Month: January 2016

J. WRAY & NEPHEW LIMITED DONATES OVER 70 HOSPITAL BEDS ISLAND-WIDE

J. Wray and Nephew Limited, recently donated 76 hospital beds and mattresses valued at approximately US$57,000 (J$6.8 Million) to six major hospitals across the island as part of the company’s 190th anniversary celebrations.

 

 

The handover of the beds was made during a ceremony at Food For The Poor Jamaica’s headquarters at Ellerslie Pen, St. Catherine. The health institutions benefitting from this donation are Kingston Public, Spanish Town, Cornwall Regional, May Pen, St. Ann’s Bay and Mandeville Hospitals.

ALL SET_JWN HOSPITAL BED HANDOVER

Commending J. Wray and Nephew Limited for its vital contribution to the health sector, Hon Horace Dalley, Minister of Health stated that, “The demand for bed space at our health facilities is great. In December 2015 there was a total of four thousand and eighty-four (4,084) in-patients across the island. Therefore, this donation will go a far way in assisting with ensuring that we have adequate beds to accommodate our patients.” He further added, “We welcome this partnership with the private sector as we continue to work towards strengthening the health sector in many ways.”

Clement ‘Jimmy’ Lawrence, Managing Director of J. Wray and Nephew Limited, was especially pleased that, as part of its tradition of giving back, the company was able to play a part in alleviating the challenges currently being faced by the public health sector.

 

“Our Company recognizes the critical role of investing in areas of national development and the health sector is of paramount importance in this regard. We are delighted to be able to provide these beds, thereby increasing the capacity of the recipient hospitals and filling an existing need of our primary care providers across the island.”

 

Lumex-US0208-2All 76 beds are semi-electric, which means they are able to be adjusted with and without an electrical source.

 

The initiative was carried out in partnership with Food for The Poor Jamaica which sourced the beds ensuring that they met international specifications.

 

 

 
Mrs. Jennifer Chambers, Acting CEO of the Spanish Town Hospital stated: We’re very happy that J. Wray & Nephew took on this initiative because these beds will definitely help to enhance the experience of patients at the hospital.”

 
J. Wray and Nephew Limited’s 190th yearlong anniversary celebrations will continue until June 2016 and the company will continue its community outreach during this time, giving particular attention to the areas of community development, education, sports and health.

HI-LO FOOD STORES TO OPEN LIGUANEA LOCATION

Hi-Lo has announced that it will be adding a new location to its food store chain, acquiring a lease for the property previously occupied by Empire Supermarket in Liguanea. The Liguanea location will bring to thirteen, the total number of locations island-wide.

“The area is not new to us, and we are very happy to be returning to the Liguanea community. We are excited about providing our Liguanea shoppers with the exceptional customer service that Hi-Lo is known for,” said General Manager, Mrs Renee Nathan. Hi-Lo Supermarket is no stranger to Liguanea, having had a location in Liguanea Plaza, which closed in 2009. “This location is an ideal one for us. We are putting all the plans in place to ensure that we capitalize on this,” Mrs Nathan continued. The location is expected to be open by the beginning of the second quarter.

Hi-Lo embarked on a renovation exercise in 2014, which has seen both its Manor Park and Barbican locations renovated and relaunched in January and June 2015, respectively. The exercise has resulted in very positive customer feedback, as well as an improvement in profits for the chain.

According to CEO of GraceKennedy Foods, Jamaica, Andrea Coy, “We allocated some $US8million to the renovation process, and we are very pleased with the impact it has had on both the customer experience and on our bottom line. Our Fairview location in Montego Bay is next in line to be renovated. That will happen in the first quarter of this year. The opening of the Liguanea location and the renovation of Fairview are top priorities, and we are excited to have both projects completed so we can enhance the customer experience and contribute to our financial performance.”

“I am really pleased with the performance of Hi-Lo. The strategy we have employed is really working there. The team is very committed and their hard work has enabled this transformation. I am very optimistic the future of Hi-Lo. Our US$8million investment demonstrates that we are serious about the upgrade of our existing stores, and the addition of new locations. I want to reassure our customers that they remain our major focus, and that we are more motivated than ever to provide them with an excellent customer experience every single time,” said GraceKennedy Group CEO Don Wehby.