The Cornwall Regional Hospital has benefited from some $25 million from proceeds raised from three stagings of the Rainforest Seafood Festival, which was first held in 2013.

The financial benefits that the hospital has reaped from the partnership with the family festival, held at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre in Montego Bay, has positively impacted the standard of service offered at the health care facility, according to the hospital’s CEO Anthony Smikle.

He said that the much-needed funds, given to the hospital from the festival, has, over time, greatly assisted in the procurement of vital items for both the children’s care nursery and the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department.

“We have benefited from the proceeds. We have got some critical pieces of equipment, in terms of ventilators for the children’s care nursery and special equipment for the A&E Department and that have assisted greatly in emergencies,” said a grateful Smikle, who added that the partnership is ongoing.

The relationship was born in 2012 after a group of concerned citizens initiated the We Care Foundation.

We Care is a non-profit organisation dedicated to meeting the regional hospital’s need for additional manpower, basic health care equipment and infrastructural upgrades.

We Care member Brian Jardim, CEO of Rainforest Seafoods, conceptualised the family festival, which boasts a range of seafood dishes, kiddies games, giveaways and live entertainment from some of Jamaica’s most sought-after performers.

“He [Jardim] realised that he wanted to get the whole western Jamaica involved in giving more to the hospital so that was how the Rainforest Seafood Festival was born. The idea was to make it an event that everybody could attend,” Bethany Young of Rainforest Seafoods said.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/westernnews/Rainforest-Seafood-Festival-provides–25m-for-Cornwall-Regional-Hospital_90353

Wray and Nephew 2014 Welterweight Contender champion, 34-year-old Sakima Mullings, is scheduled to fight Ghanian welterweight Fred Lawson at the Bukom Boxing Centre in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday, March 11, for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver International Welterweight title.

This will be the first time that Mullings will be fighting for an international title. He did, however, fight Clive Atwell of Guyana for the WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation super lightweight title in 2015. He lost by split decision.

Willie Yap, who is an adviser to Mullings, told The Gleaner yesterday that the WBC had been looking for a suitable opponent to go up against Lawson for the title, and he had recommended Mullings. After reviewing his 19-2 record, they approved the fight.

FIRST DEFEAT

Lawson, who is 27 years-old and lives in Chicago, has a 24-1 record with 20 knockouts. He has not, however, fought since November 7, 2015 when he suffered his first defeat at the hands of Keith Bizier in Miami.

In that fight, he was knocked down in the fifth round and eventually retired in round 10 of a fight scheduled for 12 rounds. It is suspected he sustained a broken jaw. He had to take some time out after that fight to recuperate.

Reports are that Lawson is a rugged fighter who likes to keep the action at close range. With 20 knockouts in his 24 victories, his record speaks for itself. Mullings also likes to keep the action close, and his 14 knockouts in 19 victories attest to his punching power.

His last fight was here in Jamaica on November 5, 2016, against fringe opponent Courtney McCleave, with whom he toyed for a few rounds before stopping him with body blows in the fourth round of a fight scheduled for six rounds.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/sports/20170220/mullings-books-ghana-date

A new school building, valued at approximately $3.19 million (US$25,000), is being built at the Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre in St Catherine by Food For The Poor (FFP).

The facility, which will be used to deliver the Department of Correctional Services educational and vocational programme for inmates, will comprise three classrooms, an office and sanitation facilities.

Additionally, it will be outfitted with desks and chairs for instructors and students by Food For The Poor, which will also renovate the institution’s computer room as part of the 10-week project.

The initiative, which is being done under the charity organisation’s prison ministry programme, will benefit over 200 inmates.

Ground was broken to commence construction on Tuesday.

Pearnel Charles Jr, state minister in the Ministry of National Security said the project demonstrates the type of partnership needed to spur prosperity in Jamaica by addressing the factors causing crime and violence and instituting alternatives.

Crime prevention

“We want to prevent crime on both ends … and to do so requires us to have the understanding that education is the foundation of any man or woman being able to claim their independence, whether it is economic or personal, or freedom from criminal activities,” he said.

David Mair, FFP executive director said Food For The Poor believes in and values education, and that an investment in education is integral to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Mair said the organisation built 37 early-childhood institutions islandwide between 2015 and 2016, noting that “our reason for doing this is to empower our children to become the best version of themselves”.

Source: http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20170217/school-tamarind-farm-inmates

A strong line-up of artistes is being billed for this year’s staging of the Rainforest Seafood Festival set for Ash Wednesday, March 1, at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex in Montego Bay, St James.

The show, which returns to the entertainment landscape after a one-year hiatus, will see some of the local popular music heavyweights taking to the stage in support of the Cornwall Regional Hospital, to which all the proceeds will go.

Bounty Killer, Tifa, Ding Dong, Romain Virgo, Cocoa Tea and Kevin Downswell have been announced to take to the stage of the popular event, which raised more than $25 million from its last staging — a target the organisers are hoping can be surpassed this year.

This year’s event was launched at Barbican Beach in St Andrew, where Chief Executive Officer of Rainforest Seafoods Brian Jardim promised a great showcase for those looking to attend for a great cause.

A strong line-up of artistes is being billed for this year’s staging of the Rainforest Seafood Festival set for Ash Wednesday, March 1, at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex in Montego Bay, St James.

The show, which returns to the entertainment landscape after a one-year hiatus, will see some of the local popular music heavyweights taking to the stage in support of the Cornwall Regional Hospital, to which all the proceeds will go.

Bounty Killer, Tifa, Ding Dong, Romain Virgo, Cocoa Tea and Kevin Downswell have been announced to take to the stage of the popular event, which raised more than $25 million from its last staging — a target the organisers are hoping can be surpassed this year.

This year’s event was launched at Barbican Beach in St Andrew, where Chief Executive Officer of Rainforest Seafoods Brian Jardim promised a great showcase for those looking to attend for a great cause.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Rainforest-Seafood–fest-for-March-1_89821

The Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) Group has introduced a rewards programme for women as part of JMMB Her Wealth, a complete financial solution which includes investments, loan, savings and insurance.

The group last month introduced this first of its kind financial solution designed to provide financial empowerment for women, at an event held at The Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.

Jamaica country manager of the JMMB Group, Kisha Anderson, said as part of the company’s thrust to provide financial empowerment to women, the JMMB Rewards Programme is a perfect complement to the JMMB Her Wealth solution as it allows women to receive discounts as they spend, thereby maximising each dollar that is earned.

“Female clients who take advantage of the JMMB Her Wealth packaged solution will benefit from discounts of up to 20 per cent and other special access from partnering companies, by showing the JMMB Her Wealth customised token, which functions as both an accessory and an access card,” Anderson said.

Kerry-Ann Stimpson, chief marketing officer, JMMB Group indicated that in selecting partners to be a part of the programme the company sought to target services that are typically utilised by women daily, including medical care, beauty, recreational, auto and home and garden services.

Supporting Female Entrepreneurs

“In addition to catering to the needs of women, our partnership is also supporting female entrepreneurs. Currently, most of the partners on board are small and medium-size enterprises, including several female owned and operated businesses such as Kiddi Palace, Body Bar by CCB, Adam and Eve Day Spa and Chocolate Dreams,” Stimpson said.

She indicated that most of the partners are located in and around the corporate area, however plans are in place to include additional partners islandwide, so that clients can benefit from a broader range of services and products that cater to the needs of women.

“Entrepreneurs that operate businesses catering to women are also invited to contact JMMB Group for further details on becoming a partner under the JMMB Rewards Programme,” Stimpson said.

“Based on the research done by the company, women represent a huge potential market opportunity for growth across many industries, including finance where there are gaps perceived in the way financial institutions cater to women and their unique needs,” Anderson said.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170217/jmmb-introduces-rewards-programme-women