KEEP IT CLEAN: Sherrόn Barker, Fishing Manager at Food For The Poor – Jamaica (left), and members of the Hunts Bay Fisherfolk Benevolent Society assist with trash collection during cleanup activities at Hunts Bay Fishing Village. Over fifty people participated in the initiative which took place on Monday, April 15.
Kingston, Jamaica – (April 20, 2019): A major pre-Easter holiday cleanup of the Hunts Bay Fishing Beach and Complex on Monday, April 15 was deemed a great success by the community. Over fifty people participated in the initiative, which was a partnership among Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, the Hunts Bay Benevolent Fishermen Friendly Society, the Jamaica Constabulary Force Marine Police Division, fishermen, vendors and village residents.
The community effort was not only a boost for the environment, but also enhanced economic opportunities for the fishermen and vendors at the beach. It is hoped that the cleanup just before the Easter holiday will encourage more customers to come and buy their fish for the season. The cleanup yielded eighty (80) bags of garbage holding approximately 5,500 lbs. of trash – the majority being plastics and styrofoam.
Fisherman Michael Latchman was elated: “Everybody co-operated today,” he enthused. “We worked together and we now have a clean environment – that is the environment we want to see.” Another fisherman, Mark Lawrence, added, “The customers come in now and they have no complaints. They feel welcome.”
FFP Jamaica’s Manager of Fisheries Sherron Barker pointed out, “The fishermen complain about the garbage, which drifts around Kingston Harbour from the gullies.” The solid waste pollution directly affects the fishers’ livelihoods while degrading the marine environment, he noted.
Pollution in Kingston Harbour is recognized as an ongoing environmental concern affecting people’s lives, which needs to be addressed over the long term. Corporal André Clarke of the Marine Police Division observed, “We see nets coming up with more garbage than fish in them. This is a major concern for us. Today’s cleanup shows what working together can accomplish.”
The fishermen and vendors have pledged to maintain the cleanliness of the beach and were provided with tools, extra garbage bags and bins, as well as refreshments during the day by FFP Jamaica.
Meanwhile, Mr. Barker is encouraging the public to support the Hunts Bay Fishing Village, conveniently located on the corner of Portmore Causeway and Dyke Road, by purchasing fresh local catches from the established vendors. “They have good quality fish, caught outside the Harbour,” he noted. Snappers, groupers and grunts are among the fish on sale.
Fisherman Mark Lawrence was gratified by the efforts, describing the environment as “Beautiful, beautiful!” He added, “FFP Jamaica has done a great thing for us.”
WASTE: At the end of the day’s clean-up activities at Hunts Bay Fishing Village on April 15, approximately 6,000 lbs. of waste was collected.
Welcome Address: CCRP Western Chapter Chairman, Dr. Norma Taylor welcomes members to a meeting held recently in Montego Bay where Sagicor Life gave updates on the CCRP Group Health Plan. Looking on are (from left) Jean Lowrie–Chin, CCRP Founder and Chairman, Clive Ebanks, representative of Sagicor Life and Shona Heron, Executive Member, CCRP Western Chapter.
Montego Bay, St. James – April 16, 2019: “This meeting proved to be both helpful and lively,” stated Dr Norma Taylor, Chairman of the Caribbean Committee of Retired Persons (CCRP) Western Chapter, at their meeting on Sunday, 14 April 2019 at the Unity of Montego Bay Worship Centre, 12 Dome Street. Members of the Chapter came out in their numbers to get updates regarding the Sagicor-CCRP group health insurance plan from Mr Clive Ebanks, representative of Sagicor Life, who answered all their questions regarding coverage, procedures and premiums.
The Sagicor-CCRP group health insurance is a Major Medical Plan that offers Laboratory & X-Ray Services, Diagnostic Services, Hospitalisation Services & Surgical Benefits and Overseas Emergency Benefits. The Plan is ongoing and open to all CCRP members.
Also attending Sunday’s meeting was Founder of the CCRP, Jean Lowrie-Chin. She thanked members of the Western Chapter for their initiative of obtaining the permission of the Unity of Montego Bay Worship Centre to grant them office hours from 10 am to 12 noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12 Dome Street, Montego Bay. Members and interested citizens may visit during those hours on any matter affecting Senior Citizens over the age of 50 years. The Chapter may also be contacted by telephone at 876-377-7616 during those hours.
Special thanks were expressed at the meeting to volunteers Dr Erica DaSilva, Dr Doreen Bernard and Mr Courtney Henry for manning the CCRP Western Chapter Office to answer questions, give updates on CCRP Discount Partners, and to help ensure that CCRP members in Western Jamaica can add their voices to the call for the rights of Jamaica’s Senior Citizens to be established and protected.
CCRP Jamaica is a membership organisation for persons 50 and over who are retired or planning to retire. The organisation was launched in April 2010 with a mission to work towards ensuring that the vast talent, experience and wisdom of seniors are respected and that they enjoy the quality of life which they so richly deserve. For more information on the CCRP, persons can visit the CCRP Facebook page, visit the CCRP head office at 2 Phoenix Avenue, Kingston 10 on workdays between 10 am and 2 pm, or call 876-469-1944 during weekday office hours.
SWEET HOME: Pearl Prendergast (right) shares in memorable photo moment with her ten year-old daughter (left) and six year-old grandson outside their new home donated by Food For The Poor – Jamaica with the help of its kind and caring donors.
Kingston, Jamaica (Apr. 1, 2019) – “I need a roof over my head,” sang the Jamaican roots reggae group the Mighty Diamonds in the 1970s. Ms. Pearl Prendergast may have been singing this classic song before she moved into her new home three months ago.
“When the rain falls, I remember how it was there,” sighed Pearl Prendergast. She was talking about the “very old house,” where she grew up with her parents and siblings. Ms. Prendergast recalls instances when the roof would leak. Not only did she get wet inside when it rained, the house also did not have a suitable bathroom, and the kitchen was outside. She was “so happy” to be in her new two-bedroom house, provided by Food For The Poor Jamaica through the generosity of its overseas donors. Ms. Prendergast moved in three months ago.
The 52-year-old single mother of three said her former home in St. Catherine was in very poor condition. Although it is still standing, it is due for demolition, she noted, as it cannot be lived in. She grew up there as the youngest of five children. “When I pass by it now, I say to myself ‘Just look at it!’ Then I enter my lovely new house, and I am so happy,” added Ms. Prendergast.
BEFORE: An outside view of Pearl Prendergast’s previous home in St. Catherine. Although it is still standing, the house is in no state to be lived in. Thanks to its kind donors, Food For The Poor – Jamaica has donated a new home to Ms. Prendergast.
Ms. Prendergast shares her new home with her ten year-old daughter. She also has two adult children: a 28 year-old son and a 26 year-old daughter. “I also have a grandchild, aged six!” she declared. She is very proud of her family.
The St. Catherine resident is particularly thankful for an inside kitchen, as her former home had an outside facility. She also loves the front verandah. The house includes a bathroom, hall/dining room and much more living space than she had before, she noted. “We are so thankful for it,” she added.
“I do a little farming,” Ms. Prendergast disclosed. She goes into Kingston to sell in downtown markets every two weeks or so.
“I have a mind to give something back one day,” she added. “I am so grateful to Food for the Poor – for what they have done for me and my family.”
In 2018, FFP Jamaica handed over 692 homes – that is, an average of almost 60 houses per month – providing much needed shelter and a home to be proud of to thousands of needy Jamaicans such as Ms. Prendergast and her family.
PREVIOUS HOME: Pearl Prendergast stops for a photo in the front yard of her previous home. Thanks to Food For The Poor – Jamaica and its kind donors, Ms. Prendergast now has a has a safe, new home for her family.
BEAMING: Pearl Prendergast (right) is grateful for her new home donated by Food For The Poor – Jamaica and its kind and caring donors. Excited to join her for a memorable family photo are her ten year-old daughter and six year-old grandson.
Afterhis Fire Phone flopped, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said, “If you think that’s a failure, we are working on much bigger failures right now. And I am not kidding. And some of them are going to make the Fire Phone look like a tiny little blip.” Bezos believes that failures are significant learning experiences.
Jamaica has not been short of such experiences. The People’s National Party (PNP) is smarting over its loss in the Portland Eastern by-election, and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Government is having to take a sober look at the National Identification and Registration Act — popularly called NIDS Act — after Chief Justice Bryan Sykes announced that the Constitutional Court was unanimous in its decision to declare it unconstitutional.
“Opposition Leader and People’s National Party (PNP) President Dr Peter Phillips is ripping into the media and pollsters, claiming they contributed to the party’s loss in the Portland Eastern parliamentary by-election last week Thursday,” wrote the Jamaica Observer‘s Kimone Francis on Friday, April 12, 2019.
She quoted Phillips: “…When you calculate the political propaganda coming out of some sections of the media; when you calculate that poll seh we going lose by 20 points, some seh 10, some seh six, some seh it’s climbing every day; and when you look at the result, you realise that it was just propaganda. [It was] pure, simple propaganda directed against the People’s National Party and the candidate.”
It was refreshing, however, that the PNP’s losing candidate Damion Crawford did not lose his sense of humour. After his defeat, he tweeted a photo of a crying baby and wrote, “Every time me wake and see say election day really gone.”
The case against NIDS was brought by PNP General Secretary Julian Robinson. In response to the chief justice’s live-streamed announcement, Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated: “The Government is respectful of the court’s ruling and will spend some time carefully reviewing the judgement, after which a more [comprehensive] response will be forthcoming. The Government would like to place on record its sincere gratitude to the full court panel, comprising Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, Justice David Batts and Justice Lisa Palmer Hamilton for their considered judgement.”
I must also to eat humble pie. Only last week this column was pushing NIDS without reading Robinson’s argument. Another lesson learned. However, we do agree with Owen James’ post on social media: “In the modern era when many countries are into artificial intelligence-oriented strategies to deal with crime and economic issues, I don’t think Jamaica can totally ignore a NIDS-type regime. If some parts of NIDS are broken, let us fix them and move along.”
Respect is due to Julian Robinson.
Science rocks at St Catherine High
Students at St Catherine High lined the driveway for the arrival of their distinguished alumna, Member of Parliament Juliet Holness, last Wednesday. The occasion was the opening of the expanded and newly equipped science lab at the school, courtesy of the Digicel Foundation.
This is also the high school of her husband, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, as well as Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kingston Kenneth Richards. Other excellent graduates include media colleagues Dashan Hendricks and Dennis Brooks; school board Chairman Sharon Dale; Hugh Douse, founder of the talented Nexxus singing group; and Don Williams, CEO of CS Citi-Scape. Kudos Sister Mary Paschal for your seminal work in developing this great school.
“If we are to be the people of the future – the innovators and creators of the future technology,” said Juliet Holness, “then we have to start by training our students, and no better place to start than my alma mater, St Catherine High.”
Selfie: The Most Hon. Juliet Holness (second right) shares a delightful moment with students from the St. Catherine High School, taking a selfie at the school’s lab opening held recently. Joining them is Jean Lowrie Chin (left), Chairman of Digicel Foundation.
Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information Karl Samuda urged students to fully capitalise on the resources provided. Principal Marlon Campbell enthused, “Our students are full of exuberance and zeal at the sight of the laboratory in its completed state.”
When emcee Elon Parkinson announced that Head of Science Department Conrad Moore would give the vote of thanks, the audience erupted. And no wonder; Moore is a rock star of a science teacher. He gave a rousing vote of thanks backed by the talented St Catherine High School band. No doubt, science rocks at St Catherine High.
Farewell, Jean McIntosh
What a privilege it was to see Joyce Ann ‘Jean’ McIntosh’s elegant journey as wife, mother, entrepreneur, philanthropist, worshipper, and lover of life. This inspiring leader — both in her capacity as co-founder and director of the McIntosh Bedding Company 55 years strong, and as a founding board member of the Stella Maris Foundation — brought her brilliance, wit and refreshing common sense to the organisations.
Peter Mais, the co-founder of the Stella Maris Foundation, recalls that McIntosh was “a caring contributor to the development of the foundation”. She shared her motherly love with children in the Grant’s Pen area participating in Saturday activities at the foundation. She ensured that at the annual children’s Christmas party everyone had a gift. Mais says that his lasting memory of McIntosh was that she was always available and accessible.
As a mother, McIntosh shared her joie de vivre with her lovely daughters, Stephanie and Annie. It warmed my heart to see them arriving at social events looking more like sisters than mother and daughters. It was a learning experience to watch her maternal mentorship of her daughters, guiding them to take their places as senior executives in the McIntosh organisation.
My deep sympathy to her husband Donald, and other family members, friends and the McIntosh Bedding Company team members. Rest in peace, unforgettable Jean.
Annual ‘Gah San’ Ceremony
Earlier this month, my husband Hubie and sister-in-law Doreen joined members of the Jamaican Chinese community to commemorate the Ching Ming Festival or ‘Gah San’ honouring the memory of their relatives interred at the Chinese Cemetery on Waltham Park Road. Hubie, who paid respect at his grandparents’ graves, was impressed with the extensive renovation of the once-vandalised cemetery. Congratulations to the executive of the Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) for the restoration of the location.
The committee for the Calvary Cemetery renovation is now facing a similar challenge, as the once-beautiful cemetery is in a dilapidated state. We hope to get guidance from CBA President Robert Hew as we face an uphill task.
Election Results: Results coming in from the East Portland By-Election held recently show the JLP’s Ann-Marie Vaz ahead of PNP’s candidate Damion Crawford on her way to winning the seat.
We Jamaicans should be proud of ourselves. We had a vibrant example of democracy in action last week, with colourful campaigning and an electoral office that gave us results of the East Portland by-election within two hours.
It was a triumph for the JLP’s Ann-Marie ‘Action Ann’ Vaz, who can now write the book on tireless campaigning to win over a “safe seat”. What made the difference, I believe, was Ann’s track record of service to the community through her One Jamaica Foundation, and her unrelenting promotion of the parish of Portland, long before she even thought of entering the political arena. We congratulate her and wish her well in taking on the role of MP for a constituency with so many demands. We were moved by her first pledge – to give urgent assistance to about 200 elderly persons who she said were living under poor conditions.
There is another important reason why we celebrate with Ann-Marie Vaz. Gender and development activist and practitioner Joan Joy Grant Cummings recently shared the Inter-Parliamentary Union rankings of women political representatives: Rwanda and Cuba are first and second with over 50% representation by women. Grenada, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Dominica and Barbados are ahead of us and even with the victory of Ann-Marie Vaz, we have barely inched up from 17.5 percent to 19.04 percent representation. If we want better for Jamaica, we should encourage more balance in political representation.
It is interesting to note that Damion Crawford opted for a more aggressive form of campaigning laced with misogyny and classism. One wonders who advised him on his East Portland campaign, and why did he not see how damaging such an approach would take.
A Clean Harbour: Chairman of Grace Kennedy Foundation, Dr Fred Kennedy presents on the business possibilities of the Kingston Harbour at the annual Grace Kennedy Foundation Lecture held recently.
A Clean Kingston Harbour?
The GraceKennedy Lecture now in its 31st year, is a generous public event sponsored by the 97-year-old company. Chairman of the GK Foundation, Dr Fred Kennedy, noted, “My Dad used to say, a good business is just like a good family; each is founded on a set of core values, the most important of which is honesty. Even the principles of finance are the same, the means to prosperity, he used to say is never spend more than you earn, and always invest in the future.”
Kingston Harbour is good business indeed, and there is already hefty investment in its future. In addressing the topic, “Clean Kingston Harbour – Pipe Dream or Pot of Gold?” panelists Prof Mona Webber, Dr Wayne Henry and Tijani Christian and Prof Dale Webber gave rich insights on the seventh best natural harbour in the world. Dr Henry noted that there are 1,633 businesses on the land surrounding the harbour, with an estimated revenue of $252.4 billion. On the Kingston waterfront, we are seeing the completion of the GraceKennedy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade buildings.
However, even with the introduction of the Soapberry treatment plant, the Harbour is polluted. Prof Mona Webber reminded that “the water in Kingston Harbour should not be in contact with human skin.” It was noted that 19 gullies and 2 rivers course into the harbour, carrying solid waste, 80 percent of which is plastic. It takes 450 years minimum to break down these plastics! The threats are many: coral reefs are in crisis and the pollutants could damage ships, making the harbour unattractive for shipping and a threat to our becoming a logistics hub.
There was a call stronger law enforcement and collective and individual responsibility. We cannot let this be a pipe dream – let’s work at cleaning Kingston Harbour.
Stepping up with Tech
We spent an invigorating Friday at the Destination Experience, brainchild of the audacious Kirk Hamilton. Described as “an interactive masterclass in innovation” we focused on the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”.
Sean Watson of the Singularity University said many companies are struggling because they are “stuck in mental, cultural models – legacy structures.” He said technology had democratized access with the cost of entry into markets now nearly zero. Business now requires “big, bold thinking”.
Jamaican born Ann-Marie Campbell is Executive Vice-President of Home Depot. Starting out as a cashier in Florida, her enquiring mind and energy moved her up the corporate ladder. She noted that her company maintains its brick and mortar presence for more mature customers, along with a strong digital presence. Listed as one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in the US by Fortune Magazine, Ms Campbell says the shop run by her grandmother, which inspired her business sense, still stands in Portland.
We enjoyed a session with Danielle Terrelonge, Mark Croskery, Odetta Rockhead Kerr, Jeff Pulver and Mauro Miyake. Launching DRT in 2008, Danielle made her bold step to build the leading Caribbean digital media monitoring service. Innovative investment expert Mark Croskery of SSL has created the Blue Dot survey company. Odetta Rockhead Kerr has presided over the growth of the BPO business in Jamaica as country head and Vice President of Sutherland Global. Mauro Miyake, Director at Microsoft, says the company is on a mission of empowerment – he says cloud technology is an equal opportunity enabler. Space does not permit me to share all the presentations; please Google the presenters, who are all brilliant.
I must applaud the last panel: Jampro CEO Diane Edwards, business leaders Jeffrey Hall, Andrew Mahfood, Paul ‘PB’ Scott and Chris Williams. Referring to the advice of Harvard Business School Professor Linda Hill to pull out the “slices of genius” in your team, Diane said “we need to believe in our own genius”. She reminded us that Jamaica in now the Number Six country in the world for ease of starting a business and Number One in the English-speaking Caribbean for doing business.
Jeffrey Hall noted with the lowering of interest rates and the movement of capital, business at the Port of Kingston had doubled. P.B. Scott called for updating our regulations in order to align with global strides in tech, following Bermuda’s example. As the panel noted the importance of growing the small and medium sectors, Andrew Mahfood said the steps taken in the national budget will assist the more vulnerable, while Chris Williams noted the rise of the Junior Stock Market, the work of Branson Centre and new SME bank offerings.
Now Jamaica needs to promote awareness of the impact technology can make in every sphere of our lives including crime-fighting. This includes moving ahead with the national ID. I don’t hear people speaking out against the detailed information needed to apply for visas, so why criticize a national ID which requires much less? Let’s step up with tech.
Montego Bay, St. James – March 20, 2019: The Western Chapter of the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP) was launched on Thursday, March 14 at the Blessed Sacrament Hall in Montego Bay. Guest Speaker at the event, Western Publishers owner and former MP Lloyd B Smith called for “an attitudinal change in Jamaica towards the elderly.” He said elderly persons were subject to ageism in many forms: disrespect at the workplace, in the use of public transportation and even in families.
“We have to play a serious role in mentoring,” he urged, “because too many do not honour their fathers and mothers.” He said there were too many superstitious comments about those living with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, and called for greater compassion. He said there were unscrupulous persons setting up unregistered nursing homes where the elderly were subjected to abuse.
He called on the CCRP membership to look out for the elderly, and to advise returning residents about the changing environment of Jamaica. “Some build large houses that they cannot manage, and an ostentatious lifestyle can attract the wrong kind of people,” he noted.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Lloyd B. Smith, Head of Western Publishers, gives the keynote address at the Launch of the Caribbean Community for Retired Persons (CCRP) Western Jamaica Chapter on March 14 at the Blessed Sacrament Church Hall in Montego Bay. Launched in 2010, CCRP now has 132 members in the Western parishes of Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James and Trelawny. Convener of the Chapter is Dr. Norma Taylor while other volunteers are Shona Heron and Joy Clark. CCRP is a non-profit, non-denominational and non-political organisation for persons 50 years and over. The organization’s mission is to honour, empower and protect seniors in Jamaica and the Diaspora.
The still active 72-year-old congratulated the organisation on providing job placements for its members, noting that retirees still had much to offer and that the Jamaican private and public sectors would be depriving themselves of the valuable experience that such persons could bring to their organisations.
Convener of the CCRP Western Jamaica Chapter, Dr. Norma Taylor noted that the organisation now had 131 members in the parishes of Trelawny, St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland.
“We would like to make CCRP more accessible for these valued members,” she said. “We are very grateful to my place of worship, Unity of Montego Bay at 12 Dome Street, which has agreed to provide a part-time desk for CCRP.”
On the matter of personal safety, she noted, “As we in the Western parishes deal with issues of not only retirement and aging but also issues of personal safety, we feel it is important for us to join together and have a unified voice to be advocates for our fellow seniors and elderly in the Western parishes.”
Dr. Taylor also pointed out that the organisation has over 80 discount partners and a major medical insurance scheme: “As we contemplate the financial challenges we also face, I urge you all to invite others to come on board as they will gain greatly from the benefits being offered, especially the CCRP Sagicor Major Medical Health Insurance Plan.”
Master of Ceremonies for the event was Joy Clark and the vote of thanks was moved by Shona Heron.
The newest discount partner of CCRP was introduced at the launch: the Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA) which is offering a 33 per cent discount to members. JAA representative Kimberly Martin noted that this would cover 24-hour roadside assistance, valet services for fitness and registration, additional discount partners and when travelling to the US, all the benefits offered to members of the American Automobile Association (AAA).
The CCRP Central Jamaica Chapter launched in 2018 serves St. Elizabeth, Manchester and Clarendon. and Convener Patricia ‘Pesh’ Blackwood operates a part-time desk at Global Travel Services, Manchester Shopping Centre, kindly contributed by Mrs Jean Seaga Anderson. The North East Jamaica Chapter will be launched in May 2019.
Founded in 2010 by Jean Lowrie-Chin as a tribute to her senior mentors, CCRP is a non-profit, non-denominational and non-political organisation for persons 50 years and over. The organization’s mission is to honour, empower and protect seniors in Jamaica and the Diaspora. Jean Lowrie-Chin is Executive Chair of CCRP, and the head office is operated out of PROComm at 2 Phoenix Avenue, Kingston 10. CCRP now has a membership of 2,530 Jamaicans from every walk of life.
KEEN INTEREST: Members of the Caribbean Community for Retired Persons (CCRP) Western Jamaica Chapter listen attentively at the Chapter’s launch on March 14 at the Blessed Sacrament Church Hall in Montego Bay. Convener of the Chapter is Dr. Norma Taylor while other volunteers are Shona Heron and Joy Clark. The organization’s mission is to honour, empower and protect seniors in Jamaica and the Diaspora. CCRP now has 132 members in the Western parishes of Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James and Trelawny.
IGT, NCU provide engaging technology experience for WCFJ on International Day for Girls and Women in Science
Mandeville, Manchester – 05 March 2019: A group of 25 students from the Women’s Centre Foundation of Jamaica (WCFJ) in Mandeville participated in a specially designed Technology Tour at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) on Monday, February 11, the International Day for Girls and Women in Science.
The initiative was part of IGT Jamaica’s continued efforts to expose the students from its After School Advantage (ASA) Centres island-wide to new ideas and career opportunities in the dynamic technology industry. IGT Jamaica conceptualised the tour, seeking NCU’s partnership in the effort.
With the tour being specifically arranged on a day that recognises the important role of women and girls in science, the students from WCFJ eagerly learned new perspectives and absorbed enlightening information on the latest developments in this exciting field.
The students, who are 14 to 18 years old, toured the NCU lab and learned more about the fundamentals of Information Technology, with a focus on aspects of networking and how the Internet works. The Department also demonstrated its newest thrust – devices enabled by Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as a Robotics display. They also saw drones in action out in the field, in a large open space.
The students were delighted to interact with the humanoid robot “Bob,” who provoked amusement and fascination with his actions and conversation. After engaging in a thrilling roller coaster adventure through Virtual Reality (VR) technology, one student excitedly shared her ambition to design her own game. Both teachers and students were actively involved in using the technology, including flying the drones and learning how to operate them safely.
BUSTING A MOVE: Jimmy the robot shows off some of his signature moves to the amusement of a student from the Women’s Centre Foundation of Jamaica along with Debbie Green (left), IGT Jamaica General Manager and Damion Mitchell, Head of the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Northern Caribbean University (NCU). Occasion was the IGT After School Advantage Technology Tour at NCU on Monday, February 11, which was recognised as the International
“I really enjoyed interacting with the robots and the VR technology. It was an exciting experience and I know I’ll be pursuing a career in technology – as a programmer,” vowed another student.
UN Women notes that science and technology play increasingly important roles in nations’ development, and almost all future jobs will require Information and communications technology (ICT) skills. However, according to UNESCO statistics (2014-2016), only around 30 per cent of all female students select fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in higher education. Globally, female students’ enrolment is particularly low in ICT (3 per cent) and less than 30 per cent of scientific researchers worldwide are women.
However, Assistant Professor and Deputy Chair of NCU’s Department of Computer and Information Sciences Damion Mitchell is seeking to change all that. “At NCU, we always seek to promote women in IT,” he stressed. “About 30 – 35 per cent of the Department’s cohort of 260 students are women, and in fact women are among our top performers.”
General Manager of IGT Jamaica Debbie Green expressed her delight at the success of the tour. “At IGT Jamaica we recognize the importance of getting our young women excited about Information Technology,” she said. “This is a field that already has so much to offer and is always developing and evolving. We greatly value our relationships with Women’s Centres across the island that have received After School Advantage computer centres. On this special day, we were happy to offer the students in Mandeville this opportunity to see for themselves the broad spectrum of topics and disciplines that IT covers. We hope that this will light a spark among them, as they work towards building their lives and careers. Educational and career opportunities are at the heart of what our After School Advantage Centre programme is about.”
Director of the Mandeville Women’s Centre Mrs. Dhalia Johnson expressed her appreciation: “The Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation in Mandeville was delighted to partner with IGT and NCU for this educational Technology Tour. We want to thank IGT for their continuous support to the Centre since 2014.”
According to Mrs. Johnson, the tour was in keeping with the goals of the Centre, which “caters to the total well-being of the students,” she observed. “We take a holistic approach in our intervention with our girls. This was one such project, to help guide the students, allowing them to explore a variety of career choices. In a globalized world, a career in Information Technology is always in demand and encourages entrepreneurship.”
“We are now in the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” Mr. Mitchell commented, pointing to this new digital era as one of expanding opportunities both for study at the tertiary level and at the professional level.
“This was a very rewarding visit,” enthused Mrs. Johnson. “We want to thank IGT Jamaica for initiating the tour.”
MASTERING THE SKILLS – Debbie Green (right), IGT Jamaica General Manager, looks on as a student from the Women’s Centre Foundation in Jamaica is guided in flying a drone during the IGT After School Advantage Technology Tour at the Northern Caribbean University on Monday, February 11, which was recognised as the International Day for Women and Girls in Science.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD: A student of the Women’s Centre Foundation of Jamaica (left) and IGT Jamaica General Manager Debbie Green are fully immersed in a thrilling virtual reality (VR) experience during an IGT After School Advantage Technology Tour at the Northern Caribbean University on Monday, February 11, which was recognised as the International Day for Women and Girls in Science.
Jamaica Highlights 