Category: Press Release

Seniors Party At Christmas

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This Christmas is no ordinary season of merriment for the seniors. The festivities have already reached mega levels as many of them turned out in fine style for a soca party planned and hosted by the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP).

Well over one hundred members of the seniors’ organisation gathered on the rooftop of the Phoenix Central building at 2 Phoenix Avenue, St Andrew, recently for an evening of fun and frolic. The event was a huge success as members enjoyed dancing to soca music from the eighties and nineties, played by Sapphire Disco with selector Omar C. For supper, they had a delicious meal catered by Phoenix Central’s Cafe Nita.

It was a time of lively fellowship, and the seniors enjoyed the breathtaking view of Kingston from the rooftop.

Jean Lowrie-Chin, CCRP’s founder and executive chair, was quite pleased with the turnout. She said that based on the positive feedback from the members who attended the event, the soca party could well become CCRP’s signature Christmas event.

Although they came prepared for an evening of dining and dancing, the CCRP members also brought the spirit of giving as they all came with gift bags filled with items of toiletries to donate to the Golden Age Home.

It has been a custom of the organisation since its inception in 2010 that at its annual Christmas event members would bring gift items for donation to the Golden Age Home. The gifts have been presented to the home by members of the CCRP Caring Committee.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20161223/seniors-party-christmas

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Photo: Alia Atkinson pays courtesy call on GraceKennedy

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Jamaica’s swimming sensation and GraceKennedy Brand Ambassador Alia Atkinson has been occupied this festive season with visiting organisations that have supported her, and expressing her gratitude. Among these was GraceKennedy (GK) Group, whose headquarters she visited in downtown Kingston on Monday, December 19. There she spent quality time with Don Wehby, CEO, GraceKennedy Group, and the staff members. Here, as part of her visit, Wehby shows her a photograph he still cherishes which includes him, Atkinson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, another GK brand ambassador.

CCRP Shares the Love this Festive Season

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On Tuesday, December 13, members of the Caring Committee of the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP) visited the Golden Age Home in Kingston where they handed over items of toiletries to the residents of Cluster D which were donated by their members at their Christmas Party held on December 6. Here, Morelene Moncrieffe (left), Supervisor of Cluster D accepts one of the bags with the donations from Hanna Dixon.

200 Golden Agers Feted By Food For The Poor

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Christmas came early for 200 seniors from Clusters D and G at the Golden Age Home in Vineyard Town, Kingston, yesterday. They were treated at the Yuletide festivities that Food For The Poor (FFP) stages annually for them.

Through a long-standing partnership with the Golden Age Home, FFP officially sponsors both clusters at the home. The golden agers at the treat included persons who are challenged both mentally and physically, and seniors with chronic ailments such as diabetes or hypertension. Their smiles were broad as they partook of the goodies, with Christmas carols as topping.

“They look forward to this day the whole year. When we come here, it’s a joy for them to see us because we aren’t just feeding them, we are spending time and interacting with them,” David Mair, executive director of Food For The Poor, told The Gleaner.

He added: “We are here to facilitate anything we can do to uplift their lives, and that’s what’s really great about this job.

 

FEELING OF FULFILMENT

 

General manager of the Golden Age Home Laurette Adams-Thomas told The Gleaner: “I think it’s wonderful! It’s something that the residents and employees look forward to every day. This type of relationship with FFP is not new as their giving is ongoing. One of the things we really appreciate is that FFP is not just a donor or a sponsor, they are a partner.”

She further stated: “Senior citizens are not really given priority in this day and age. We see where more attention is being given to our youth. So I get a feeling of fulfilment when I see that the seniors are properly cared for.”

The Golden Age Home is primarily government funded. It currently houses approximately 460 persons and has 160 employees across seven clusters. It acts as an infirmary and also cares for persons who have been rendered destitute. It is the largest facility of its kind in Jamaica and the Caribbean offering these types of services.

Both Mair and Thomas appealed for further sponsorship and potential partnership from corporate Jamaica to aid in retrofitting facilities such as the bathroom for disabled persons, a bus for transportation, and overall funding and supplies on a daily basis.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20161209/200-golden-agers-feted-food-poor

Editorial | The Gap Between Research And Policy

Against the backdrop of the usual noise associated with political campaigns, a serious message may have been missed this week when the GraceKennedy Foundation renewed its commitment to research work at the University of the West Indies. The foundation funds research activities through the Carlton Alexander Chair in Management Studies and the James Moss-Solomon Chair in Environmental Management.

Chief executive officer of GraceKennedy, Senator Don Wehby, said the UWI must be known as a centre for solutions and a leader in promoting innovation and innovative thinking.

Increasingly, society is looking to tertiary institutions, like the UWI, to use their enormous human resources to bend the curve of technology in the 21st Century and deliver greater opportunities for economic growth and development to future generations.

As Jamaica faces challenges in social justice, health, agriculture, climate change and other areas relevant to national development, it is imperative that new research be undertaken to find ways of mitigating the impact of these challenges on society. These decades-old obstacles throw up numerous opportunities for academics to demonstrate the reach and impact their work can have.

Research is an expensive business and will not flourish without appropriate and consistent funding. Most of the research in tertiary institutions comes from external sources, including philanthropic organisations and private-sector entities. For these investors, it is assumed that they would be keen to measure the success of their investment by effective outcomes.

The results of such research cannot just be displayed during exhibitions at a designated time each year. This new knowledge gathered through research must be used in policy development. The results of research are critical in influencing development of policy, helping to shape legislation, and even to alter behaviours that are found to be detrimental to the common good.

UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE

It may take some convincing to get politicians to understand the science behind the research work, and even harder to get new policy implemented. However, we now have a minister of science and technology in Dr Andrew Wheatley, who has qualifications in biochemistry and chemistry and is a research scientist.

It may, therefore, be left to him to work with the scientific community to convey the idea of research-based evidence by demonstrating to his parliamentary colleagues how the findings were tested, debated and reviewed before achieving consensus.

Recent pronouncements by Dr Wheatley that Jamaica is not lagging in scientific research have been challenged by a letter writer to The Gleaner. The reader, who describes himself as a Jamaican with a scientific background, who has left the island to pursue opportunities overseas, decried the fact that “large-scale investment in scientific research is lacking”.

He suggested that there needs to be a scientific research culture in Jamaica. He lamented the lack of funding as one reason why persons passionate about science have become discouraged.

CRITICAL STEPS

It is indeed a fact that for the country’s research to serve the community well and command global attention funding, it is critical to provide qualified academics and procure equipment and infrastructure to facilitate their work.

Traditionally, policymakers tend to be heavily influenced by what is popular rather than evidence-based research, and this is why research-informed evidence is not assigned the place of importance it deserves in policymaking. It is time to bridge that substantial gap between research and policy.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/commentary/20161126/editorial-gap-between-research-and-policy

GraceKennedy Foundation Renews $11m Funding For Research

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The GraceKennedy Foundation has renewed funding for the Carlton S. Alexander Chair in Management Studies and the James Moss-Solomon Senior Chair in Environmental Management at the University of the West Indies (UWI).

The Chairs are respectively held by Professor Ian Boxill, who has been in the post since 2010, and Professor Mona Webber, who was appointed on October 1 this year.

During a forum held on November 22 at the Regional Headquarters at the UWI, both professors spoke about their research, community work, and their relevance to current problems being faced by the country.

Among Boxill’s research and contributions over the past year is a programme with the Sandals Group and Island Tours to identify ways of leveraging Jamaica’s attractions, improving the tourist experience, expanding linkages, and earning more revenue for the country. He has also conducted a needs assessment with the Jamaica Manufacturing Association to identify the areas where greater support is needed by the sector to increase its effectiveness. Manufacturing contributed 8.6 per cent to GDP in 2015.

Webber’s account of her research opened eyes and minds as she shared about the life-giving and, possibly, life-saving work her team is conducting under the sea.

She spoke about the impact of pollution on marine health and announced that she would be delving further into examining content found in the stomachs of fish found in Jamaica’s waters. Already discovered is that some fish are consuming toxic micro plastics. Her research will have far-reaching implication for the livelihood of fishermen and the health of consumers of seafood.

Each Chair is funded by the GraceKennedy Foundation at a value of $5.5. million per annum.

CENTRE FOR SOLUTIONS

Don Wehby, CEO of GraceKennedy Ltd, commended both professors on their work, while also thanking outgoing James Moss Solomon Snr Chair, Professor Dale Webber, who was recently appointed pro-vice-chancellor, graduate studies and research.

“The UWI must be known as a centre for solutions and a leader in promoting innovation and innovative thinking among its students – the future leaders of Jamaica. Education, after all, is the ultimate problem solver … I again restate GraceKennedy’s commitment to UWI as we see it as one of our ways of answering the future’s call,” Wehby said.

Professor Archie McDonald, principal of the UWI’s Mona campus, described the partnership between the GraceKennedy Foundation and the UWI as “the quintessential merger of big business and education”.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20161125/gracekennedy-foundation-renews-11m-funding-research

MYERS, FLETCHER & GORDON SUPPORTS HAITI RELIEF

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The Myers, Fletcher & Gordon family responded to Food For The Poor’s call for assistance to Haiti in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew by handing over a cheque for $300,000 and numerous canned items on November 7 at its downtown Kingston law office.

Peter Goldson, the firm’s managing partner, said emphatically, “Having been spared what could have been a devastating blow to Jamaica, we have to do our part to assist our neighbours in Haiti with their recovery”. “Our Social Outreach Committee is mandated to identify areas where the firm may assist in the empowerment and upliftment of people, particularly the young among us. When the recommendation was made that we should include Haiti, our entire firm was quick to support,” added Goldson.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20161114/myers-fletcher-gordon-supports-haiti-relief

 

GOOD COMES FROM FLANKER

Inner-city youth balances work & study, earns bursary

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Odain Murray collects his University of the West Indies Development and Endowment Fund (UWIDEF) bursary cheque from Margarita Morris, administrator and data officer, UWIDEF.

Final year student of The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona, and UWI Development and Endowment Fund (UWIDEF) bursary recipient Odain Murray stands as proof that Flanker — a tough inner-city community in St James — can produce good, educated and hard-working young people.

Murray — who has been on the Dean’s List for the last two years in the Faculty of Social Sciences and now holds a grade point average (GPA) of 3.31 — says while growing up he never gave in to the negative forces in his community, but instead used them as motivation for advancement.

“From seeing what was happening around me and not wanting what was happening around me in my life back then was what motivated me to work hard to get an education,” Murray, 27, told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview.

Murray aced the Grade Six Achievement Test and was placed at Cornwall College. He successfully completed high school and, in 2007, was accepted to pursue a bachelor’s degree in history at The UWI. He moved to Kingston, but the unpredictable happened — his father died suddenly and he had to put his tertiary pursuits on hold.

“After my father died, I started having some challenges, financially and otherwise, and I had to apply for a leave of absence from UWI in 2009. Then I started working in the performing arts industry,” Murray said.

While working, he realised that there was a huge demand for professionals to strategically market plays in Jamaica. So, he returned to The UWI in 2013 as a part-time student, this time pursuing marketing. UWIDEF has assisted him to continue his studies by awarding him a bursary of $100,000.

“I heard about the bursary while I was at the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts. Then I went on the Student Services section on UWI’s website, applied for the UWIDEF Performing Arts Bursary, and I was successful. Being a recipient of this bursary is a good thing for me, especially for someone from the performing arts, because you hardly find this being offered in Jamaica,” Murray said.

“I chose marketing because I realised that the theatre needs proper management with regards to marketing. The new recreational activities most members of our society are drawn to involve parties and not theatre shows. I want to change this. That’s the reason I did not choose music or drama. I chose marketing to get the Jamaican theatre industry out there to a wider audience,” Murray explained.

For nearly two years, Murray has been working as a student assistant in the Marketing, Recruitment and Communications Office on campus, as well as in the performing arts industry.

When asked how he balances his work responsibilities and his school work, he said: “It is a major challenge, but I try to structure my time based on my timetable and when I don’t have rehearsal, I prioritise. I work when I don’t have classes. When it is that assignments are to be completed, I miss one or two rehearsals and try not to stay too late at work. That’s how I balance.”

Murray says he wants to become “a better human being” and when he graduates from The UWI in 2017, he has set his sights on a job with the Ministry of Culture or the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).

He is particularly interested in the areas of policy and business development as it relates to the performing arts.

“The ministry can lobby for new policies and developmental strategies and JCDC has been around facilitating cultural retention for decades, and I could market aspects of our culture which needs promotion,” said Murray.

The young man believes in giving back. Already UWIDEF, his benefactor, has become a beneficiary of his generous spirit. In April, Murray assisted with arranging a benefit performance of Dahlia Harris’

Same Difference, which helped raise approximately $100,000 to provide meals for needy students at the university.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/career/Good-comes-from-Flanker_80282

 

GraceKennedy awards $17.5 m in scholarships

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Former head boy of Charlemont High School in St Catherine Avaughn Prendergast has won the GraceKennedy/Jamaica Scholarship for 2016, while Stephan Pitterson, formerly of Campion College, has copped the Douglas Orane award.

Both Prendergast and Pitterson are students of The University of the West Indies (UWI) where the former is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in actuarial science, while the former is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in bio chemistry.

Prendergast obtained nine grade ones in the recent CSEC examinations and completed 12 units of CAPE with 11 grade ones and one grade two. He is passionate about maths and represented Jamaica at the Math Olympiad in Nicaragua earlier this year. Pitterson, meanwhile, has eight CSEC subjects, with seven grade ones and one grade two. He has eight units of CAPE, including seven grade ones and one grade two.

The two are among over 75 students who were presented with scholarships and bursaries at GraceKennedy Foundation’s inaugural Scholars Awards Ceremony on October 20. Seven scholarships were presented to first-time recipients, while existing scholars who maintained at least a ‘B’ average, had their awards renewed. The entire package totalled $17.5 million.

Former GraceKennedy Chairman and CEO, Raf Diaz, was on hand to present a scholarship, named in his honour, to Shanike Josephs, a first-year accounting student at UWI. Her extra-curricular involvements include membership with the Jamaica Automobile Association, United Nations Club, Girls Guides and Interact (VP). Shanike has nine CSEC subjects, eight with grade ones and one grade two. She also completed eight units of CAPE, including seven grade ones and one grade two.

Other scholarships presented include the GraceKennedy/University of Technology Jamaica Scholarship, which went to Shanika Spencer; the Edna Manley College Scholarship, which went to School of Drama student Waldane Walker; and the Bruce Rickards Scholarship, specifically for former Kingston College students, went to Kadeem Campbell and Mark Lewis.

Final year student Withney DaCosta received the GraceKennedy/Caribbean Maritime Institute Bursary. The GraceKennedy Foundation also awarded several other bursaries to students attending UWI, UTech, Edna Manley College for the Visual and Performing Arts, and Northern Caribbean University.

The scholarship applications open May 1 to July 15 each year.

At the awards ceremony, Grace Burnett, CEO of GK Financial Group, spoke of GraceKennedy’s investment in education through its two foundations which she said was aimed at bringing about a change for Jamaica’s future.

“All of our scholars are exceptional students with most coming from low income households and would not have been able to afford university education without assistance,” she said.

“Education is a very important area of focus for GraceKennedy, which is why our two foundations, the Grace & Staff Community Development Foundation and the GraceKennedy Foundation invest so heavily in our children. We want to be the game changer- changing the structures in inner city communities, from dons to doctors or engineers or accountants and the many other professions, developing a strong workforce for Jamaica’s future,” she added.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/career/GraceKennedy-awards–17-5-m-in-scholarships_78753

 

Lloyd’s Basic Undergoes Construction

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Lloyd’s Basic School in the parish of St Thomas is being constructed with the financial support of Donette Chin-Loy Chang, in memory of her late husband, G. Raymond Chang.

According to Samantha Mahfood, executive director of Food For The Poor Canada, “Ray was FFPC’s advocate and patron. His wisdom and vision are missed. However, Donette, as co-chair of the board, continues to uphold Ray’s focus on education. We continue to support Food For The Poor’s commitment to early childhood education and are excited to be building the 20th school funded by Canadians. Food For The Poor Jamaica has built 80 schools in the last four years, funded by donors from Jamaica, the US and Canada.”

Like his wife, Ray Chang was born in Jamaica and spent most of his adult life in Canada, but always had a passion and commitment to his homeland. Humanitarians with a focus on sustainability and education, the Chang family continues a legacy of helping to build communities through the Raymond Chang Foundation and organisations like Food For The Poor.

The school serves a community of about 2,500. Lloyd’s Basic School is currently in a small, one-room building that shares space with other community services, including a church. The new construction will include an office, sick bay, kitchen, three classrooms, and a brand new playground, offering children from ages three to five a more ideal space in which to learn.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20161029/lloyds-basic-undergoes-construction