Garvey celebrations in St Ann
published:
Saturday | August 9, 2008
Bust of Jamaica's first national hero, Hon Marcus Garvey, at the Small Businesses Association of Jamaica secretariat on Trafalgar Road in St Andrew - File
OCHO RIOS, ST ANN:
The St Ann Homecoming and Heritage Committee is planning to host its fourth annual banquet at the Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach and Villa Resort on August 16.
As in the past, the committee will honour outstanding citizens - two sons and one daughter of St Ann - who have distinguished themselves either here in Jamaica or abroad.
The awardeees are Reverend Neville Callam, general secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, Karl James, chairman of the Sugar Association of the Caribbean and general manager of Jamaica Cane Product Sales, and distinguished daughter and keynote speaker for the evening, Dr Yvonne Graham, who is deputy borough president of Brooklyn, New York.
Proceeds from the banquet will support the establishment and maintenance of the Marcus Garvey resource Centre that will be housed in the soon-to-be-completed second floor of the St Ann Parish Library, St Ann's Bay.
The committee, in collaboration with the St Ann's Bay Baptist Church, will also hold a special thanksgiving service on the following day, beginning at 9 a.m., at the church on Market Street.
The gathering will also celebrate the 121st anniversary of the birth of the Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey. A celebratory luncheon at Liberty Hill Great House in Lime Hall, St Ann, will immediately follow the service. Contribution is $1,200 per person, and further information can be obtained by calling 972-5441or 428-2231.
- Contributed
Portmore toearn its way
PORTMORE, ST CATHERINE:
Mayor of Portmore Keith Hinds has said his administration would be working to ensure that the Portmore Municipal Council develop into "an income-earning municipality."
Speaking at the Portmore Municipal Council Independence flag-raising and civic ccremony, held on Independence Day on the grounds of the Portmore Pines Plaza, the mayor said the municipality was planning to open a small business complex.
Reporting on his recent visit to the city of Hampstead in Long Island, New York, where he was honoured by its mayor, Hinds said that the city council promised to donate a new fire truck to Portmore. There were also plans to twin the city of Hampstead with Portmore.
Additionally, he said, Hampstead's fire department has offered to train six firefighters from the Portmore fire division.
Before the official ceremony, there was a parade which comprised uniformed groups, such as firefighters from the St Catherine Division, the Pathfinders Portmore Federation of Adventist Youths and the St Catherine South Inter-Schools Brigade.
- JIS
Orders for cheap fertiliser this week
ST ANDREW:
Minister of Agriculture Dr Christopher Tufton has said the first order of 8,000 tonnes of fertiliser would be made this week, at a cost of $300 million.
He pointed out that the Government intends to monitor the distribution, to ensure that farmers benefit from the best possible prices, and as such, the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce would handle the importation and distribution.
Meanwhile, Dr Tufton announced that at the fifth extraordinary PetroCaribe summit held in Venezuela, recently, President Hugo Chavez had given Jamaica a discount of 40 per cent on the prevailing market price on urea, based on an agreement that this discount is passed on to the farmers. Urea is only one of four raw materials that makes fertiliser, and only those blends with a significant percentage of urea will benefit in an appreciable way.
- JIS
Free clinic for communities
MAY PEN, CLARENDON:
On Tuesday, the Kellits New Testament Church of God, Clarendon, will host a free health clinic starting at 10 a.m.
Residents of this and surrounding communities will be offered services such as, pap smears for cervical cancer; tests for blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar using the glucometer; ECG tests for the heart and screening for eye problems.
Foot care will also be available for diabetics, as well as mammograms for breast cancer.
Representatives from the National Health Fund will be on hand to enrol persons 60 years and over for the Jamaica Drug for the Elderly card.
- Contributed
'St Bess' teachers lauded for dedicated service
BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth:
As part of its independence week of activities, the Barbary Hall Primary School Alumni honoured nine educators who have served the school with distinction.
They were hailed for their dedication to the classroom at a ceremony held at Elton New Gardens Lawn, Barbary Hall, St Elizabeth.
Before that, members of the association painted the school, replaced the piping, as well as carried out other beautification projects. The ceremony was held on Wednesday, August 6.
Doing more
Representative of the Florida chapter of the alumni, Richard Hynds, said a lot was put into organising the ceremony for the teachers who had given from 16 up to as many as 54 years of dedicated service. He said that the chapter would be doing more to have other teachers who served the institution recognised for their contribution.
"It is a great feeling to have together in one sitting some of the teachers who were the early pioneers in education in this community, and to be honouring them for their work is more than a joy," said Hynds.
Kenneth Brown, president of the alumni's local chapter, said the recipients had done well for the educational development of the community and had established an irreplaceable foundation and the school community was proud of that legacy.
"To carry out our various projects, we host raffles, parties and the kind donations from our overseas chapter have also helped. It is also through the assistance of the community that we have been able to make the money to fund most of what we have done," said Brown.
Encouragement
Delivering the main address, regional mental health officer, psychiatric nurse, Marica Mullings-Barrett, encouraged those retiring to make use of those years and to do things that would keep them active and healthy.
She recommended that retired teachers become involved with service clubs and make some contribution to voluntary community work.
