Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Donovan Stanberry (right), listens attentively as Michelle Sherwood (second right), senior plant protection officer at the Bodles Research Station, explains how to identify the different types of pests found on pumpkin plants. Looking on (from left) are: chief plant protection officer, Bodles, Dr Lisa Myers, and Don McGlashan, chief technical director at Bodles. The occasion was the official opening session for a one-week pest identi-fication/recognition training course, held on January 28 at the Bodles Research Station in Old Harbour, St Catherine.- JIS
WHITEHOUSE, Westmoreland:
Students, teachers and parents of the Culloden Early Childhood Institute are in a jubilant mood after receiving a donation of school supplies, valued at approximately $60,000, from Richard and Judy Windrof, retired educators from the United States, last Monday.
The well-appreciated donation, facilitated by Sandals Whitehouse European Village and Spa, includes puzzles, stuffed toys, hand puppets, building blocks, play hut, first aid supplies, batteries, safety scissors, big books and other stationery.
The Windrofs, who celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary this year, began their relationship with the Culloden Early Childhood Institute during their first vacation at Sandals Whitehouse in 2006.
During that visit, the school benefited from a donation of crayons, pencils and erasers. The visit was also an eye opener for the Windrofs. They realised there were many needed items that they had access to back home and immediately started planning a donation for their next vacation.
Families, friends and their church supported the effort.
more gifts
By early 2007, the Culloden Early Childhood Institute again benefited during the Windrofs' second vacation. On that occasion, they received supplies of specialised items (over 150 reading books, puzzles, felt boards and styrofoam sheets). During that visit, the Windrofs also identified additional needs.
Last Monday, the Culloden Early Childhood Institute family could not contain their emotions during the handover of the Windrofs' third consecutive donation in as many years.
Commenting on the support for the school, Lorna Bernard, a 32-year veteran teacher and founding member of the school, had only high praises for the donation. She said, "It's great getting needed items such as puzzles and numerals which support our present theme 'Travelling in and out of Our Community'."
Not surprisingly, principal of Culloden Early Childhood Institute, Janet Briggs, was overwhelmed. After a brief pause to catch her breath, she said: "It's great! It's fantastic! I am so excited! This means spending less on badly needed materials and more fun for students and teachers."
Richard and Judy look forward to their fourth visit at Sandals Whitehouse in 2009 when they will be donating to Culloden Early Childhood Institute all over again.
- Rayon Dyer
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Stolen computer found
SPRING VILLAGE, ST CATHERINE:
Residents in St Catherine are rejoicing after an unidentified person returned the computer, which was taken from the Spring Village Development Foundation office.
The computer, which is part of a network serving the foundation's administrative block, the information, communication and technology trainees at the training centre, as well as the wider community, was removed from the facility on January 8, the weekend just before classes resumed.
Persons broke into the building and removed a computer unit complete with monitor, CPU and keyboard.
The management of the Spring Village Development Foundation initiated a protest march, led by the skills-training department and including members of the community.
The unit was found in bushes adjacent to the foundation's office. However, the machine requires repairs.
The centre's management is preparing to effect the necessary repairs and is appealing for help.
- Arthur Green
Hospital gets medical supplies
OCHO RIOS, ST ANN:
Members of the Rotary Club of Ocho Rios presented a quantity of medical supplies and equipment, valued at approximately $1.7 million, to the St Ann's Bay Hospital on Thursday.
The gifts include three hand-held pulse oxi meters, 20 infrared thermometers, two defibrillators, one incubator, one vital-signs monitor, on 3100 with interp, one coagucheck XS and one Sigma 8000 Baxter infusion pump.
The handover ceremony took place at the St Ann's Bay Hospital where Senior Medical Officer Dr Horace Betton, accepted the presentation.
Dr Betton said the equipment would greatly assist in improving the standard of health care at the institution.
President of the Rotary Club of Ocho Rios, Claudia Carter, said the donation was made possible through assistance from the Rotary Club of Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Representative of the Rotary Club of Pinehurst, Douglas Moore, who was present with his wife Susan, said he was very pleased to be supporting a worthy cause.
- Devon Evans
St Ann police to reduce traffic accidents
OCHO RIOS, ST ANN:
Deputy Superintendent of Police Clifford Herron has said that the St Ann police would be working assiduously to ensure a reduction in the number of motor vehicle accidents in the parish.
Heron was speaking at a 'Drive for Life' workshop, which was held recently at the Eltham Community Centre in Ocho Rios.
The superintendent pointed out that safety measures had already been put in place in some areas of the parish and that plans were in the making to include such measures in other areas.
Gary Reid from the Oracabessa Taxi Association said he learnt a lot from the Drive for Life workshop.
The Drive for Life public education campaign is an initiative of the Road Safety Unit in the Ministry of Transport and Works. It seeks to reduce accidents on the roads by promoting defensive driving principles.
- JIS
Brigade embarks on fire prevention programme
HANOVER:
The high incidence of bush fires in the parish of Hanover during the dry season has prompted the Hanover division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade to embark on a major public education campaign.
This drive began in the middle of January. It aims to encourage residents of the parish to adopt good fire-safety practices.
According to acting divisional head of the Jamaica Fire Brigade in Hanover, Paul Hibbert, it is fast approaching the traditional dry season, which is usually characterised by several bush fires.
Hibbert explained that bush fires are perennial, and, "we have been advising persons by various means in order to see if we can get them to embrace good fire-safety practices. We have gone to farmers and their groups; we have made the announcement at parish council meetings; our fire-prevention officers are at schools, workplaces non-governmental organisations and other places reiterating that persons should desist from starting bush fires".
He said that the public education campaign would be carried out until April, the period in which most bush fires occurred in the parish.
- JIS
PIOJ urges Ja to exploit EPA
MONTEGO BAY, ST JAMES:
Director general of the Planning Institute of Jamaica, Dr Wesley Hughes, has called on the relevant regional institutions to immediately put systems in place to allow for the full exploitation of opportunities and benefits that will emanate from the economic partnership agreement (EPA).
He was addressing the opening of the Jamaica Stock Exchange's third annual regional conference on investments and capital markets on Tuesday at the Rose Hall Resort and Country Club in Montego Bay.
Dr Hughes spoke against the background of the recently signed EPA between the European Union and CARIFORUM countries in terms of the changes to take place, and the options and prospects that will be presented.
Stating that the Caribbean has the potential to succeed under the new agreement, Dr Hughes said that certain values and mindsets have to change, as unchanged, these could make the transformation process difficult.
These values, he said, include a tendency towards insularity, an aversion to competition and risk taking, the historic dominance of politics over economics in decisions relating to growth, and inefficient resource allocation.<
