Welcome to Impacting Jamaica
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Five-minute feature on acts of kindness by local or overseas based non-government individuals and organisations that have benefitted Jamaicans.
Written and produced by the Radio Department of the Jamaica Information Service
News for Week of December 12, 2021
We are here to inspire, motivate and uplift.
Finally! Pension scheme for tourism workers, January 1, 2022
Edmund Bartlett, the Minister of Tourism, said despite being delayed by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the pension scheme for tourism workers will be introduced on January 1, 2022.
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He said that the introduction of the scheme is also coming at a time when the tourism sector is at a stage of rapid recovery and where workers can again look forward to a future that is filled with optimism.
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“The thinking behind the pension scheme was to ensure that the workers of our industry can have an opportunity to look forward to a future that will secure them and their families,” the Minister explained.
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He said that the Tourism Workers Pension Scheme require mandatory contributions by workers and employers between the ages of 18 and 59.
Benefits will be payable at age 65 years or older.
Custos launches values programme for Manchester
Custos of Manchester, Garfield Green, is undertaking a programme aimed at fostering positive values and attitudes and a sense of social responsibility among citizens in the parish.
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The initiative is dubbed ‘Manchester Beliefs, Values, and Attitudes’; and the Custos said that the programme will serve to restore those core values and principles that make communities thrive.
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“It is geared at promoting civic pride in our society, building self-esteem and respect for self and for others, improving standard of living for individuals, promoting law and order, and creating a better community for all,” Custos Green said.
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“I have a vision and drive to create a sense of self-assurance and patriotism in our people, and to help all of us to achieve our God-given potential,” he said.
Usain Bolt Foundation supports primary schools
Mountain View Primary and Infant School in Kingston has received stationery supplies donated by the Usain Bolt Foundation.
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The items include one cartridge-free Epson printer, one projector and five reams of paper. The foundation also intends to donate 100 printers, 20 projectors and 500 reams of paper to primary schools across the island. The total value is just over $20 million.
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Minister of Education, Youth and Information Fayval Williams said she is appealing to corporate entities to support the education sector. “I want to say sincere thanks and to continue appealing to our corporate entities and diaspora to continue to support the education sector. The Government cannot do it alone. We need all of our stakeholders to come on board to help our children to ensure that they have the necessary resources, and that our schools are so equipped in terms of what they need as well,” she added.
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Chairperson of the Usain Bolt Foundation Ms. Winsome Wilkins said the foundation continues to support early childhood institutions, improve playground facilities, and assist sports development and at-risk youth programmes.
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Trecia Larmond (left), branch supervisor, BCIC Ocho Rios, makes a cheque for $150,000 to the Jamaica Cancer Society team of Executive Director Michael Leslie (right) and Marilyn Williams, St Ann/St Mary branch manager.
Patsy Edwards-Henry, president of the Nurses Association of Jamaica, accepts medical supplies from a representative of the Chinese Embassy. The embassy donated medical supplies, including 100,000 medical masks and 100 medical thermometers, valued at $2.1 million.
A representative from the Annotto Bay Fire Station shows off her freshly picked JP St Mary’s pineapple alongside JP St Mary’s Assistant Depot Manager Simone Saunderson during a handover of care packages with the vitamin C-rich fruit to the Fire Brigade. The donation by JP St Mary’s is part of an overall initiative to encourage essential workers to eat healthy foods to boost their immune systems.
Trecia Larmond (left), branch supervisor, BCIC Ocho Rios, makes a cheque for $150,000 to the Jamaica Cancer Society team of Executive Director Michael Leslie (right) and Marilyn Williams, St Ann/St Mary branch manager.
Canada gives to Jamaica’s women-led community groups
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange said that Canada’s donation of $21 million to causes of women empowerment will “immensely” aid victims of domestic violence.
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She said that the gift came from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives to the Bureau of Gender Affairs and seven local organisations to support various community-based projects.
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“This project contributes immensely to peace and restoration for several survivors of gender-based violence and women-led community groups,” the Minister said.
All the recipient groups, including the Bureau of Gender Affairs, will implement activities to address social and economic issues arising from the pandemic for the 2021 to 2022 period.
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Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica Her Excellency Emina Tudakovic, said the programme is geared at “achieving real impact at the community level”, and to share and build “important work that we have been doing” to accelerate action and enhance the “collective important work”.
Benefits for householder helpers under insurance scheme
For the first time, Jamaica’s household helpers and fisherfolk will secure pension benefits under the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) as the Government moves to formalise these sectors.
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This will come under the Transition to Formality Action Plan, which will see this segment of workers being able to access health and life insurance, pension and other facilities to provide them with security and protection in their work environment.
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The Action Plan, launched officially launched by Minister of Labour and Social Security Karl Samuda, is in keeping with the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) recommendation to Member States to standardise informal sectors.
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This follows the growing trend in many developing countries where workers are employed in industries that are unregistered or do not comply with the minimum standards of labour legislation or in some cases Decent Work. The ILO defines Decent Work as productive work for women and men in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity.
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