- Patrick Campbell/Staff Photographer
Whatever the subject of the conversation, it has both newly-elected Junior Mayor of Montego Bay Schade Stanton, left, and Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Cecil Davis, smiling.
WE MISSED the first two years of 'Tellabration' presented by the Montego Bay Community College, but heard nothing but rave reviews from friends, and so when we got an e-mail notice of this year's staging last Sunday afternoon, with just a couple hours to go, we made time.
"Tellabration,' which had its genesis in Connecticut, USA, promotes storytelling in local communities, showcases local tellers, and builds appreciation for the art form.
It was worth it. Pity more folks were not inside the Lorna Nembhard Auditorium for an evening of story telling and stand up comedy. Charles Hyatt head the cast with tales from When Me Was a Boy and Owen 'Blacka' Ellis gave some spicy presentations that had his audience laughing on the edge of their seats.
Donald 'Ice Man' Anderson got a chance to take a couple comedy jabs at his former teachers at Cornwall College and Com. College while Wayne Brown, also a past student of the Community College, gave a powerful rendition of the classic song, Hills.
Though thrilled by all the presentations, what probably got our attention more were the Anancy stories by Kemar Bailey and Michael Graham, taking us back to our childhood days in rural Jamaica, long before JPSCo, PC, TV or Cable TV got to that neck of the woods along the banks of the Martha Brae River in Trelawny. Of course it also reminded how families then bonded together and entertained themselves at home.
Natecia Bohardsingh and Maxine Francis-Barnett did very well with their own compositions, and Andrew Clarke impressed with gift of storytelling and dialect.
At a time when he is under much pressure, pop idol Michael Jackson would have been pleased to sit and watch Navarie Reid imitating his very creative dance moves while Hyacinth Forde did a good job with a piece written by Easton Lee entitled Happy Anniversary.
The Montego Bay Community College Band complemented with their music and Marsden Francis ably guided the programme as emcee. And when it was all over, the audience applauded in appreciation of an evening of fun and laughter.
Grand opening
THE THOUGHT of seeing vivacious Doraine Samuels had us motoring down to the Fairview Shopping Centre at Bogue last Saturday for the official opening of Montego Bay's largest store, Rapid & Sheffield Do it Best Hardware and Home Centre.
She was in the company of Daniel Thompson, Derrick Wilk and Hol Plummer. but we managed to steal a kiss. It wasn't long after we got there that the ceremony got under way with Bruce Polson as chairman. If Omar Trowers loses his job with the Grace family, he could always turn to singing as he did a good job rendering the National Anthem.
It really was an interesting programme with the speakers making sure not to bore the audience with long-winded chatter. We heard from Grace, Kennedy Chairman and CEO, Douglas Orane; Rapid & Sheffield General Manager Ian Jackson; Do It Best Corporation President Robert Taylor, and guest speaker, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce, Science and Technology, Dr. Jean Dixon.
Rev. Dr. Heckford Sharpe did the opening prayer and blessed the building with Michelle Small extending welcome, Howard Moses cutting the ribbon and John's Hall All-Age School entertaining with a maypole dance.
The opening was also witnessed by, among others, Anthony Barnes, Pauline Palmer, Jan Forbes, John Mahfood, Eric and Mrs. Krauter, Danny Nembhard. Anthony Holness, Oscar Kerr, Michael and Mrs. Bailey, Dawn Harrisingh, Tom Barfell, Paul Alexander, Stephen Cowan, Charles and Mrs. Hifill, Eunice Mullings, Althea Clarke and Jacqueline Johnson.
Youth win out
WITH THE political buzz words these days being youth and renewal, it was probably a twist of fate that two of the three youngest participants in the St. James Junior Council Competition on Wednesday emerged on top among 16 competitors to be elected Junior Mayor and Junior Deputy Mayor.
The young lady who will be involved in Montego Bay's civic affairs over the next twelve months as Junior Mayor is 14-year-old Schade Stanton, a 4th form student at Montego Bay High School who hopes to become a medical doctor.
She edged out 14-year-old Andre Bernard, also a 4th form student at Cornwall College, who intends to be an anaesthetist.
The competition started out with 17 students from high schools in St. James and the Montego Bay Community College, each representing a Parish Council Division, but at the eleventh hour, Apolonia Stainrod of Maldon High dropped out.
Judges Ornell Bedasse, Kaleith Solomon and Metty Scarlett-Jones had the task of grading the participants and deciding on the victors. They will have on their Junior Council Alecia Samuels, Rochelle Reid, Jermaine Campbell, David Williams, Carradine Bailey, Shakera Williams, Adrian Johnson, Shanieka Bennett, Franklyn Fenton, Mathew O'Connor, Khian Reid, Duhaje Jennings, Topazia Brown and Teyvonia Thomas.
In between presentations by the students on various community-related topics, the audience was entertained with the harmonious voices of the Cornwall College Boys Choir, led by Gregory Simms and three talented singers, namely Karl McFarlane, Pamela Lawrence and Natalie Hamilton, with Leighton Rodney ably accompanying on keyboard.
The three-hour long programme, chaired by Richard 'Barry' Solomon, was held for the first time in the Montego Bay Civic Centre and was supported by a gathering of teachers who acted as co-ordinators at their respective schools, other students, family members and senior councillors, including Deputy Mayor Cecil Davis.
Parish Council Secretary/Manager Christopher Powell, outgoing Junior Mayor Deroi Brown, Robert Hill of the Ministry of Local Government and Mayor Noel Donaldson were the dignitaries for the afternoon.
Among the student coordinators were Jacinth Brissett, Merdell Richards, Mary Blake, Yvonne Panther, Angella Allen, Debra Lee, Andrew McKay, Rose Hylton, Cornelius Henry, Valerie England, and Deloise Parchment.
