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SHARING THE LOVE: Health sector receives supplies
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
COVID-19 TRIGGERS CHAPTERS OF MY LIFE
The following are excerpts of a speech by businesswoman Audrey Hinchcliffe at the launch of her Chapters of My Life.
How many of you present and how many of you listening suffered Pandemic Anxiety – This book is as a result of not wasting the pandemic.
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I always thought I was tough, I can withstand anything thrown at me in life, in business, in relationships etc.; but up came the coronavirus pandemic which threw a curve ball at me, and I almost dropped it. I actually did drop the ball when Covid took Kareen Jones away and was back on track emotionally until the silence of lockdowns really got to me. So, I had to do something in order to maintain my sanity.
I was already writing the COVID-19 Article Series for The Gleaner, I was gardening, baking up a storm and listening to gospel music. With all of this happening, every time the silence of the lockdown hit, I thought this must be what death is like – deathly silence it is called. I started having fits of sleep and nightmares, so I decided during those frightening waking hours to turn the table on the pandemic and use its own emerging language to get back at it.
Hence, the derived names of people, places, and things. I also contrived to beat the sadness by including blooms from my garden, hence at the end of each chapter of the book I presented you with a flower. On hindsight I should have included the names of each, but I would have had to engage the service of a Botanist as I have no clue about many of the names. I merely plant and they bloom where they are planted, and I enjoy them and share with my WhatsApp group as early morning greetings. So, through this my little inspirational book I get to share my blooms with the whole world.
Seriously though, I am going to leave you to read the book and I recommend to you the foreword, kind courtesy of my friend Mariamme McIntosh Robinson and comments by my Publisher Mrs. Pansy Benn, Proprietor of Arawak Publications.
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As you read the pages of the Chapters I hope you get inspired as I did in writing it and took myself out of solitude and the onset of pandemic anxiety.
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M.A. Hinchcliffe CD. JP, MSc. BA.
CEO and Founder, Manpower and Maintenance Services Ltd Group.
Email: ceo@manpowerja.com
​Top experts to speak at free men’s health virtual summit set for April 7; register today
Men are notorious for not paying attention to their health, with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) pointing out that more than a third of deaths in men are preventable compared with 19 per cent in women.
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So, if men, as a group, live a healthier lifestyle an additional three out of ten will live longer. This is the aim of the Healthy Men Caribbean Wellness Summit which will be held virtually from April 7, 2022, World Health Day, through to April 9 under the theme, Building Personal Resilience. The event is sponsored by The VM Group, and Courts (Jamaica Limited).
PAHO Director, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, commented in 2018 on the “growing evidence… of differential epidemiological trends between men and women, particularly with respect to men’s premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and morbidity linked to poor health-seeking behaviours, mental health, and violence, including homicide and injuries.”
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Dr. Etienne noted that men’s risk-taking behaviours and their underutilization of health services are strongly linked to gender differences and predominant norms of masculinity – what it means to be a “man.”
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The three-day wellness summit is free of charge to men and the women who care about them. They will receive useful information from a team of health professionals that will improve their outlook towards achieving a healthier lifestyle. Men and their female partners can register today at this link: https://tinyurl.com/cwsregister
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Among men’s health issues to be explored is the link between lifestyle diseases and the decline in sexual performance. This will be presented by naturopathic doctor, Michelle Hamilton, who will demonstrate the effectiveness of drug-free treatment. Dr. Neil Gardner, a leading Chiropractic Neurologist in the Caribbean, is also down to speak at the summit.
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Fitness instructor Shani McGraham-Shirley will take participants through the exercise paces as she conducts a session on the topic: Does Size Really Matter?” while DJ-turned counselling psychologist, Kevin Bailey, will equip men to cope with change in their lives. Tips on how to keep cool under fire will be shared by psychotherapist Dr. Janice Stewart. Other presentations include Dr. Donovan Thomas on the Art and Science of Happiness, and Dr. Brendan Bain on Sexuality in Males.
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Healthy Men Caribbean Wellness Summit is being hosted by Serg Media through its Impacting Jamaica digital brand.
News for Week of March 27, 2022
We are here to inspire, motivate and uplift.
Barita Foundation donates tablets, laptops
The Barita Foundation has donated technology devices valued at $10 million under the Ministry of Education and Youth’s ‘One Laptop or Tablet Per Child’ initiative.
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The 310 tablets and 15 laptops are to be distributed to needy students at 10 primary and secondary schools across the island.
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Beneficiary institutions are Campbell’s Castle Primary and Christiana Leased Primary in Manchester; Farm Primary, Green Pond Primary, and Corinaldi Avenue Primary in St. James; Lawrence Tavern Primary, St. Andrew; Tivoli Gardens High in Kingston; Cedar Grove Academy, St. Catherine; Seaforth High in St. Thomas; and Alphansus Davis High, Clarendon.
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Managing Director of Barita Unit Trust, Jason Chambers, said the entity is pleased to support the ‘One Laptop or Tablet Per Child,’ initiative, noting that the provision of technology devices to students has the power to transform their lives and improve their outcomes.
Diaspora praised for education support
Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States Audrey Marks has lauded the Jamaica Diaspora Education Task Force for their support for the sector.
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“We are aware that the strides made in this crucial sector will determine whether our economy continues at its current pace or leaps forward,” she said.
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The Ambassador commended members of the diaspora for the critical role they have played in the advancement of the Jamaican educational system over the years.
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“It is no secret that Jamaica and the rest of the world continues to grapple with the disruptions to education caused by COVID-19. The pandemic widened pre-existing opportunity and achievement gaps, affecting disadvantaged students the hardest,” she said.
Sprucing up coming for several schools
The school infrastructure development programme across the island will start in the new financial year which starts April 1, said Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams.
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“With regard to infrastructure, I do not need to be convinced that we need to upgrade and expand schools,” she said. She advised the Mile Gully High School’s stakeholders that pre-construction activities will begin for the building of a new school this year.
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This will include transferring the title for 40 acres of land from the National Land Agency to the Ministry of Education and Youth for the construction of the new school building.
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For generations, women of Jamaica have worked tirelessly to pave the way for others in various fields. In Sports, Creative Arts, Government, Business, and so much more. They showed courage and determination to achieve their goals.
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If you want to follow the careers of exceptional Jamaican women – Get this book right NOW!
Flood prone areas to get attention this year
Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the Government is taking steps to address the issue of flooding in sections of the island.
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Targeted areas include Marcus Garvey Drive, St. Andrew; Maxfield Avenue, St. Andrew; Falmouth Drag Line, Trelawny; May Pen, Clarendon; Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth; Port Maria, St. Mary; and Montego Bay, St. James.
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“I am very aware of the seriousness of flooding in some areas of the country. Works will be done on mitigating the impact of storm-water flows [in these areas],” he said.
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“I believe that with investments in these locations and more resilient infrastructure, we will be able to safeguard our country against the shocks of natural disasters,” he added.
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Prime Minister Holness said while the Government is focused on realizing economic growth and development through several large-scale construction projects, investment in communities remains a priority.
Express loans for small businesses
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in need of working capital are being advised to take advantage of the National Export-Import Bank of Jamaica (EXIM Bank) express loan facility.
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EXIM Express is a short-term, 90-day facility with a turnaround time of seven days from application to disbursement of the loan. It allows entities to leverage their receivables to access funds needed to finance their daily business activities.
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“EXIM Express is one of the must-haves for SMEs because it is so fast [and] convenient,” said Business Development Consultant, EXIM Bank, Winston Lawson.
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“It allows the SME to [receive] cash much earlier, so that they can continue to operate and do other business rather than sit and wait to be paid,” he noted.
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Mr. Lawson said that businesses can receive up to 75 per cent of their receivables up to a maximum of $10 million and a minimum of $2 million.
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