Tag: News

Gleaner Honour Awards A Big Deal, Say Recipients

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Being recognised by The Gleaner through its annual Honour Awards carries a lot of weight. Representatives of four category winners – the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) for science and technology; the Calabash International Literary Festival for arts and culture; Food For the Poor, recipient for voluntary service; and National Commercial Bank for education – made that clear during yesterday’s second of three category luncheons hosted by the media house at its North Street, central Kingston, head office.

On Monday, February 20, The Gleaner will choose from the awardees the man, woman or company deemed best to have contributed significantly to improving Jamaica’s quality of life, at any time in the preceding 12 months, or is likely to bring about such a change in the immediate future.

For those honoured yesterday, the recognition has been invaluable.

“Clearly, when anybody in the arts is acknowledged for the work they do, it’s a big deal, because there is no monetary reward in the arts. So what you hope and pray for is that your work makes a difference in other ways. So when you get an award such as this one, it allows you to get more recognition, more prominence to be able to do work that you may not have been able to do otherwise. It gives you legitimacy and a stamp of approval that is so important in the arts,” Justine Henzell, co-founder and producer of the Calabash International Literary Festival, shared.

Andrew Mahfood, chairman of Food For the Poor, said it would serve as motivation to do even more for its charges.

“The organisation is humbled by this award from The Gleaner for voluntary service. We have a lot of work to do [because] there are a lot more people who are living in poverty conditions and we hope to be able to help them,” he disclosed.

 

Goes Way Beyond JPS

 

Meanwhile, Gary Barrow, chief technology officer for the JPS, spoke to the far-reaching impact of the award.

“We are really very excited because we think that this goes way beyond JPS. We are fortunate that the introduction of the new technology actually allows us to help Jamaica in terms of growth and prosperity, which is a critical part of our vision statement – that we are the people unleashing Jamaica’s growth and prosperity. So we understand the role energy plays in economic growth and we believe there is a really big opportunity out there to help us to use technology to accelerate that growth.”

Author Marlon James was also recognised with a special award in the arts and culture category.

The final category award luncheon is slated for Wednesday, February 1, when winners in the categories public service and business will be recognised, ahead of the February 20 grand gala event at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

christopher.serju@gleanerjm.com

Food For The Poor assists family, elderly with houses

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A Portland family and an elderly man are the latest beneficiaries of houses from philanthropic organisation Food For The Poor (FFP) after their plight was highlighted by the Jamaica Observer North East in 2015.

The family of four, which includes a wheelchair-bound man, was desperately in need of a house to get out of the crammed space they shared in the back room of a relative’s house in Waybridge, Portland, for years.

Observer North & East reported in 2015 that Jacqueline Thompson, her two daughters and her physically challenged son all shared a single bed in a room which an aunt allowed them to stay in, after they had been living in the garage for some time.

At the time, Thompson stressed that she needed help to get back on her feet.

“I am feeling happy about getting my house. I thank God as I can’t leave him out,” she said.

Thompson also thanked justice of the peace and pastor of the Church of God in Christ at Long Road, Roy Titus, who tried desperately to get assistance for the family. He described their situation as “dire,” then.

She also thanked the Ministry of Housing for the land space, Food For The Poor for the house, the Observer for highlighting her need, and the parish council and the National Insurance Scheme for their assistance.

“I am a happy person now. It was a long and horrible wait; I cried sometimes. The children are very happy, especially my son Okeno,” Thompson shared.

The house, which is located at Darlingford Housing Scheme in Manchioneal in the parish, was handed over last October. Thompson said FFP has also pledged to donate furniture.

A visually impaired elderly man was also the beneficiary of a house from FFP.

Urnal Taylor lived in a dirt-floor, one-bedroom house in Boston in the parish for years, before FFP read of his plight in the

Observer and presented him with the keys for a new house.

“This house is beautiful as much as mi can’t see it. I am comfortable and mi have space. Thanks to all the people who helped me, and the gentleman here, Pastor Titus. The blessings on his shoulders can’t come off. Welcome; welcome,” he said with a broad grin on his face.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/regional/Food-For-The-Poor-assists-family–elderly-with-housesObserver-North-and-East-article-spurs-action——-_87286

Women Dominate JMMB Client Base

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JMMB Group has launched a suite of products designed especially for women in response to a trend observed over the years where a greater number of its clients are female.

Its client base is currently 59 per cent female, according to JMMB country manager for Jamaica Kisha Anderson at the unveiling of a new product, JMMB Her Wealth, at an event in New Kingston.

Under the new offerings, women will be able to access insurance, investments, loans and savings accounts, the company said, “from a financial institution that has sought to customise some of its financial solutions to empower women to achieve their financial goals”, JMMB said in a statement.

By tailoring products for women, JMMB said it positions the company to attract even more business from the demographic.

“Research indicates that 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 in the company release.

PROFIT NOT MAIN OBJECTIVE

Speaking with Financial Gleaner at the launch, Anderson said that while JMMB anticipates a wide take-up of the new products, profit was not the primary objective.

“As we were thinking about this campaign, we weren’t necessarily thinking about a dollar figure. The objective of the campaign is us being intentional about reaching out to women,” she said.

“If you think about our revenues and profit, it’s a near 60/40 split in terms of the revenue we make from women,” said the JMMB Jamaica head.

JMMB Her Wealth will also feature a rewards programme for services typically utilised by women. The company has partnered with merchants who offer medical care, beauty, auto, and home and garden services to provide five to 20 per cent discounts, among others benefits for women.

To design JMMB Her Wealth, Anderson said focus groups and surveys were conducted over a 12- to 18-month period.

“Before we started the study, we had several focus groups where we asked the women about their needs and expectations of a financial house. We found out what their dreams are so we could figure out how we will help them towards those things,” she said.

“You find that women don’t generally trust themselves when it comes to financial products, so improving their financial literacy is something that we want to focus on.”

JMMB says it will be hosting quarterly financial education sessions aimed at women.

tameka.gordon@gleanerjm.com

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20170120/women-dominate-jmmb-client-base

Children Demand Urgent Attention, Says Samuels

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Women and children will, for the first time, be the focus of the 37th National Leadership Prayer Breakfast, which takes place at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in St Andrew on Thursday, according to the Reverend Dr Stevenson Samuels, chair of the committee that plans this annual event.

“For the first time this year, we have also felt the need to include prayers for children. We feel that these are vulnerable groups with regards to crime and violence plaguing our society. Children demand urgent attention,” he declared.

Samuels bemoaned that children were abused by adults and also experienced high levels of poverty, neglect by parents, little moral and spiritual training, in addition to insufficient access to other things.

His comments came yesterday at the Church of the Open Bible Church in St Andrew.

Chief Justice Zaila McCalla, Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Rocky Meade, Courtney Campbell, president and chief executive officer of the Victoria Mutual Group, along with members of the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast Committee, were among the special guests of the church.

Samuels used the occasion to remind the congregation that allegations of impropriety against members of the clergy were symptomatic of a wider societal rot.

“The recent alleged sexual abuse case against the pastor, in addition to other similar allegations reported in the media, is an indication that this scourge is present in all sectors of our society,” he added.

christopher.serju@gleanerjm.com

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20170116/children-demand-urgent-attention-says-samuels

Transformational Leadership Through God Can Bring About Vision 2030

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Transformation among leadership ranks is the primary focus of the 37th National Leadership Prayer Breakfast (NLPB) to be staged at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Thursday, January 19.

The purpose of the NLPB is to foster greater unity in the nation, particularly among the nation’s leaders at all levels.

In keeping with national protocol, the list of invited guests is headed by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen and includes Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Leader of the Opposition Portia Simpson Miller.

God-Empowered Intervention

At a press briefing yesterday at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel to officially launch the event and commence prayer week the Rev Stevenson Samuels, chairman of the NLPB Committee, spoke of transformation brought about by God-empowered intervention.

“In the process of the NLPB, we trust that we will contribute to our leaders experiencing transformation, a transformation that will impact core values for the betterment of all,” Samuels said.

He added: “We feel that for Jamaica to grow, for Jamaica to progress and experience true prosperity, there has to be transformation. That transformation must begin at the top, at the head of the stream, at the helm of our society. Transformational leadership is what is required to take us to the next level. Jamaica, as it is, cannot experience the growth and development that we all long for. If we are going to see this nation rise to new altitudes, we must change and challenge both Church and State to do that change.”

syranno.baines@gleanerjm.com

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20170113/transformational-leadership-through-god-can-bring-about-vision-2030