Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column published on Monday, May 1, 2023

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

JIS Photo

Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Hon. Matthew Samuda (Center) being briefed about operations and features of the South Jamaica Power Company plant by Chairman, Mohammed Majeed (left) during a recent tour of the facility in Old Harbour St. Catherine. Also seen here are Plant Manager, Noel Watson (right) and General Manager, Leisa Batiste whyte (in the background).

Acknowledging his keen concern for the environment, my colleagues at the South Jamaica Power Company (SJPC) were pleased to welcome Minister Matthew Samuda to their energy-saving power plant in Old Harbour last week. The minister’s social media post was heartening.

“Today I met with CEO of Marubeni Caribbean Power Company, Mo Majeed, and his team as well as representatives from the @myjpsonline and toured the South Jamaica Power Company today to seek avenues for partnership in the clean energy sector. Currently, in Jamaica, Marubeni operates a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility in Old Harbour, St Catherine, which has cut emissions by 30 per cent from this plant. From this meeting and tour I saw possibilities for clean energy solutions that will lower consumer energy bills, create ‘clean’ jobs, and build our economy, which can be achieved by accelerating the use of energy-efficient resources, renewable energy, and electric vehicles. “

Prior to the tour of the facility, Plant Manager Noel Watson and General Manager Leisa Batiste-Whyte gave a brief overview of the operation, highlighting key features of the world-class facility which is owned by Marubeni, East West Power, and the Government of Jamaica. This is yet another sign that Jamaica is on a positive path for a cleaner environment.

Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column published on Monday, May 1, 2023

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

Prime Minister Andrew Holness (right) presents a plaque to president of the Jamaica Household Workers’ Union and the Caribbean Domestic Workers Network Shirley Pryce at the GraceKennedy/Heather Little-White Household Worker of the Year Award luncheon at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel. Sharing the moment is GraceKennedy Group CEO Don Wehby.

he Caribbean Domestic Workers Network (CDWN) chaired by Shirley Pryce reminded us today, International Workers’ Day, that “domestic workers are workers” in its media release.

Somehow, it notes, domestic workers do not enjoy the same rights as other workers, although it points out, “It is because of domestic workers that our societies can function, businesses can run, schools can be open, and doctors at hospitals can take care of the sick. Domestic workers are a critical part of the fabric of our countries!”

Seated beside Prime Minister Andrew Holness at the GraceKennedy (GK) Household Workers Awards event six years ago, Pryce, then president of the Jamaica Household Workers Union (JHWU), briefed him on the International Labour Organization’s Convention 189, which calls for the recognition and protection of the rights and decent work conditions for domestic workers. The PM committed to look into the matter, and soon afterwards Jamaica became one of the four Caribbean countries which has ratified the convention, the other three being Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and Guyana.

The CDWN urges governments to have laws ensuring that domestic workers receive “pensions, sick leave benefits, injury benefits, overtime benefits, severance pay, and other social security benefits”. In Jamaica, domestic workers have a right to the benefits of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and conscientious employers can assist them in signing up for this and the National Health Fund.

The famous author Malcolm Gladwell wrote about brilliant folks who did not pursue higher education simply because their parents were uneducated and had difficulty navigating scholarship and college opportunities. We should keep check on the opportunities that are available to the children of the household workers in our employment.

I never tire of telling the story of Debbie Williams at the Delves Digicel Headquarters in downtown Kingston. Williams started out as an office attendant and as they noted her efficiency and engaging personality, they decided that she deserved the necessary training to be a receptionist. She aced the job so well that she was asked to be the emcee at one of the company’s anniversary celebrations. This begs the question: Are we encouraging the household workers who serve us to fulfil their potential?

I recall the cheering and dancing of Elaine Duncan’s employer when she was declared a GK Household Worker of the Year in 2015. It was clear that Professor Verene Shepherd was a mentor for Duncan, who last year succeeded Shirley Pryce as president of the JHWU. Among our household workers are some of our noblest Jamaicans, raising their families while supporting ours. Let us show our gratitude by upholding their rights and supporting the advancement of their families.

Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer column published Monday, April 17, 2023

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) has been supporting hundreds of worthy organisations for over 40 years. The board comprises our current and past US ambassadors to Jamaica and other well-wishers.

Their gala events are incomparable, the most recent of which was their Hummingbird Awards last month at which our star athlete Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and business leader Douglas Orane were honoured. Ambassador Sue Cobb said she had always had a high regard for Douglas Orane, but conversed with Fraser-Pryce for the first time at the event. She enthused, “I must say she is an extremely impressive person (beyond track) — a first-class representative of Jamaica.”

At the close of the annual AFJ grant cycle, 24 discretionary grant applications were approved by the AFJ Grants Committee and will be awarded during the upcoming Official Grant Ceremony hosted by Ambassador N Nick Perry in May. Discretionary grants combined with donor-direct grant awards and donations received on the AFJ’s online giving platform Choose A Cause are valued at US$503,744.47 ($76,351,340.33).

The beneficiaries include Bethel Baptist Church; Bloom Early Childhood Centre of Excellence; Bob and Rita Marley Foundation; Breds Treasure Beach Foundation; Bull Savannah Primary School; Busy Bee Educational Enrichment (BBEE); C B Facey Foundation; Chain Of Hope; Christel House; Church Teachers’ College; Eye Health Institute; Friends of Hopewell; HEART/NSTA Trust; Hope Zoo; INMED Caribbean; Institute of Jamaica; Issa Trust Foundation; Jamaica Cancer Society; Jamaica Conservation Partners; Jamaica Environmental Trust; Jamaica Musical Theatre Company (JMTC); Jamaica Trail Project; Jamaican Advantage Through Sports for Youth (JASY); Journey 2 Free; Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Kingston Creative; Mussons Foundation; Mustard Seed Communities; National Education Trust; ODEM Foundation; Pocket Rocket Foundation; Portland Arts and Vocational Education Centre; Project STAR; RISE Life Management Services; Rose Town Foundation; Seprod Foundation; Songs For Sound; Southern Basketball Conference; The University of the West Indies Scholarships (Ambassador Sue Cobb, Ambassador Gary Cooper, Ambassador Glen Holden), Ralph and Ricky Lauren Family Foundation, Kathleen and Mark Newman, Margaret “Peggy” Steuart); Violence Prevention Alliance; Wattle and Red Earth Collective; We Care For Cornwall Regional Hospital; Wolmer’s Safe Shelter Programme for Girls Fund; Wolmer’s Rebuilding Fund; and the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation.

Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer column published Monday, April 17, 2023

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

It was the week after Champs when our Digicel Foundation Team visited the Harbour View Primary School to open a fourth smart room to equip the children for this digital age. Yes, we were thrilled by the extraordinary performances at Champs, but we must also cheer them on to excel at technology and so be able to stay one step ahead of artificial intelligence (AI).

Digicel Foundation Chair, Jean Lowrie-Chin (second right, standing), interacts with students at the Harbour View Primary School during the opening of a smart room at the institution on Tuesday (April 4). The state-of-the-art facility was provided by the Foundation. Also sharing the moment are (from left, background) Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Ministry of Education and Youth, Dasmine Kennedy; Digicel Foundation Board Member, Heather Moyston and the school’s vice principal, Lavern Morgan. (Photo: JIS)

At the event, Dasmine Kennedy, Region One director at the Ministry of Education and Youth noted, “The impact on learning tends to be greater once the technology is incorporated in their learning paradigm … students’ learning actually increased with the use of modern equipment, technology, and tools. Students are able to maintain focus much longer on the teaching/learning activities and most of all the engagement and interactivity process tend to increase.”

“Studies have shown that teaching and learning, when aided by technology, allows for easy, convenient, and effective transfer of knowledge,” she shared. “In essence, the mind tends to work faster when assisted with the use of modern technology.”

Additionally, let us include the A for arts to STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) and call it STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics). Chat GPT can write a speech for you, but can it capture the beauty of those children at Harbour View Primary, their eyes shining with expectation? Can it capture the graciousness of the teachers and my colleagues at the Ministry of Education? As I did in my address, would it be able to draw a parallel between the Champs stadium and the digital stadium, where we want our children to flourish? Let us keep our love for the arts, even as we promote STEM. Then the genius of Claude McKay, Marcus Garvey, Louise “Miss Lou” Bennett and Bob Marley will inspire their critical thinking for personal mastery in this brave new world.

Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer column published Monday, April 17, 2023

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

Ackeef Nugent meets Andrew Holness.

The words of young Ackeef Nugent rang out in Jamaica, and we hope they will touch the hearts of wrongdoers: “I would like to say a word to all the criminals and warring factions … not only in my community but all around Jamaica. Please, please to put down the gun and allow our young youths to grow in peace so we can make Jamaica to be the place to live, raise families, and do business. We are your next generation — teachers, doctors, lawyers, judges … please put down the gun, I am pleading to you guys!”

This is from a TVJ news report by Shemala Pullen about the 13-year-old’s community outreach in Cockburn Pen. The Excelsior High School student of humble means teaches the little ones and sometimes feeds them out of his lunch money. So moved was Prime Minister Andrew Holness that he invited Ackeef and family members to meet with him at his office and promised to support his project.

I posted an excerpt of the video on Twitter and it has made thousands of impressions. We should ensure that this young man is supported to the highest degree in his own educational pursuits as well as in his mentorship of the little ones. Who knows, one day he may be sitting in the prime minister’s chair, encouraging another good youth like himself.

Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer Column published Monday, April 17, 2023

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

With the exciting Carifta Games last weekend and Carnival activities over the past week, our lively Caribbean spirit is calling out to us.

Sure, we quarrelled over certain decisions during the Games, but that is what families do. Because of our linkages through The University of the West Indies and other tertiary institutions, we now have strong Caribbean extended families and fast friendships.

Savvy companies know that trading within the region brings the benefit of tax relief. My friend probably introduced Bridget Sandals to Trinidad because as far back as the 1990s, when she had to travel there on business, she would dedicate one large suitcase to those popular sandals and made some good bucks from selling them.

Sandals Resorts International was early off the mark as well, becoming the standard for all-inclusive excellence and still growing, employing thousands of Caribbean people and offering them solid training for growth opportunities. Such companies as CIBC First Caribbean International Bank, Marubeni, Sagicor, Digicel, Flow, Guardian Group, JMMB, Massy, Scotiabank, and International Game Technology (IGT) have dynamic presence. Their high-calibre Caribbean personnel holding their own in international business.

We scare each other with headlines about crime and violence, but when we turn to news further afield we realise that we are a relatively stable territory. Yes, Haiti is in urgent need of rescue from its out-of-control gangs, but the people can help their neighbours with their stunning artistic talents and craftsmanship. The gangs dominate reports, but little is said about the heroic, dignified Haitians who keep working, teaching, and nurturing each other. If we give up on Haiti, we would be depriving ourselves of one of the finest opportunities in the Caribbean.

International Game Technology (IGT), through its After School Advantage (ASA) Programme just wrapped up an all-male virtual empowerment session for young men in its ASA Centeres across the Caribbean. Several male IGT Executives and other partners shared inspiring stories about professional development and technological literacy with the young men.

Seen in the photos below are: the event’s Emcee and Sales Manager at IGT, Nicholas Spence; Private Barro D., from the Barbados Defense Force and former IGT ASA beneficiary, Darren Awai, Systems Administrator and Daniel de Dannes, Market Research Analyst both with IGT in Trinidad & Tobago.

Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer column published on Monday, November 14, 2022

It has been a joy to see our daughter Anita grow into one of the most versatile managers of both our comms and real estate development businesses.  Besides that, she is a caring and pro-active daughter. Hubie the ‘girl Dad’ and Anita talk in code as their dietary choices differ from mine, but we like the same movies, so she is always ready to watch a weekly rom com with her Mom. We wish Anita a happy birthday and blessings for many more.

Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer column published on Monday, November 14, 2022

Alpha Academy and Windsor University graduate Dr Denise Aloma (nee Wehby) was the recipient of the Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership from the U.S. Department of Education earlier this month. The award recognizes outstanding school leaders and the vital role they play in guiding students and schools to excellence, frequently under challenging circumstances. Dr Aloma was nominated for her commitment to fostering successful teaching and learning at her school and doing “whatever it takes” to help students meet high standards.

Dr Aloma has been a faculty member of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale for over 40 years, serving as Principal for seven years. 

Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer column published on Monday, November 14, 2022

Jamaicans were cheering from afar when we learned that Democratic candidate for the governorship of Maryland Wes Moore had emerged victorious in last week’s US Mid-Term Elections, the first African American to do so. A video of Moore’s Jamaica 60 greetings to the state’s Jamaican community has been circulating.  Here are some excerpts:

“I’m so proud to stand with the diverse and dynamic communities that make up the great state of Maryland but I have to tell you I’m specifically and particularly proud to stand with the Jamaican association of Maryland because yes I am …very very proud of my history, my culture where I came from . … It is my joy to be able to address all of you in a true celebration of Jamaica’s 60th year Independence knowing that the first sixty were great the next 60 lookout! … I look forward to partnering with you for the next decade, for the next 60 years and beyond.”