Welcome to Impacting Jamaica
SHARING THE LOVE: Rotary medical mission
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 January 16, 2022
We are here to inspire, motivate and uplift.
PROVEN Wealth donates to two regional hospitals
Although national vaccination efforts have begun, the healthcare sector is still being stressed because of the inherent demand generated by COVID-19 and the various strains of the virus.
In the previous months, we have seen a significant increase in the hospitalization of COVID-19 patients, which resulted in a higher demand for medical supplies. The team at PROVEN recognizes the critical importance for these items and provided support to Cornwall Regional and Mandeville Regional hospitals by way of donation in kind. These items included masks, cleaning agents, hand towel and other essential items.
PROVEN Wealth Portfolio Advisors hand over supplies to the Cornwall Regional Hospital. From left: Howard Dyer, Senior Portfolio Advisor; Jermaine Harvey, Portfolio Advisor from PROVEN Wealth; Shauntte Brown Smith, CEO, Assistant; Charmaine Beckford, CEO of the Cornwall Regional; and Dane Neil, the Managing Director of Neil’s Bulk Chemicals.
On receipt of these donations, both CEOs expressed their gratitude to the PROVEN Wealth Team. “The Cornwall Regional Hospital is extremely grateful for the donation which will help us to continue to maintain good infection control standards which is critical at this time. Thank you PROVEN,” said Charmaine Beckford, CEO of Cornwall Regional Hospital.
“This could have not come at a better time, especially given the overcrowded nature of the hospital due to the virus,” said Alwyn Miller, CEO of Mandeville Regional Hospital.
This COVID-19 response aligns with PROVEN Wealth’s social mandate in contributing to community development through meaningfully supporting the health needs. This is just one of the numerous ways in which PROVEN Wealth, and its members, give back.
Said Paul Ebanks, the Mandeville Branch Manager, “Upon receiving the call from Mr. Miller, regarding the needs of the hospital. We coordinated with regional supplier Neil’s Bulk Chemicals to provide some of the much-needed supplies. We understood the need and I am proud to be a part of an organization that stands ready to assist when possible. I would implore all companies in corporate Jamaica to pitch in as much as they can to alleviate the strain on the hospitals and our health system as we continue to navigate this pandemic.”
We will respect your rights, JDF boss tells residents
Chief of Defence Staff Lt. General Rocky Meade is assuring residents of Parade Gardens in Central Kingston, where a Zone of Special Operations (ZOSO) has been declared, that their rights will be safeguarded as the security forces conduct their duties in the area.
“While we acknowledge that persons may be concerned about the implications of the internal security operations as they go about their day-to-day business, we want to assure citizens that both Jamaica Defence (JDF) and Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) [personnel] have been adequately trained and oriented to ensure the protection of the human rights of all Jamaicans,” he said.
General Meade informed that the ZOSO will give the security forces temporary additional powers of search, arrest and detention.
“We believe this is necessary in order to give the security forces the space necessary to carry out the operational tasks that will be required to help bring a sense of normalcy to the community,” he said.
Traffic ticketing system will improve public order, safety
Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang is confident the electronic Traffic Ticket Management System (TTMS) will be a positive addition towards the transformation and modernization of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in carrying out its mandate to ensure public order and safety.
Minister Chang, along with newly appointed State Minister in the Ministry of National Security Zavia Mayne, Permanent Secretary Courtney Williams, Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson, as well as the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica president Keith Duncan, and representatives from the National Road Safety Unit, observed the system earlier this month.
“The idea for an electronic Traffic Ticket Management System was first mooted in 1988 and although it has taken some time to be fully operational, we believe this development will prove a success and another positive addition in the arsenal of the police in the execution of their duties,” said Minister Chang.
Prime Minister Holness hails big port investment
A US$60 million redevelopment of Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL) is a significant boost for the productive sector and the economy, said Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
The investment will cover three major infrastructural development projects, and the prime minister said that KWL has done well in reinventing and re-establishing itself as one of the most competitive and successful mixed-used ports that has created significant employment opportunities.
Prime Minister Holness underscored that these investment is a signal that the Jamaican economy is getting back on track.
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Jerome Griffiths (2nd right), head of human resources at CIBC FirstCaribbean, celebrates ‘VAX Day’ with patrons at a bank-sponsored event for customers and staff of their Half-Way Tree branch and their families. CIBC FirstCaribbean has donated millions of dollars for the roll-out of vaccines and testing procedures in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Portia Simpson Miller Foundation has published an authorized biography on former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller’s early growing-up years. The 12-chapter biography titled ‘Portia Dreams’, was penned in an effort to inspire young primary school readers through rich illustrations and motivational tales. NCB Foundation supported the initiative by purchasing copies for school libraries. At left is author and biography Professor Opal Palmer Adisa, with (from right) Giovanni Lawrence, Lincoln
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.
Jerome Griffiths (2nd right), head of human resources at CIBC FirstCaribbean, celebrates ‘VAX Day’ with patrons at a bank-sponsored event for customers and staff of their Half-Way Tree branch and their families. CIBC FirstCaribbean has donated millions of dollars for the roll-out of vaccines and testing procedures in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Education Ministry plugging the ‘digital divide’
The Ministry of Education, through e-Learning Jamaica Limited, will be procuring 42,311 devices for lower primary and secondary students.
Portfolio Minister Fayval Williams said that eLearning Jamaica has already acquired 11,500 tablets and is preparing to start the distribution to lower secondary-school students in the rural schools across the island.
“This will help to significantly reduce the digital divide. To date, we have distributed approximately 130,000 tablets and laptops to our teachers and students with a special focus on students on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH),” she said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry continues to provide audiovisual lessons via the Public Broadcasting Corporation of Jamaica (PBCJ) and the Ministry’s two new TV channels through the eHomeSchool Network.
One channel focuses on offering live and recorded lessons for the primary level and the other is focused on secondary-school students.
Apply now for grants to fund community projects
Twenty million dollars in grant funding will go to community-based organisations and committees, under the Social Development Commission (SDC) Grant Call for Proposals.
This is the SDC’s second call for proposals for fiscal year 2021/2022, with the funding available in four categories of grants.
Public Relations Manager at the SDC Mandel McKulsky said that application forms can be found on the SDC’s website at www.sdc.gov.jm. Criteria for eligibility are also on the SDC’s website, and applicants can contact their respective parish offices for support in completing the various forms.
McKulsky said that 164 grants were issued from the agency’s first grant call for proposals for the fiscal year and the SDC stands ready to issue even more.
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Holland Primary targets reading skills as classes resume
Principal of Holland Primary School in St. Elizabeth Simone Doctor said focus is being placed on improving the reading levels among the critical grades as face-to-face classes resume in schools across Jamaica.
Her team is already been devising strategies to improve students’ reading across all the grades. Mrs. Doctor said that special emphasis will be placed on some grade four students.
“They would have left the face-to-face setting at grade two when they needed that teaching. So, we are recognising that there are several slow students [and] what we are doing now is have them go through a trial,” the principal noted.
She explained that on Tuesdays the grade-four students will be separated based on their reading ability, where special reading lessons will be taught to bring them back up to speed.
“It is not throughout the whole period that they will be separated [and] we have already brought that to the parents that we are trying that for now, because some of them will need some intervention that others won’t need,” said Mrs. Doctor.
