Dorothy Brown (left), executive assistant/training coordinator at the Jamaica Broilers Group, and Nicole Marshall-Walker (centre), group public relations and training officer, bring Christmas cheer to Hyacinth Collins, resident of the McCooks Pen community, during a Christmas treat on Wednesday. Each year Jamaica Broilers Group treats adults and children from communities in which the company operates to refreshments and gifts, including care baskets of basic food items and chicken, as well as toys and books. - Contributed
Mustard Seed to feed 4,500
Kingston and St. Andrew:
Mustard Seed Communities will continue its 12-year tradition of delivering food and toys to inner-city children and golden-agers on Christmas Day.
This year, the treat will benefit 4,500 residents in communities from Seivwright Gardens to Rema, as trucks travelling in convoy make stops in approximately 10 communities along the way.
The convoy departs Mustard Seed Communities at Mahoe Drive in Seivwright Gardens at 8:30 a.m. and will travel to Hagley Park Road, Heroes Circle, St. William Grant Park, Southside, Tel Aviv, Rema, Riverton City and Olympic Way.
More than 200 civil society volunteers will assist with the preparation and delivery of food.
The Jamaica Defence Force, which has participated in the project since its inception, will once again assist in the preparation of 2,500 food packages and also maintain order along the route.
- Contributed
Police to improve security for Christmas
Highgate, St. Mary:
The St. Mary police will be implementing a number of measures during the Christmas and New Year's holidays to improve security and ensure the orderly use of roadways in Port Maria and other major towns in the parish.
Deputy Superintendent Devon Field, the officer in charge of operations at the Port Maria Police Station, said the measures include increased foot and mobile patrols, additional deployment of plain-clothes policemen and increased monitoring of motorists on the roads.
He said other towns in which measures would be implemented were Highgate, Annotto Bay and Gayle, adding that the police would also be giving safety tips to business persons and other persons carrying large sums of cash.
He pointed out that the police would also be monitoring vendors in the towns to ensure they conduct their business in a manner, which was orderly and not obstructive to the public.
- JIS
'Spruce Up Jamaica' rolls into Portland
PORT ANTONIO, PORTLAND:
A total of $6 million is being spent to implement the Port Antonio leg of the 'Spruce Up Jamaica' clean-up and beautification campaign.
Nellie Walker, chairman of the Port Antonio Resort Board, said the work, which got under way earlier this month, involves the trimming of verges, bushing of sidewalks, pruning of trees, painting of buildings, removal of derelict vehicles and other unsightly objects, and the marking and remarking of street signs.
She noted that the work was concentrated in Bryan's Bay, Foreshore Road, Allan Avenue and in the town centre. Garbage bins, Ms. Walker said, would be placed at various locations to facilitate proper garbage disposal.
The clean-up activities are being conducted in collaboration with the Portland Chamber of Commerce, with support from the police, the Social Development Commission, the Portland Health Department and the Portland Fire Brigade.
Ms. Walker, in the meantime, said that a programme is being embarked on to sensitise the public about the importance of the campaign, and to encourage their participation by keeping their homes and business places clean.
- JIS
Scholarships awarded to teachers, families
MAY PEN, CLARENDON:
The Teachers Income Protector (TIP), a friendly society that promotes the development of teachers and their families, has awarded $70,000 to seven Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) students in Clarendon and Manchester.
At the awards ceremony, held recently at the group's Mandeville office, marketing officer, Camille Morrison, said the gesture was one way of giving back to members and contributing to their children's education.
"We started this move five years ago and this year, 26 students across the island were awarded $10,000 each," said Ms. Morrison.
She said four of this year's awardees will next year receive an additional $10,000 for top performances at their respective secondary schools.
In addition to GSAT students, the group will be giving 10 teachers in tertiary institutions scholarships valuing $60,000 each.
- JIS
Mount Rosser classrooms reopened
MOUNT ROSSER, ST. CATHERINE:
A refurbished block of classrooms and a computer laboratory were reopened on Tuesday at the Mount Rosser Primary and Infant School in St. Catherine.
The school, which was established in 1963, currently has 146 primary students, 21 children in the infant department and five teachers.
The work was facilitated by a gift of Cdn$2,000 from the late Mavis Wilson-Lumsden, who bequeathed the money to the school.
Principal of the school, Webster G. Whittaker, said the money was used to enclose the open classrooms.
"Rain, wind and vandals were always disturbing students, teachers and the teaching aids in those rooms," he said.
He said the computer centre, which cost over $800,000, was also sponsored in part by Kenneth Smith, son of Ewarton resident, Grace Smith.
- JIS
