FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Castries, 25 April 2017

#CPL17

Hero Caribbean Premier League’s St Lucia Stars have announced an exciting radio partnership. Blazin FM 99.3 comes onboard as the “Official Radio Station” of St Lucia Stars. They are St Lucia’s “party station” and are popular on the island for their shows, party music and interesting RJs. 

Dwayne Mendes, Managing Director, Blazin FM 99.3 speaks as he looks forward to this opportunity, “We are honored to be part of the new team and new energy. The entire Blazin Nation is looking forward to an entertaining and amazing promotion with exciting cricket”.

Jay Pandya, Chairman of the St Lucia Stars, said, “We want to take the fan experience inside and outside the stadium to the next level and bringing Blazin FM onboard allows us to achieve exactly that.”

Blazin FM will be the first to give fans updates about the team, behind the scenes action and will have presence in the stadium during the games.

Vaibhav Mehta and Venkatesh Sridhar, Executive Directors, added: “A party radio station is a natural fit for the biggest party in sport – CPL 2017. We plan to convert the Daren Sammy National Stadium into a total party stadium, and our partnership with St Lucia’s Party Station takes us one step towards that goal. We are excited to partner with Blazin and Dwayne in particular and we look forward to a long-term partnership. Keep tuned in to 99.3 – The Stars Official Radio Station!”

-ENDS-

For further information please contact:

Anuradha Maiya (Anu)

Media Relations Manager

anu@stluciastars.com
or

Mobile: +353-85-7205752 (Ireland)
Skype: pbreen67

The Princesses and Ladies Incorporated, an Illinois-based non-profit organisation in the United States with membership in Jamaica, Cayman and Sudan in Africa, has made a significant impact in the Digicel Face of Change competition, securing second position for their efforts in impacting the lives of a number of young girls through its mentorship and support programmes.

Simone Francis Grant, a member of the Princesses and Ladies organisation, told The Gleaner that the group works with young girls in various communities, some in state care, to ensure that their basic needs are met and to encourage, motivate and mentor them as they strive to achieve their goals.

“We work with two girls’ homes and there are some girls who still have a far way to go, but there are others who are really trying. The grades are a bit better, we have seen success stories,” Grant told The Gleaner on Friday during an interview at King’s House, where the awards ceremony was held.

PERFORMANCE MONITORING

In addition, the mentors of the Princesses and Ladies group visit with the teachers and parents of their mentees on a regular basis to monitor their performance at school, at home and in their communities.

In saluting the finalists, Jean Lowrie-Chin, chairman of the Digicel Foundation, said many of the participants were from humble circumstances but they did not allow that to prevent them from giving of themselves and inspiring their respective communities.

“Your initiatives are a signal to those who use poverty as an excuse for crime that there is always a moral and constructive way out of our difficulties,” she reasoned.

The Digicel Face of Change competition celebrates and rewards the work of grass-roots community organisations and is endorsed by the governor general’s ‘I Believe Initiative’.

There were 21 finalists in the competition and Jamaicans were given the opportunity to vote for the winners on social media.

The Eastwood Gardens Youth for Progress Youth Club was awarded third place.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170424/princesses-and-ladies-celebrated-meeting-girls-needs

For members of the Bethel New Testament Church of God, assisting the less fortunate is a top priority.

Driven by a passion for voluntarism, 33-year-old Geraud Brown, who is the pastor of the church, along with his congregants, have reached out to the needy and touched many lives in the surrounding communities near the Rousseau Road, Kingston, headquarters of the church.

These efforts have not gone unnoticed and last week it earned them the first-place position in the Digicel Foundation’s ‘Face of Change’ competition.

The competition celebrates and rewards the work of grass-roots community organisations and is endorsed by the governor general’s ‘I Believe Initiative’.

Brown collected the first-place award yesterday from Ambassador Burchell Whiteman, representing Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, who was unable to attend the event which was held at King’s House.

The dispossessed from a number of communities near the church find well-needed assistance from Bethel New Testament, which carries out a feeding programme for both members of their congregation and the less fortunate. The programme receives support from Food For The Poor.

Free classes at the church for students preparing for the Grade Six Achievement Test have resulted in improved grades for participants.

GENERAL MANDATE

“We have a very small computer laboratory courtesy of Jamaica Social Investment Fund and we used that lab to serve that community. Students who have SBA (school-based assessment) can come. We have started to fill out passport applications online,” said Brown.

In addition, Brown said that in carrying out its general mandate, the church prays for and counsels many persons who have reached out for this kind of support.

Highlighting the church’s vision going forward, Brown said his organisation was considering building a resource centre.

“One of the main things we want to do is to expand our computer lab and fit it with an e-library. We want to offer a wider range of services to the entire community.”

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170424/bethel-new-testaments-light-shines-face-change-competition

THE Corporate Area streets became a kaleidoscope of colour on Sunday as thousands of costumed revellers celebrated the final event on Jamaica’s annual carnival calendar — the road march.

The gyrating ‘sea of colour’ with accompanying music moved through sections of the city much to delight of onlookers, who lined the side walks to witness the spectacle, capture the memories on cellphones, or to even join in on the festivities.

This year was unprecedented as a total of four bands took to the street – Xaymaca, Xodus, Byron Lee’s Jamaica Carnival, and Bacchanal Jamaica.

Michael Ammar Jr, director of Bacchanal Jamaica, said he was “pleasantly surprised” with the turnout.

“We’re almost as big as we were last year. The crowd is fantastic, the vibe is fantastic. The competition is good as it made us lift our game. We have all the top deejays, we have KES. I don’t think you could want better,” Ammar Jr told Jamaica Observer yesterday.

During the procession, KES the band, with its lead singer Kees Dieffenthaller, provided its usual high-energy brand of entertainment. KES did favourites including Wotless, Fallin, Million and was in the middle of the crowd for People.

Ammar Jr said nearly half of his revellers were from outside the island.

“It is absolutely shocking. We have a least 50 per cent overseas people in the band, or maybe even 55 per cent. I’ve spoken to several of them and they say Jamaica carnival is a great value and Bacchanal is the only choice… And I agree with them,” said Ammar Jr.

First-time reveller Tanisha Scott — choreographer for Sean Paul, Drake and Rihanna — gave the Bacchanal band the thumbs up.

“I was invited by Sean Paul’s Jodi [Henriques] and I’m enjoying it; the freedom is unbelievable. Everybody is so friendly… there’s nothing but love on the road and it surely brings out our motto: Out of Many One People,” said Scott, who was born in Canada to Jamaican parents.

New Yorkers Typheny Griffiths and Patrina Gayle expressed similar sentiments.

“It’s our first time and we’ll definitely be back,” said Griffiths.

This year, Bacchanal’s road march started in Liguanea then went down Hope Road, onto Lady Musgrave Avenue, before traversing Trafalgar Road. The party then moved to Waterloo Road, West King’s House Road, down Constant Spring Road, and culminated in New Kingston at the LIME Golf Academy.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Soca-in-the-City_96605

“Humbled.”

That is how Julianne Lee reacted to the turnout for yesterday’s road march which saw the return of Byron Lee’s Jamaica Carnival band to the streets of the Corporate Area.

The group had been off the circuit for seven years. However, last year the band took a trial run.

“Based on an overpowering urge to continue the legacy of Byron Lee, Jamaica Carnival was ‘rebirthed’ with new energy and a new direction. I am tremendously humbled by the turnout and the support from our sponsors. It is obvious from the day’s proceedings that each reveler had a good time, especially the Edna Manley students who copped our costume design competition and created their own designs for the road. Byron Lee would be proud,” Lee told Jamaica Observer yesterday.

Byron Lee was the band leader who launched Jamaica Carnival in 1990. He died from cancer in 2008 at the University Hospital of the West Indies at age 73.

Julian Lee, his daughter, is now CEO of Jamaica Carnival. She described the feeling of experiencing the road march again.

“Seeing the sea of revelers chipping down Hope Road brought back the most amazing memories for me. All of them came out for Byron Lee’s Jamaica Carnival. We were extremely privileged to have many soca and dancehall artistes jumping with us and performing on our trucks — in addition to Beenie Man and Bunji Garlin, Fayann Lyons, Alison Hinds, Iwer George and Jumo, as well as Supa Hype, DLife and DJ Spice.”

Lee and her team are already looking forward to next year’s event.

“We already have big plans for 2018, some already in the preparatory stages. We are excited about that but will disclose those soon. If this year is any indication, 2018 will be another successful staging,” Lee added.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Jamaica-Carnival-s-rebirth_96624

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Port of Spain, 24 April 2017

#CPL17

Hero CPL announces dates for ‘biggest and best’ campaign

CEO Damien O’Donohoe says fifth installment of Hero CPL will be ‘the year of the fan’

The stage is set for the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to be the biggest and best party tournament to date, after tournament organisers confirmed that the fifth instalment will start on Friday, 4 August with St. Lucia Stars welcoming 2015 champions Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) to the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium.

The 34-game competition, which will be staged in seven countries over a six-week period, will conclude with the finals onSaturday, 9 September, with the name of the host country set to be announced in due course.

The times for the Florida swing of matches have been confirmed, while the remaining start times will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

There will be the usual blend of day and night games, with the starting times to be announced shortly, and the St. Lucia opener will lead into two keenly-contested double-headers in Central Broward Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida (on the weekend of 5-6 August) where Guyana Amazon Warriors will face Chris Gayle’s St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Barbados Tridents squaring off against reigning champions Jamaica Tallawahs in back-to-back games.

The action will then move to Port of Spain in Trinidad & Tobago which will run simultaneously with the St. Lucia leg of matches (from the week of 7 to 15 August), before Guyana and St. Kitts & Nevis host the middle legs of the biggest party in sport (from17-23 August).

As the race for one of the coveted finals berths heats up, the final rounds of matches will be held in Jamaica (from 25 August – 1 September) and Barbados (from 29 August – 3 September). Finals week will begin with a play-off on Tuesday, 5 September before the two eliminators and the finals, which will round off the 2017 tournament on Saturday, 9 September.

Looking ahead to the 2017 campaign, Hero CPL CEO Damien O’Donohoe said; “We are delighted to announce the dates of the Hero CPL fixtures earlier than usual this year which we believe will enable fans, sponsors, media and all of our key stakeholders ample opportunity to plan their trips and holidays for the biggest party in sport.

“Last year was the tournament’s biggest, with a global TV and online audience of almost 150 million and in the region of 250,000 fans attending our games. We are determined to enhance the fan participation across each venue, ensuring an even better experience for the many thousands of fans who will descend on each of our seven host countries.

“Once more we have the best talent in world cricket across our six teams. There has been a lot of eye-catching transfers, with Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons and Dwayne Smith moving sides in the close season and the likes of Afghanistan’s exciting leg-spinner Rashid Khan, Chris Morris and Kane Williamson set to make their tournament bows. We are excited to welcome such a high calibre of talented, local and international players to the Hero CPL in just a few months’ time.

“It is our pledge to make the 2017 Hero CPL the ‘Year of the Fan’ and there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes to showcase all that is great about Caribbean culture, society and sport around the world.”

Tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks online from www.cplt20.com.
HERO CPL FIXTURES 2017

-ENDS-

For further information please contact:

Mobile: +353-85-7205752 (Ireland)
Skype: pbreen67

Jamaica’s former world boxing champion Alicia ‘Slick’ Ashley will be on the island from April 24-28 as the special guest of J. Wray & Nephew Limited (JWN) for a weeklong series of activities dubbed the JWN ‘EmPOWERment’ Tour.

The JWN EmPOWERment Tour will include self-defence workshops and motivational talks delivered by Ashley to young adults in Kingston and St Elizabeth.

JWN chairman Clement ‘Jimmy’ Lawrence, commenting on Ashley’s visit said “Jamaica has produced numerous world class athletes and, indeed, world leaders in many industries, so there were many persons with whom we could have worked. We decided to partner with Alicia on this tour because of her own commitment to giving back and making philanthropy a hallmark of her career even while remaining a successful boxer.”

The local boxing fraternity also expressed support for the initiative. Leroy Brown, general secretary of the Jamaica Boxing Board, said: “It was such a thrill to hear that J. Wray & Nephew has invited Alicia to be a part of this tour. She is a role model to females and young people in general. We at the board wholeheartedly believe that Alicia’s life story, work ethic, and general attitude will make a terrific impact on the persons with whom she will engage during this EmPOWERment tour.”

Ashley is a five-time world champion and has been entered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest female boxing champion. She currently resides in New York.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/sports/20170421/ashley-visit-ja-speaking-tour

Tsetsi “Lights Out” Davis moved into the second stage of the Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum Contender Series after scoring an unpopular split decision against Team Canada’s Dave Leblond at the Chinese Benevolent Association Auditorium on Wednesday night.

Team Jamaica now leads the charge 2-1 to take home the Wray and Nephew “Best of the Best” Contender Series main prize of $2,000,000 and the title of Jamaica’s Ultimate Junior Middleweight Contender at the end of the fourth stage of the championship.

Judges Keith Brown and Clifford Brown scored the bout 49-46 and 48-47 in favour of Davis, while world-renowned boxing judge Benoit Roussel scored it for the Canadian 48-47.

It was close going throughout the entire fifth round with the Canadian showing superior hand speed, nimble-footedness and scoring points to the face and body of Davis. Notwithstanding, Davis held in there in the latter rounds with his technical approach after scoring with repeated shots to the body and a few head shots from counters in the earlier rounds.

Leblond, speaking through a translator, said: “I thought that I won the fight four rounds to one, but it was a good fight and I have accepted the decision of the judges. He also said: “I am willing to return to face Davis in another fight.”

Davis said: “I fought the final rounds of the bout with a certain amount of discomfort in my left shoulder and for that, it was a close fight. But I did enough to win and I thank God for that. Some of the crowd will be for me and some of them will be against me. They have their say. They paid to see us fight and their views should be respected.”

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/-Lights-Out–scrapes-controversial-Contender-win_96266