Tashieka Mair, Gleaner Writer WESTERN BUREAU: THE CARIBBEAN Institute of Technology (CIT) at Cazoumar Free Zone, Montego Bay, launched its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Week, as a part of its seventh anniversary celebrations, on Wednesday.
The planned activities will commence on Sunday, February 5, with a church service at the Calvary Baptist Church, Montego Bay, under the theme, 'Caribbean Institute of Technology: changing lives, impacting industries, building a nation'.
On Tuesday, February 7, there will be an open house session at CIT where principals, teachers and guidance councillors nationwide will view the operations of the
institution.
The main event of the week will be an information technology exposition at the Montego Bay Civic Centre, on February 8, the institution's anniversary. Participants at the exposition will demonstrate the use of technology in their organisations. The expo begins at 9 a.m.
Maurice McNaughton, chairman of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica's information technology committee, and Jim Smith, president of the Lavell Group, will be the guest presenters. Guest speakers will include Phillip Paulwell, Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, and His Worship Noel Donaldson, Mayor of Montego Bay.
PLANNED ACTIVITIES
The week of activities will see the launch of the technology training of
trainers programme, and the Jamaica Outsourcers Association, which is a partnership of Cazoumar Free Zone and the information technology companies in western Jamaica.
Eight schools in western Jamaica are slated to take part in a quiz and a debate competition on the knowledge of information technology. The top information technology student in western Jamaica will be presented with an award.
Michael duQuesnay, chief executive
officer at the Government's central executive information office and guest speaker at the launch, said that Jamaica is leading its Caribbean counterparts in terms of its advancement in technology. He said that the country had come a long way because of the advancement in technology, which had made life much easier for many Jamaicans.
Mr. duQuesnay said, "Jamaica is the envy of the Caribbean in terms of information technology. And even though we could be doing better, we are in a better position than we were in years past."
Ocho Rios, ST. ANN
Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach and Villa Resort celebrates its first anniversary next week, starting tomorrow with a church service at the St. John's Anglican Church hall, in Ocho Rios.
Other activities planned throughout the week are a luncheon for the police officers from Area Two headquarters and the Ocho Rios Police Station, an anniversary beach party and concert, the first anniversary Sandals Signature guests' dinner party, and a treat for the wards and staff at Windsor Girls' Home.
On Thursday, there is the anniversary and staff birthday party at Big Yard between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Music will be spun by Kronic Supreme. Team members born in December and January will receive special birthday tokens.
The week culminates next Friday with the crowning of Mr. and Mrs. Sandals Grande Ocho Rios.
Contributed
Port Maria, ST. MARY
The residents of the St. Mary Infirmary, which is located in Port Maria, will have more regular hot meals as the infirmary now has a spanking new
six-burner industrial stove,
courtesy of Mayor Robert Montague and his supportive councillors.
Funding for the stove came from proceeds of the Mayor's Ball, which was held last December. The mayor also stated that further contributions of an industrial washer and a solar water heater would be made soon.
Beaches Boscobel also made a substantial contribution to the purchase of the industrial stove.
Lisia Lynch
Old Harbour, ST. CATHERINE
A comprehensive development plan for the Old Harbour Bay fishing village in St. Catherine should become available for stakeholders' and public scrutiny by mid-February. This was announced by Michael Morris, secretary/manager of the St. Catherine Parish Council, at the recent opening ceremony of a safety exposition, in Old Harbour.
Mr. Morris pointed out that the St. Catherine Parish Development Committee would be doing the development plan, and passing it over to the Ministry of Health and National Environment and Planning Agency for their comments and advice.
JIS
Sp Town, ST. CATHERINE
The Spanish Town Hospital in St. Catherine has received a grant of $3.9 million from the National Health Fund, for the purchase of a new fresh-air conditioning system for its operating theatre.
The installation of the new-40 ton, 100 per cent fresh-air conditioning unit will significantly enhance the institution's ability to provide emergency surgery, reduce waiting time for elective surgery, and maintain the
appropriate sterile conditions necessary to ensure successful post-operative outcomes. The new unit will also reduce the high maintenance costs that are now necessary to keep the old unit in operation.
Contributed
Ocho Rios, ST. ANN
The St. Ann Parish Library network honoured 14 retirees who gave 10-41 years of service to that institution. They were feted last Sunday, at the Almond Tree Restaurant in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, at an appreciation luncheon organised by the St. Ann Parish Library Committee.
The following are the names of the awardees and their years of service in parentheses: Joshua Campbell (41), Muriel Francis Morris (36), Delrose Mott (33), Edith Maud Henry (32), Etta Barnes (31), Mavis Stephenson (31), Dorothy Samuels (29), Louise Smith (27), Evis Stennett (26), Theodore Shaw (20), Louet Tulloch (18), Elizabeth Johns (14), Cordel Walters (11) and Roslyn Fisher (10).
Devon Evans
Walderston, MANCHESTER
Popular Manchester nurse, Elaine Clarke, died on Monday afternoon, at the Percy Junor Hospital in the parish, an institution she served for over 26 years. Ms. Clarke first served as a basic school teacher at Walderston for five years before entering the nursing profession, which she served for more than 32 years.
Nurse Clarke will be buried
in the cemetery at Mizpah Moravian Church, next Saturday, following a thanksgiving
service.
She is survived by four children, one sister, three brothers, eight grandchildren, other relatives, and many friends.
Byron McDaniel
Holland, ST. ELIZABETH
Holland Bamboo Avenue, in St Elizabeth, has been given a 'facelift' with over 70 per cent of the avenue now cleaned and pruned. New bamboo roots have been planted and all the existing roots fertilised in this the completed first phase of the rehabilitation project.
The work, which began in November 2005, is a combined effort of the Tourism Product Development Company Limited, the National Environment and Planning Agency and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Contributed
Martha Brae, TRELAWNY
Rehabilitation and expansion work has been completed at the National Water Commission's water treatment plant at Martha Brae, Trelawny.
The improved facilities are to serve Martha Brae and adjoining communities, especially Harmony Cove, one of the venues for Cricket World Cup 2007.
