms and requirements to access loans as low as $20,000, as well as its aim of assessing the overall needs of micro and small businesses. Ms. Hyde speaks with Impacting Jamaica Host John Myers in this the final of a two-part interview. Part one was posted on May 30, 2021.
Monsignor Richard Albert, perhaps the most famous philanthropist to ever grace the island of Jamaica, left a legacy called the St. Patrick’s Foundation. The foundation is a Godsend for many of the nation’s most vulnerable.
It’s Chairman, Hermine Metcalfe, explains to impactingjamaica.com host, Shelly-Ann Harris, the nature of the aid the organisation provides.
A registered charity, the foundation depends on donations to run early childhood education programmes in Riverton, carry out training for young persons looking for a way to sustain themselves, as well as providing a home for the abandoned elderly, those who have nobody to care for them.
Desmond Palmer could only manage a bronze medal during inter-house long jump at school. That never stopped him from falling in love with athletics but there was another problem. Desmond believed there wasn’t enough written history on the athletic achievements of Jamaicans outside of the famous names of recent history. The names Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Merlene Ottey, Melanie Walker, cast massive shadows. Those shadows often forces the names of those who came before, into veritable ignominy, their achievements forgotten. Desmond wants us to remember. His book, ‘4Runners’, helps us do just that.
Now in its 20th year of operation, Jamaica National Small Business Loans (JNSBL) has been redefining access to affordable funding for micro and small businesses with its flexible and holistic approach. Gillian Hyde, general manager of JNSBL, speaks about the JN Group subsidiary’s employment of flexible terms and non-traditional requirements to access loans as low as $20,000, while adopting a holistic approach in catering to the overall needs of micro and small businesses, such as cash-flow management, record keeping and insurance.
Hyde stresses that the needs of micro and small businesses are much more than just financial and, as a result, JNSBL has become more than just a creditor.
She also outlines the financier’s intent to explore the possibility of providing more funding support for untapped and emerging sectors, such as the fledgling medical ganja industry.
Professor Brendan Bain is a multifaceted Caribbean man who has brought honour and prestige to the region as a physician and academic. Professor Bain has been outstanding in all three areas in which the University of the West Indies requires its faculty to perform – teaching, research and publications; and service to community. Well-respected and admired, Professor Bain was the inaugural lead coordinator of the UWI HIV/AIDS Response Programme and Director of the Regional Coordinating Unit, Caribbean HIV/AIDS regional Training (CHART). In his conversation with Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris, he insightfully points out that when the first cases of HIV had appeared in Jamaica, people didn't believe the virus was real, a behaviour which also initially rang true today as the country and the world presently grapple with COVID-19. Hear more in this interesting edition of Impacting Jamaica.
Daniella Johnson, 32, has worked tirelessly to support the development and growth of social purpose organizations, fostering meaningful and measurable impact in communities across Ontario and Canada as a whole. Now, Johnson, who is of Jamaican parentage, is seeking the candidacy of the federal Liberal Party in Brampton Centre, Ontario. She began her career in social services as a caseworker for the Ontario Works programme and at the Waterloo Region Immigration Partnership, where she collaborated with cross-sectoral partners to facilitate the successful settlement, integration, and community involvement of immigrants and refugees.
Johnson says organizations, like the Jamaican Canadian Association and Operation Black Vote Canada, continue to play important roles in the Black community and highlight the need for diversity within political arenas. She speaks with Impacting Jamaica’s Neil Armstrong.
Rhona Dunwell, the President of the Alliance of Jamaican Alumni Associations (AJAA) in Toronto, Canada, is leading a group that is doing outstanding work for education. For 33 years, the Alliance has been the umbrella organization for many Jamaicans living in the Greater Toronto Area who are supporting their alma maters in Jamaica. Since 1988, the Alliance has initiated several projects and programmes to support students of Jamaican heritage in Canada and students represented by its high school member associations in Jamaica.
Its Graduates Programme introduced in 1993 recognizes the scholastic achievements of Ontario graduating high school students of Jamaican descent. The Emerging Global Leaders Jamaica identifies and trains young people in Jamaica who have the potential of becoming instigators of change. Rhona Dunwell, president of the AJAA, talks about the organization with Impacting Jamaica’s Neil Armstrong.
Audrey Hinchcliffe has been ahead of the game in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in Jamaica. Beginning before Jamaica had its very first case, her voice rang loud, getting organisations to understand and execute sanitisation exercises to stave off the spread of the virus.
Now, the founder of Manpower and Maintenance Services Limited (MMS) and Caribbean Health Management Consultants Limited (CHMC) is urging Jamaicans to, “just take the damn vaccine”.
Her pro-active stance on getting the government and the country to understand the importance of the sanitisation process, suggests hers is a voice that should be listened to. The vaccine, she says, is the last line of defence in the fight.
But she hasn’t stopped there. Her company has donated numerous items to various institutions during the pandemic. She sits down with Avia Ustanny for another episode of Impacting Jamaica.
“You can use your disadvantage as an advantage. Embrace who you are. It’s not about where you come from but where you are going. Don’t count yourself out. There is always an upside” are the inspirational nuggets of wisdom from Governor-General’s Programme of Excellence Awardee Fitzroy ‘Pablo’ Wickham.
A former head boy of the York Castle High School in Brown’s Town, St. Ann, Wickham hopes to pursue a career that involves neuroscience, acting and research. He is now a student at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, USA where he is currently a senior undergraduate double majoring in Neuroscience and Theatre with a minor in Chemistry. He is a research assistant in the Naegele Lab at the Wesleyan University conducting stem cell research to treat temporal lobe epilepsy in mice. The accomplished youngster sits down with Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris.
Black issues will get more coverage at The Independent newspaper in the United Kingdom with the appointment of award-winning journalist Nadine White as the first Race Correspondent in the title’s 35-year history.
Born to Jamaican parents in London, she has received accolades for her brilliant work as a leading journalist in the UK. White opens up about her journey in journalism; and why she wants to help to amplify the voices of her community in this the second part of a two-part discussion with Impacting Jamaica host Sinai Fleary. The part one was posted on May 9.
Dr. Gladys Gem Hyatt believes that troubled children just need someone to look out for them, listen to them, teach them and help them to overcome their challenges. That is what she has been doing for several decades as a respected educator.
The Governor-General’s Programme of Excellence Awardee has also served the Juvenile and Lay Magistrates courts in Spanish Town and has provided counsel to many children and parents. Dr. Hyatt shares her story and helpful insights with Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris.
Award-winning journalist Nadine White has joined the The Independent newspaper in the UK as the first Race Correspondent in the title’s 35-year history. White is reporting on issues affecting the lives of Black communities in Britain and exposing social injustice.
Born to Jamaican parents in London, she has received accolades for her brilliant work as a leading journalist in the UK.
White opens up about her journey in journalism; and why she wants to help to amplify the voices of her community in a two-part discussion with Impacting Jamaica host Sinai Fleary. Part two will appear May 16.
The Wolmer’s Alumni Association, New York Chapter, had a busy 2020. Undaunted by the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the association took to social media and the Internet via zoom, to serve up a menu of activities, while raising much needed funds to support a raft of programmes at Wolmer’s Boys and Wolmer’s Girls’ schools in Jamaica.
For President Hubert Guscott and Executive Committee Member Beverley Barr, coordinating the activities was more than a labour of love for school and country. They discussed their love for school and country with journalist Aubrey Campbell.
Jamaica’s fire service is getting help from one of the country’s electricity providers. The Jamaica Energy Partners (JEP) Group has proven to be a valuable partner for the communities in which it operates in Kingston and St Catherine.
As the country’s largest private electricity producer, JEP employs a very robust corporate social responsibility programme in which it supports numerous community-based initiatives supporting residents and communities.
The Group has just donated well-needed tools and devices to the Rollington Town and Trench Town fire stations in East and West Kingston. As Camille Campbell, its public relations officer, tells us about the latest gifts and other community support programmes.
As a little boy, Craig Richards sold fruits to help make ends meet. As a teenager, he assumed the role, 'man of the house' and was committed to being a provider and protector for his mother and other siblings.
Endowed with perseverance and a strong belief in self, Craig overcame difficult hurdles, was able to fight his way through hardship and poverty to secure his education and is now a respected banker who is big on giving back to the community. Craig sits down with Impacting Jamaica host, Shelly-Ann Harris to share his inspiring life journey and sound advice to those who need a dose of encouragement.
When she immigrated to the U.S. from Jamaica in 2013, Cori Gordon, 28, never imagined she would become one of Amazon’s youngest Delivery Service Partners.
As the eldest child of nine, Cori knew she had a knack for leading, but she never guessed she would be in a position to employ more than 50 drivers and make history as an Amazon business partner. “I hope my story inspires young people of colour to look into the programme and to evaluate if they’re ready to align with a company driven by customer obsession and by delivering results,” Cori said. “The journey has been amazing thus far!”
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is spending millions of US dollars over five years in Jamaica to steer the country’s youth away from crime and violence.
Jamaica’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang said that today 75 per cent of the country’s young males under the age of 24 are susceptible to gang recruitment.
USAID’s Positive Pathways Community Violence Prevention Programme can help solve that problem. Jason Frazer, the Country Representative for USAID in Jamaica, explains the programme.
It's not likely to find an abundance of rose gardens in Rose Town, located in the bowels of Kingston's tough inner-city enclave. It is not difficult then for one to understand the daily challenges there, especially the youth. Christine Gore, director of the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation, Christine Gore, talks about the efforts to transform the youth in this inner-city community. Valuable skills for employment is coming through a construction internship programme.
Patrick Vernon is a social commentator, campaigner, cultural historian and author and has been at the forefront campaigning against social justice issues in the UK for over two decades. He has extensive experience working across mental health and the public sector. Additionally, he has been responsible for developing and leading processes looking at racism and racial inequality across society. Born in the UK to Jamaican parents, Vernon has campaigned tirelessly for those affected by the Windrush Scandal.
Charlett Porter, a pediatric nurse, has always had a huge heart for children. The loving Jamaican mother of four who now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, has often times also taken sick children who are on life support into her own home to provide care. Even though she currently lives in the US, she also continues to spearhead several outreach activities for children in Jamaica, including providing supplies, treats and now tablets to facilitate online learning during the week and encouragement and hope during Sunday School on the weekends. Charlett sits down with podcast host Shelly-Ann Harris for our Impacting Jamaica podcast series.
Godfather of Jamaica’s life insurance industry, prominent businessman and avid philanthropist, the Hon. R. Danny Williams tells us about his passion for success as well as helping those who are less fortunate. He talks of his dedication to raising funds for his alma mater Jamaica College, providing scholarships for young boys, including those in the community where he resides, as well as volunteering his service at numerous charitable and non-governmental organizations over the years.
In fact, the distinguished business leader, who is former president, chief executive officer and chairman of Sagicor Group Jamaica, reveals that if he had the chance of starting over, he would take a longer shot at serving his country.
Thousands of early childhood students and institutions are benefiting from the work of the PACE Canada. It has been helping Jamaica for over 30 years.
Its president Diana Burke is recommitting to continue to support the country and its children. She says PACE Canada has kicked off a campaign to acquire 2,500 tablets for early childhood students. “We are excited to launch the ‘One Tablet per Child’ campaign,” she said, noting that these 5-to-6-year-old students need the ability to continue their learning and lessons at home until schools are again open for operations.”
Jamaicans all across North America are contributing in important ways to schools in Jamaica they once attended. Many alumni associations are members of the umbrella organization, the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA), led by President Lesleyann Samuel. In the last few weeks, the membership showed their continued support for Jamaica by acquiring laptops and tablets valuing millions, shipped to schools for use by students who are largely attending classes remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Samuel points out that, “It is a fact that laptops, tablets, and iPads are now essential tools for teaching and learning, whether in the classroom or remotely. The member associations are intent on filling that need for their schools.”