Month: March 2018

PSOJ Endorses JamaicaEye: The National CCTV System

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Howard Mitchell, PSOJ President; Endorsing the Launch of the JamaicaEye: The National CCTV System held at the National Indoor Sports Complex on March 14, 2018.

President of the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) Howard Mitchell says there can be no progress nor prosperity unless the country develops our knowledge-based competence. Mitchell was speaking at the launch of the Ministry of National Security new initiative JamaicaEye.

“We live in a knowledge-based world, increasingly data gathering and the sharing of knowledge are critical to knowledge-based activities. We will not see progress nor prosperity unless we develop our knowledge-based competence. Communication is an integral part of knowledge-based activities,” said Mitchell.

President Mitchell went further to remind those in attendance that the PSOJ takes its responsibility as the premier based umbrella organization for the private sector very seriously. “We strive to be balanced and fair in our criticisms and we strive to be objective in our praise. It is no secret that we have been critical of the security management and strategy over the years that has been practicing in this country. And therefore, it is important that when we see a strategy worth action, that is comprehensively effective and that would make an impact that we endorse it; we give full praise to its originators.”
JamaicaEye is a three-phased implementation of a national closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance programme geared at a disaster response and public safety, which includes combating crime. Phase one of the project is the collaboration among key stakeholders and the MNS to establish a collective approach to CCTV surveillance.
Mitchell said that this programme is valuable, not only because of the impact it will have on crime, but is valuable because it serves as a template to show what participative democracy can do for the nation.

“I want to congratulate the Minister personally because I know of his commitment to participative democracy. He has never been shy to include all in his planning and in his deliberations and that alone makes this programme effective and it must serve as a template for all our activities in government and in civil society”, said Mitchell.
He further stated, “The PSOJ will be endorsing the system to our members individually and we will be supporting the Minister and this Ministry and all those involved in their promotion efforts.”

A call for Private Sector Support for Persons with Disabilities in Sports and Culture

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Jennifer McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, PSOJ; presenting at The UWI Mona Regional Disabilities Studies Conference on March 12, 2018.

 

The UWI Centre for Disability Studies (UWICDS) held its Regional Disability Studies Conference on Wednesday March
7, 2018. The theme for this conference is “Enhancing the Disability Agenda through
Sports and Culture in the Caribbean.” The CEO of the PSOJ, Ms. Jennifer
McDonald, made a presentation at the Centre for Disability Studies regional
conference: “The importance of public-private partnership in the advocacy,
implementation and advancement of the lives of persons with disabilities in sports
and culture.”

McDonald informed the audience that addressing matters related to Disabilities is
one of PSOJ’s 4 core focus for 2018, which falls under Vulnerable Groups and
Gender Affairs. Other areas for advocacy includes: Innovation and Technology;
Climate Change; Crime and Public Safety.

“Jamaica possesses a strong platform with demonstrated excellence in Sports and
Culture locally, regionally and internationally” said Ms. McDonald. She reiterated
that “Our annual Boys and Girls Championships and the Jamaican festival
movement which have honed the skills of our athletes and artiste over the years.”
The actualisation of programmes and initiatives built through partnerships are
precedence of how public-private partnerships can work to improve these areas for
the advancement of Persons with Disabilities.

During her presentation McDonald quoted Sydney Thorpe, keyboard player of the
renowned Fab 5 – “People were fascinated because they had never seen a visually
challenged person playing three keyboards at a time, much less sitting on a revolving
stool, spinning and playing the keyboards … I didn’t have anything to prove to
anybody because I was in a band that was a top band,” he said.

Ms. McDonald, stated that, “the advancement of PWDs in sports and culture can
facilitate professional integration through the development of income generating
activities. These activities will also: promote increased participation of PWDs in
community life; increase the level of education of PWD through training; Educateand inform the wider public about PWDs and increase their chances of access to
basic social services.”

She further stated that, “members of the private sector can assist with the
advancement of PWDs in the areas of Sports and Culture by: having members of
their staff volunteer to work with institutions or organisations that provide services
to PWDs; making strategic decisions to support a particular sport, art form or
individual already engaging in either areas of discipline; making donations to
existing programmes or projects that will advance the exposure and improve on the
skills of PWDs in these areas.”

The UWI Centre for Disabilities Studies biennial conference is geared at bringing
together, the academic community, the public and private sector, civil society and
members from the community of persons with disabilities; in an academic
environment to articulate topics of critical importance to one of our most vulnerable
groups.