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 Kingston Harbour?

The GraceKennedy Lecture now in its 31^st 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.

Jean Lowrie-Chin

lowriechin@aim.com

www.lowrie-chin.blogspot.com

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.

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.

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.

“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.

Kingston, Jamaica – 06 February 2019: There were grateful hugs aplenty from the children, as the SOS Children’s Village in Stony Hill, St. Andrew welcomed a team from IGT Jamaica to their campus on January 22, 2019. Residents and administrators alike were enthusiastic about their IGT After School Advantage (ASA) Centre, which has made a difference in their lives.

Students were eager to demonstrate to their visitors how they were using the Centre, which comprises 10 computers. “We are able to keep up with the other children and complete our homework on time,” said Peter Johnson* as he completed a Math Quiz online on the Lexia Educational Programme. Lexia and similar computer programmes allow students to develop at their own pace without the group pressure that traditional classrooms often impose.

The Centre is in such great demand among the Village’s 72 residents, (ranging from primary to tertiary level students) that there is a strict schedule in place to ensure that the children have access who need it the most. Director of SOS Stony Hill, Mr. Marvin Simpson, noted: “We have to keep the Centre open until late at night to accommodate everyone – especially at exam time.” Mr. Simpson added: “We have a number of remedial programmes loaded on the computers, which have really helped our students to boost their grades.”

IGT Jamaica’s General Manager Debbie Green expressed her delight that the ASA Centre is so well used. “We are so pleased to hear that the students appreciate the Centre and are using it to improve their education and enhance their lives. The aim of our ASA programme has always been to provide opportunities for children who would otherwise not have access to computers where they live. We want to ensure no child is left behind along the digital highway.”

The ASA Centre at Stony Hill has been through “ups and downs” in recent years. Established in 2015, it suffered a major blow in 2016 when it was destroyed by fire caused by an electrical fault in the old main building. However, IGT Jamaica stepped in and provided new computers and other equipment.

Since the Centre – newly refurbished and equipped – opened in August 2017, it has become even stronger.  The “Aunties” (who administer the houses that make up the village) mentor and support the children in the computer lab, and the older students provide guidance to the younger ones and those with special needs. While the weekend schedule is a little more relaxed, the roster allows enough time for the children to research projects, complete homework assignments and prepare for school-based assessments. While academics come first, the opportunity to explore new horizons and simply enjoy browsing the Internet is also an important aspect of the students’ learning and development.

In addition to the computer lab, as part of IGT Jamaica’s mentorship and support for young people, Stony Hill students benefited from several outreach projects in 2018.  Several students living on the autism spectrum at Stony Hill received special attention from IGT staff during Autism Awareness Month last April, when they received gift baskets containing books, stationery, sensory toys and other materials. Students from Stony Hill and Barret Town Villages also joined a select group of young people for a special tour of the Mona GeoInformatics Institute (MGI) at the University of the West Indies last May. These experiences provided invaluable exposure for the young people to the world of work, technology and innovation.

There are ASA Centres at both SOS Children’s Villages in Jamaica – in Barrett Town, St. James (established 1971) as well as the Stony Hill village, where construction began in 1982. The villages were founded through the initiative of Dr. Harland Hastings, Mr. John Rollins and Professor Heinz Simonitsch. The goals of SOS Children’s Villages are to offer orphaned and abandoned children, regardless of race, nationality or creed, a permanent home; and to prepare them for an independent life. IGT’s ASA programme across the Caribbean strengthens the latter goal, aiming to provide these disadvantaged children with the tools for further development, through technology.

 “Thank you, the computers help us a lot!” exclaimed one eighth grader, as he excitedly gave out hugs to the visiting IGT Jamaica team.

*Name changed to protect identity.

The Digital Generation: Ricardo Callum (right), Field Service Representative of International Game Technology (IGT), takes a keen interest in the instructions being given by Marvin Simpson (2^nd right), Director of the SOS Children’s Village of Stony Hill, to youngsters who are using IGT’s After School Advantage (ASA) Centre. IGT and its subsidiaries have opened 39 After School Advantage computer centres in the English-speaking Caribbean, including 14 such centres in Jamaica.

Kingston, Jamaica – February 15, 2019: PRO Communications (PROComm) Limited celebrated its fortieth anniversary on Thursday, November 29, 2018 – the exact date forty years ago that the company’s Founder and Executive Chairman Jean Lowrie-Chin signed her very first contract for her fledgling company, Public Relations Operations Limited. The contract was with the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, where the joyous celebrations were held.

Toasts, laughter and congratulations rang out, in an atmosphere of fellowship, as public and private sector individuals, custodes and high-ranking diplomats enjoyed the sparkling event, warmly blessed by His Grace, Most Rev. Archbishop Kenneth Richards. Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, Hon. Dorothy Pine-McLarty, O.J., raised a toast to PROComm, led by Mrs. Jean Lowrie-Chin, C.D. and Administrative Director Hubert Chin, congratulating them on achieving this milestone and pointing out that the ECJ is the longest client on record for the company – since 1995. PROComm worked with the ECJ in crafting several media campaigns with powerful but fair and unbiased messages of unity and respect ahead of general elections.

PROComm celebrated 40 years with anniversary party held on Thursday, November 29 at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. Joining in a lively conversation are: Jeremiah Knight, US Embassy’s Counsellor for Public Affairs (left) Thalia Lyn, CEO of Island Grill and William Mahfood, Chaiman of Wisynco Group Ltd. In the background is Keith Collister, Senior Executive at ATL-Sandals

PROComm’s Founder and Executive Chairman Jean Lowrie-Chin (centre) happily joins Terra Nova executives Ruth Hussey, Managing Director (right) and Christelle Harris, General Manager at PROComm’s 40th Anniversary party on Thursday, November 29 at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

Mrs. Pine-McLarty commended PROComm for their dedication to nation-building through various outreach programmes, including the PROComm Scholarship Fund and the establishment of the thriving non-profit organization Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP), serving the needs of seniors, in memory of Mrs. Lowrie-Chin’s beloved mother. Master of Ceremonies Mr. Sydney “Tony” Lowrie pointed out that PROComm was “conceived from an act of kindness, and that has been a defining feature of their operations ever since.” Jean, Hubie and their company have given significant support to many worthwhile causes, while the firm is known for its dedication to strong principles of fairness, respect, balance and compassion.

Hon. Dorothy Pine McLarty, Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, served by PROComm since 1995,  made a warm toast to the company during its 40^th Anniversary celebration held at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Thursday, November 29. 

In her response, Mrs. Lowrie-Chin paid tribute to her “actual dream team” at PROComm, who are always willing to put out extra effort, pointing out that “every member…is a mentor for one of our scholars from Grants Pen, and a volunteer for CCRP.” She also saluted the work of PROComm clients, including Food for the Poor, IGT (formerly GTECH), GraceKennedy, Rainforest Seafoods, National Road Safety Council and EPOC; and made special mention of the outstanding work of the Digicel Foundation, of which she is Chair, which is working towards greater inclusiveness in Jamaican society.

PROComm’s first Scholar, Etmour Williams – now Sales and Marketing Manager at Ayrton Distributors – made a passionate presentation, expressing his sense of honour and privilege to be able to attend Calabar High School for five years. He thanked Mrs. Lowrie-Chin and Mr. Hubert Chin for their unwavering support for his educational endeavours both at high school and university.

To commemorate their 40^th Anniversary, PROComm presented a total of $400,000 to three organizations: Archbishop’s Development Fund, Convent of Mercy ‘Alpha’ Academy and Stella Maris Church Ministries.

Kingston, Jamaica – February 15, 2019. Digicel Foundation recently partnered with King’s House to provide much needed medical equipment to the Port Antonio Hospital in Portland. The hospital’s Chairman Hugh Perry, CEO Althea Gardner and staff of the hospital, which has a complement of over 200 health care professionals, welcomed the visit from Their Excellencies, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen and Lady Allen.

Digicel Foundation Chair Jean Lowrie-Chin accompanied Sir Patrick and Lady Allen, as well as the Custos of Portland Lincoln Thaxter on a two-hour tour of the hospital. The group visited both the Maternity and Paediatric Wards. During their visit, Mrs. Lowrie-Chin announced to the delighted administrative and nursing staff that Digicel Foundation has purchased critical medical equipment for donation to the health care facility. The Foundation will donate an Electronic Patient Care Monitor, a Defibrillator, a Nebulizer and an Electronic Foetal Monitor, valued at over J$1.65 million. The equipment was provided following a needs assessment at the hospital.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen congratulated the Port Antonio Hospital on its 75^th anniversary. Commenting on the pressure that many health care institutions find themselves under due to increased demand for their services, he said: “Today we pause to show appreciation to you who do so much with very little. Despite the scarce resources, you have not allowed this constraint to compromise your mandate to deliver the best possible service to your patients.”

Noting the value of private sector partnerships that the hospital has benefited from, Sir Patrick thanked the Digicel Foundation for its generosity in providing the much-needed equipment.

“This equipment will not only help to save lives,” said Mrs. Lowrie-Chin, Chairman of Digicel Foundation. “It also reflects the Foundation’s goals of strengthening communities – including our friends and partners in rural Jamaica, where access to healthcare is particularly important for the quality of life of our citizens outside urban areas. We are so happy and honoured to join Their Excellencies, Governor General Sir Patrick Allen and Lady Allen on their tour of the hospital. We know that, as a former nurse herself, Lady Allen has a particular interest, and truly cares about improving the health and wellbeing of Jamaican citizens. We at Digicel Foundation feel the same way.”