Assistance for Deportees

Help has arrived for deported migrants sent back to Jamaica through the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), which seeks to assist in reintegration and helping them become productive members of the society.

“It is very difficult for these persons who are deported and are also drug abusers who have lived in a First World country for the greater portion of their lives to adjust to our lifestyle in Jamaica, they need to be re-socialized”, Sislyn Malcolm, national director of field services at NCDA revealed.

In a bid to rescue them from the grip of feeling lost and marginalize, she revealed that the NCDA initiated the Jamaica Reducing Re-offending Programme (JRRAP) in collaboration with the Ministry of National Security. The goal of this intervention Malcolm explained, “is not only to help deported migrants with a history of drug abuse but also ordinary deported individuals who do not have any relative or are not able to make contact with relatives.”

“We also assist in the reintegration and rehabilitation of substance abusers within this population, provide life coping skills to those who are deemed to be habitual drug users and abusers” she further added.  “It is hoped that this initiative will enable these individuals to successfully reintegrate into society and become responsible citizens”.

The programme is funded by UK-government and will come to an end in March 2011 after nine months since it was implemented. However, the national director of field services at NCDA is deeply concerned about the short run of this programme and hopes other countries will set in and play a role.

“While most of our deportees come from the UK, they also come from Canada and the US and if we are able to receive some assistance from these countries with regards to this programme we would be grateful,” Malcolm appealed.

Persons who wish to contact the National Council on Drug Abuse they can call a toll free number 1-888-991-4244 or text the word HELP to 564-3784.

Experiencing a piece of Paradise

Hundreds of international travel agents will converge in Jamaica each week for the next two months as apart of the tourism ministry’s campaign to reposition Jamaica as the ideal and safe destination to come for vacation.

“This is the start of a major programme to reposition Jamaica in the minds of our travel partners and travel agents.  2,000 travel agents coming on island over the next six to eight weeks. We are going to be bringing some 400 radio remotes that will be beaming from Jamaica to the various markets in the world” the tourism minister Edmund Bartlett revealed at the welcome party in Montego Bay at Sandals Cay over the weekend.

In light of the State of Emergency and the violent showdown between the police and criminals in West Kingston in May, which saw a decline in tourist arrivals for the months of May and June, Bartlett explained this thrust is a continuation of the ministry’s marketing campaign to rebrand Jamaica through visiting Europe and North America (where most of the tourist originate from).

This he argued is done in a bid to bring the overseas partners to Jamaica so they can have firsthand experience that the destination remains as strong and vibrant as before.

“The activities of May and June have all but evaporated and Jamaica is now a stronger and better destination because we were proactive in dealing with criminal activities and that we have made Jamaica safer and so they now can see the new developments in infrastructure that we have made that they never saw last year” Bartlett affirmed.

Already the tourism minister has charged that the rebranding efforts have reaped fruits as “we were able to totally erase the negative trends of May and June to have our July becoming the most strongest ever in history in terms of our arrivals. We also had the strongest August we’ve ever had with a growth of four percent and we have began September on a positive note”.

Paul Lewis carnal abuse trial continues

Come October 11 celebrated pastor Paul Lewis will know his fate as his carnal abuse and indecent assault trial continues at the Savannah La Mar Resident Magistrate Court in Westmorland, Jamaica.

The case against celebrated pastor Paul Lewis took a dramatic twist in the Savannah La Mar Resident Magistrate Court at the last hearing in September as his lawyers challenged the validity of the forensic evidence that was submitted by the prosecution.

Lewis, who is facing carnal abuse and indecent assault charges, was granted bail in the sum of $300,000 with surety. It is he alleged that the renowned minister of religion sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl.

"Paul Lewis feels that it is nothing short of a travesty of justice that the matter has been sent to the next sitting of the Circuit court” an obviously upset attorney-at-law Keith Bishop representing the pastor revealed following the ruling by judge.

“All of us as defense counsel made no case submissions. It's important to point out that an important element of carnal abuse is penetration, there's no evidence of penetration and the judge still commits the matter to Circuit” Bishop charged.

The United States-based pastor, who has a massive following both locally and overseas through his The Messengers For Christ Ministries World Healing Centre ministry looked very dejected during recess. A teary eyed and remorseful looking pastor Lewis sought comfort from a friend who came to support him at his trial.

The lawyer further argued that why the defense believes the matter should be thrown out is that the complaint retracted the statement of indecent assault, something attorney-at-law Bishop was not taken into consideration by the judge.

“We were denied statements from the forensic expert and we do not know to what extend the judge might have relied on those forensic evidence to determine whether or not this case should go forward. We believe that what has gone forward is an extremely weak case and we are appalled and disappointed that the matter has been committed to trial” Bishop said in light of the turn in events.

Allegations against the pastor are that in June, he met the 15-year-old at a convention in Little London, Westmoreland, where he was a guest preacher. He reportedly exchanged telephone numbers with the girl and, in a subsequent meeting, took her and a 14-year-old female companion with him on a trip to Clarendon. On their return to Westmoreland, the girls stayed with him at his Negril hotel. It was during that night that the alleged sexual encounter took place as her companion watched.

Persons became suspicious when they saw the pastor with the girls and alerted the police. Lewis was subsequently arrested and charged based on statements from the girls.

Excellence above all

From police officers to a lecturer at the University of the West Indies the SOS Children’s Village Jamaica recognized success through their awards ceremony at Round Hill Resort and Villas.

“We are celebrating excellence. There are a number of individuals who grew up in the SOS family and despite early challenges in life; they have made a successful transition into independent living and making a meaningful contribution in society” the national director for the SOS Children’s Village Jamaica Gregory Wint, explained during the awards ceremony.

The SOS Children’s Village Jamaica honoured 17 individuals who have now moved on to be employed in the financial, education, security and hospitality sector.

According to Wint it is important to recognize their excellence in a bid to inspire other children in similar circumstances to do just as well.

“We have committed staffs that are really devoted to these children who see these children as their own and that is what we expect of the mothers and I think that the family- oriented model that we have is very unique” the national director for the SOS Children’s Village Jamaica explained when asked what is their recipe for success.

Michael Sutherland, an employee at the National Commercial Bank was once a child as SOS Children’s Village and gave a warm reflection of his life at the facility that he credits to his success today.

“The loved they showed and are still showing me is one to emulate. Some may beg to differ but being at the SOS Children’s Village Jamaica was a privilege and opportunity in disguise. Not many children in the society can attest what a family is even though we are not biological related I am blessed to have been there” Sutherland noted.

He added that over that he has learnt that being a leader is better than a follower and it was through the lessons that he learnt at the home that he applied in his daily life.

The SOS Children’s Village Jamaica was founded in 1970 by Dr. Harland Hastings, John Rollins and Heinz Simonitsch.

Burning problem in MoBay!

With the absence of a fireboat, shortage of protective gear, limited personnel and the absence of a refilling plant breathing apparatus the St. James Fire Department is having a difficulty meeting its obligations.

 

Serving a population of just over 184,854 in St. James, the fire department continues operate with a meager contingent of just 174 personnel. In addition, only eight of 13 fire-fighting unit are in working condition.

 

With their proposed new home at Barnett Street still an empty lot, and its other locations below par frustration and discomfort is arguably the primary features facing the parish’s firefighters.

 

“We are really having some challenges,” said a despondent Dolfin Doeman, the acting superintendent in charge of the St. James Fire Department.

 

“We just have to looked at each problem and work through it”.

 

As it relates to the shortage of staff, “what we have had to do is to rotate staff, giving persons additional hours to work” Doeman revealed.

 

In a bid to address the lack of a breathing apparatus refilling plant, the fire department have had to solicit the services of private companies which is proven to be quite expensive.

 

Following the April 2 (Good Friday) fire, which destroyed a section of the Barnett Street Police Station, Montego Bay’s Mayor Councillor, Charles Sinclair lashed out at the shortcomings of a fire station for the city.

 

“The absence of a fire station in Montego Bay right now the fire department operates from different locations which is unfair to the persons who have respond to fires. You can’t have a part of the fire department on Fort Street and one at Freeport, that don’t mek any sense. I’m calling on the Minister Robert Montague and the prime minister to honour the reconstruction of a fire station for Montego Bay,” the mayor stressed.

 

According to deputy commissioner Neil Findlay with responsibility for administration at the Jamaica Fire Brigade it will cost over $200 million to construct the proposed new fire headquarters on Barnett Street.   Money from the Tourism Enhancement Fund was earmarked for the purchase of a fireboat to protect the tourism capital’s marine coast however there is still no fireboat.

Clean up the filth of crime in Jamaica

“We are going to clean up the crime in Jamaica” Finance Minister Audley Shaw stated which continues to stifle the prospects of new investment in Jamaica.

The recent stand off between the police and armed criminals in West Kingston some three weeks ago that reaped havoc on the country’s image internationally, is the not the kind of portrait which readily attracts investors and the Minister of Finance is well aware of this.

“In recent days we have sent a signal, that we are going to be totally intolerable with the levels of crime that has be going on for far too long” Shaw said at the official opening of the 30 th annual Caribbean Insurance Conference at Ritz Carlton Golf and Spa Resort in Montego Bay.

“It’s going to be a multifaceted approach,” the minister charged, “so that no community is left behind and that self-appointed crime lords do not set up themselves as mayors and prime ministers within communities. That can’t work …regardless of the political consequences!”

The formal and informal commerce in downtown Kingston suffered heavily in the aftermath of the May 24 raid into Tivoli Gardens to served an arrest warrant to Michael Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke for his extradition. Coke, the reputed 'area don' for West Kingston, is wanted by the United States for drug running and gun smuggling.

“We are country that have far too much potential, we have too much capacity for success for growth to allow a few hundred misguided people to hold the country to ransom. The time has come for the change!” Shaw stated unapologetically to the group of business professionals.

The Insurance Association of the Caribbean is hosting its 30th annual Caribbean Insurance Conference, which is the platform for professionals in the insurance industry. Operating under the theme “What Lies Ahead” the conference will run from June 13-15. Approximately 500 delegates from Europe and North America and other territories in South America and the Caribbean were present at the conference.

Tourism stakeholders fuming

 “We are too small and too poor a country” Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association president Wayne Cummings said in reference to the continued practice of government dividing the Jamaica’s tourism product across  various state agencies.

Addressing hoteliers and other stakeholders within the hospitality industry at the JHTA’s 49^th annual general meeting at the Half Moon Conference Centre, Cumming discussed the dismal figures of cruise ship arrivals which was partly due to the Port Authority of Jamaica’s ability to package and market this aspect of tourism.

“I said it before and I will say it again, we are too small and too poor a country to be splitting the tourism product across ministries and agencies. With the best will in the world the Port Authority does   not have the machinery to leverage the tourism marketing spend to convert it sufficiently for it to make sense”, the JHTA president echoed.

He has therefore summoned the government to place cruise tourism back into the Ministry of Tourism and for it to be marketed by the Jamaica Tourist Board. As there has been no policy statement from the Ministry of Transport and Works that “convinces us that Jamaica is anytime soon going to speak directly to cruise vacationers, convincing them that we love them as much as stop over guests”.

On the other hand, Montego Bay and Jamaica at large’s continued surge in criminal activities and improprieties did not escape the wrath of the JHTA president.

"While Jamaica has had major challenges with crime and violence through its independent
history, the last 30 years have provided the most prolific example of what not to do
when the State unofficially provides support for criminal enterprise for political gains"

As the tourism capital of Jamaica and the second city, Montego Bay has recorded over 100 murders since the start of the year. The city is also the epicenter of the notorious lottery scam.

"Sadly we are nor faced with independently powerful camps that are exacting dominance and
jungle justice as show of force to protect their ill-gotten gains" Cummings continued,
the JHTA reiterates that the continued growth of the sector and other legal productive ventures
are at real risk".

Saluting a stalwart

The passion of art for Leslie ‘Ted’ Williams has subdued his drive to continue working within the financial sector as he retired from the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) after 38 years of stellar service.

“Over the years it has been an absolutely wonderful experience, I have met very many characters” Williams expressed at his Farewell Dinner at the Montego Bay Yacht Club.

Although this affable financial whiz and artist contributed to the success of JNBS, throughout his tenure Williams confessed that never aspired to accumulate great wealth as many would have thought.

“After being with a financial institution for such a long time, I have never developed the affinity for money, which means that when I should have spent a lot of time garnering it I spent the time saying ‘Just being on earth, just fulfilling myself was adequate’. I have also said I never wanted to be rich because I have never seen a rich artist produce work of substance” the retiree and artist noted in his address.

Williams continues to produce masterpieces in paintings and sculptures and as for whether the decision to pursue wealth over art ever came to his mind he jokingly said “I want my own punishment as an artist so I can’t hide under the shelter of being with a financial organization”. Nonetheless, he does not regret his time spent at JNBS and the people he has had the opportunity to work with.

General manager for JNBS Earl Jarrett was heartened by the unyielding support that Williams have offered during his tenure at the bank.

“Ted represents one of the finest examples of dedication and unswerving contribution to JNBS. As an associate his coworker s commend him for his stewardship and deem him to be a font of wisdom and a man of compassion” Jarrett said of Williams who retired as a senior regional manager at JNBS.

In his closing remarks he wished Williams success in his future endevours and “we are proud to honour you, we wish you continued success as you express yourself through art”.

Negril is on top...AGAIN

The unique charm of Negril in Westmoreland has secured a place in the hearts of travelers who placed the tourism destination in several categories of the Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice 2010 Best Destinations.

Widely touted as one of the world’s largest and renowned travel sites, the Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice 2010 Best Destinations gave travelers the opportunity to rate their favourite destination in different categories.

For the Top 10 Romance Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico and Top 10 Relaxation & Spa Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico, Negril was at number four respectively.   In the category of Beach & Sun Destinations in the World, Negril was placed seventh out of ten other destinations in the world. Top 25 Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico they were number 21 and in the Top 10 Nightlife Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico, Negril was eighth.

According to Evelyn Smith, chairperson for the Negril Chapter of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Negril’s variety of small, medium and large properties coupled with its unique product offering contributed to their success.

“We try to engage a variety of travel options. For Negril 85 percent of the properties small entities (fewer than 100 rooms) and therefore this offers a very intimate environment that is heavily driven on guest services” she explained.

In addition, Smith quipped that the annual Appleton Dream Weekend held during the Independence weekend is one of the factors why Negril has secured a spot on the Trip Advisor’s Top 10 Nightlife Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico.

She noted that their niche market of boutique options for spa has also played a role in Negril copping an award in the Top 10 Relaxation & Spa Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico.

Nonetheless, the JHTA chairperson stressed the importance of continuing this momentum through “our small properties becoming more e-savvy by using blogs and social site to keep the buzz out there about Negril”.

Among the other Jamaican tourist destinations that were awarded are:

Ocho Rios

Top 25 Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico: Ranked at 10

Top 10 Relaxation & Spa Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico: 10

Montego Bay

Top 10 Family Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico: 9^th

Top 25 Destinations in the Caribbean & Mexico: rank 23^rd 

110 year-old strong

Reading her Daily Bread devotional flawlessly without the assistance of eyewear, 110-year-old Violet Mosses Brown has discovered the secret to living a long and happy life without some of the ills associated with old age.

"Honour your mother and father so your days may be long," the affable centenarian said, referring to the Ten Commandments, as she credited her respect for family, life and people in general, as well as a lot of hard work when she was younger, for helping her lead a fruitful life.

"Really and truly, when people ask what me eat and drink to live so long, I say to them that I eat everything, except pork and chicken, and I don't drink rum and dem tings. You know, sometimes I ask myself, 'Am I really 110 years old?' because I don't feel like 110," she added, smiling.

Though less active nowadays, Brown boasts she is able to make her bed in the mornings, but her 89-year-old son and grandson who live with her do not allow her to do much. She has no major illness, and her inability to hear well doesn't affect her much.

Born March 4, 1900, Brown vividly remembers the days when she had to walk three miles barefooted to fetch water and be home in time to go to school by 9 a.m.

"I tell you, these young people these days have it easy - piped water, taxis and buses to bring them where they want to go, everything to their convenience. When I was younger, and even as an adult, I had to work so hard that sometimes when I look back, I cry at how hard I had to work to make a living for my family," Brown, a one-time dressmaker, domestic helper and farmer, reminisced.

Resident in the western Jamaica town of Duanvale, Trelawny, Brown enjoys reading and is still able to effortlessly recite a poem she learnt while attending elementary school a century ago. Listening to music, practising shorthand and typing are among her hobbies, she said, but pride of place goes to her unwavering contribution to the Church, which is her greatest joy.

"I love the Church," Brown told The Gleaner . "I have been baptised since I was 13 years old and I have over 50 years of staunch contribution to the Church," she said animatedly, showing off a plaque she received from the Trelawny Baptist Association when she was 107 years old.

Keeping the Strip alive

Jamaicans are the ones keeping jerk vendors like Victor ‘Brown Man’ Grigg’s afloat along the Hip Strip in Montego Bay in the absence of visitors who are few in numbers since the closure of several resorts along the area.

Busily preparing his chicken and festivals for his nightly customers Brown Man as his customers call him, took an opportunity to explain how he has had to marshal the support of Jamaicans in order to remain economically viable during this period.

“Our thing is done at nights we use to start at 7p.m. and run right back until when the parties are over in the mornings but now start at 10 p.m. so as not to compete with some of the restaurants. We as jerk vendors now cater to our own local partygoers because the tourist support is hardly there anymore. So right now we affi mek sure that our ting well seasoned and spicy to suite our Jamaicans” he revealed.

For this jerk vendor who has been catering to the appetites of local and international customers for the past five years, has watched tourist support declined gradually over that period. This Brown Man calculated as “90 percent or more of the business now comes from locals, if we are lucky the next 10 percent of less is what we get from tourist who may just walk by or drive by the Hip Strip. Di ting is not what it used to be like but our own his helping us to remain in business”.

Meanwhile, after 25 years of selling crafts along the Hip Strip in Montego Bay, Raymond Smith has never seen such dismal outlook that now seems define the area which is lack of a vibrant atmosphere and few tourists.

“Back in the days when the hotels were open and the area was buzzing you didn’t even have to call a visitor over to buy your stuff, they would just see and buy, all stores along the strip were more unified, everyone looked out for each other” he smiled. But no so these days, it is every man for his or herself in the tourism business he affirmed.

Smith alluded to the fact that had it not been for the renowned Doctor’s Cave Beach and Aqua Sol Theme Park along the Hip Strip that continues to attract tourist, things may have been ever worse “probably we wouldn’t even have any tourist a walk by now given the fact that these hotels lock shop. Thank God fi di few that remain open” he stated. “The hip gone outta di Hip Strip, right now a so so foot” he joked.

Yam Packaging facility for Trelawny

The yam-producing parish of Trelawny can now boast a J$16 million yam packaging facility which the Ministry of Agriculture refurbished in a bid to boost employment and agriculture within the parish.

According to the Minister of Agriculture Christopher Tufton, the facility comes at a time when Jamaica has increased its production in yam since 2008 and continues to service international markets with this food item.

"In 2009 we exported J$1.5 billion worth of yams which underscores the need to provide infrastructure and support to yam farmers across the island. In that same year 124,000 tonnes of yams was produce which is a 20 percent increase when compared to 2008" Min. Tufton revealed at the official launch of the Wait-A-Yam
House in Wait-A-Bit, Trelawny recently.

In keeping with the government' thrust to enter into partnerships with private sector investors, the Yam Packaging Facility was leased to Sure Jamaica Export Limited (an exporting company which trades in Jamaican fresh produce and processed foods to the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom).

He further added of all the yam producing parishes in Jamaica, Trelawny ranks the highest "and this facility was appropriately placed as it will service farmers in Manchester, Clarendon and Trelawny". 

Chief executive officer for the Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA) Al Powell encouraged the gathering of yam farmers that more attention has to be paid to the production and marketing of the product as the competition is not only local but international.

"The landscape is such that we are now competing with farmers in South and Central America so it is timely for us to boost our agriculture production and that's why RADA is here to offer you year round technical support" Powell noted.

The facility will serve as a collection point for yam produced for local and export markets in Trelawny and surrounding area. Sure Jamaica Exports Limited intends to ship approximately 29,000 boxes of yellow yam from this new facility in the first year with the intention of 18,000 boxes within five years

Service Stations as taxi stands

Gas stations are the latest hub for drop off and pick up points for several taxi operators in Montego Bay which placing a strain on the multimillion dollar traffic management system recently implemented. 

Three critical areas where gas stations are located in downtown Montego Bay and where taxi operators illegally operate from they are Union Street, St. James Street and Barnett Street according to communications and customer service manager for the National Works Agency (NWA) Stephen Shaw. 

“We have a serious challenge with these areas being used as taxi stands and parking. It leads to the system not functioning as it should” he lamented. He remarked that while high traffic areas such as supermarkets and gas stations will present an obstacle in the flow of traffic, it is the lack of discipline that is reaping havoc on the traffic management system.

The traffic management system for Montego Bay was financed to the tune of J$55 million by the Tourism Enhancement Fund and was activated in November of 2009. 

Head of the National Council of Taxi Association and the St. James Taxi Association Dion Chance sided with the NWA noting that the practice “is illegal".

"But is compounded the passengers who refuse to use the designated taxi and bus park as stipulated by the Transport Authority. There are taxi operators who use the designated facility but the passengers are not going there so it results in taxi operators having to go back on the road to pick up commuter”Chance explained. Nevertheless, he blames the Jamaica Constabulary Force for the failed attempt to enforcement.  

“What is needed” Chance argued “is a more proactive and sustained type enforcement by members of the JCF which would then force the passengers to use the designated facilities. What is happening now is selective enforcement where only some areas are policed and that will not solved the problem we are now facing”.

However, assistant commissioner in charge of operations at the Area One Police Division Paul Ferguson charged that the practice of selective enforcement is frowned upon by the police hierarchy.

He added that “our enforcement with the traffic situation in Montego Bay continues to be a work in progress. I admit that much more can be done to curb the problem and the issue of selective enforcement is not something we encourage. Nevertheless, we are working the Transport Authority and the parish council to address the traffic flow problems caused by taxi operators”.

Carnival of orchids

The vibrant business of horticulture within western Jamaica will continue to showcase its prowess through the Montego Bay Orchid Club’s annual Orchid Show slated for this Saturday (Feb.27) .

According to Dew Hastings, member of the Montego Bay Orchid Club who is organizing the event explained that this year promises to be educational and family orientated which will be hosted at Upstream Sports Bar and Grill in Porto Bello, Montego Bay.

Operating under the theme of 'Carnival of Orchid' “We will be providing educational services on orchid for the public whether you are an orchid owner or not. We have also incorporated for the first time a kiddies area where persons can bring their children and enjoy a nice family day out” Hastings noted.

With only J$400 as admission, she emphasized that a portion of the funds collected upon entry will go towards assisting students at the Montego Bay High School who are unable afford fees associated with external exams and the school’s feeding programme.

As the 19th staging of the Orchid Show the organizers are promises to be a fun filled event where individuals will have the opportunity to win prizes courtesy of Digicel and Margaritaville.

Members of the Jamaica Orchid Society will be judging the various orchids on display. In addition, there will be orchid owners journeying from across the island to display new and exotic orchids for the first time. There are currently 30 members of the Montego Bay Orchid Club.

Applying the pressure on homeowners

With 10 court orders and several stop notices on residential dwellings, the Mayor of Savannah-la-mar Bertel Moore is intent on making sure the buildings in Westmoreland are safe and within the parish council’s building regulation.

“There are several areas that we have noticed that have buildings that are in violation of our building codes. Two building officers and the municipal police are on the street inspecting buildings” Moore assured.

The mayor’s arguments came against the backdrop of the devastating earthquake which hit Hati on January 12 of this year where over 200,000 died most of whom were trapped beneath buildings which crumbled. Most of the buildings were not properly constructed with little or no steel.

He added that “our building officers have the responsibility to go out when a building is being started to ensure that the buildings are built properly so if an earthquake hits it doesn’t have the same effect as it did on Haiti”.

The no nonsense mayor charged that persons can be fined from $25,000 to up a $1 million if the fail to comply with the parish council’s building codes. Over the past three weeks the Westmoreland Parish Council has ramped up the efforts to ensure that buildings being constructed are done within the requisite codes.  Most of the structures that are in question he revealed were residential buildings and while some persons have begun to comply others were issued court orders because of repeated warnings through stop orders.

President of the Haiti-Jamaica Society Myrtha Desulme Haitian explained during a monthly meeting at the Westmoreland Parish Council that in a bid to rebuild Hati, the people must be mindful of the quality of the constructions as most of the buildings which collapsed did not have enough steel or in some cases none at all.

The earthquake she says can be considered as hope for the rebuilding of Haiti. “We must see this as an opportunity to build a new Haiti. We don’t want to build back the same dysfunctional system which existed before the earthquake,” she said.

Strip losing its Hip

With the closure of seven hotels along the popular Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue) in Montego Bay the once robust tourist area is almost a ghost town now with less visitors flowing into the area to shop.

 

Close observation of the activities along the Hip Strip during the day there is a meager influx of tourist coming from the remaining hotels (Doctor’s Cave Beach Hotel, Decameron Resort, Montego Bay Club, Wexford Hotel, Toby Resort, Sandals Inn and Altamont West Hotel) on Gloucester Avenue and the cruise ships, many window shopping but are not buying.

 

Since November of last year the former Breezes Montego Bay locked shop and the owners, NCB Foundation has still not found a new tenant. Gloucestershire, another resort on the strip has been closed for over a year. Two neighbouring properties Casa Blanca and the Fantasy Resort and Sea Garden Resort (which has become known as Montego Bay’s white elephant) also remains closed. Coral Cliff Hotel has been closed and the once popular Buccaneer Inn is a now house university student.

 

On a visit to the strip a group of visitors walked pass a store where the owner ushered them a smile and asked “care to take a look here” as he points to his store but they only looked then shaked their heads as an indication of saying no.   Such rejection is something they are all too familiar with and which they all have in common.

 

With more sellers than buyer, merchants are feeling the pinch as more and more the amount of customers dwindle and some are not able to pay their shop rent at times because of this slow in business.

 

 “The hotel closures over the years have affected us real bad, I mean you have fewer and fewer visitors and customers and this is just one day, its everyday” according to Praksh Ghamnani and Kumar of the Hip Strip store along Gloucester Avenue

 

Kumar revealed that what compounds the problem even further is the fact that the major tourism shopping centres have indirectly lured the tourists away from the Hip Strip through various strategies they have employed.

 

“Places like the City Centre Shopping Centre and the Shoppes of Rose Hall they can afford to advertise on the cruise ships, we on the Hip Strip can’t afford advertise on the ships so you find that we get bypassed. Also, they offer guests free shuttle services from the hotels to their centres to shop, so the few we get are the ones walking along the strip” the frustrated merchant revealed.

 

Another store owner Sunut Punjabi of Strawberry’s mentioned that “survival is the key with the closure of these hotels as there are fewer customers. But what I have done is to up my customer service and promotions within the respective hotels and through word a mouth to make sure that whatever customers that is out there gets the best of what we have to offer”.

 

After years of closure, Vista Ambassador will reopen its door in May this year.

 

The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) is trying to revive the area to its former glory through infrastructure and branding of the area. One such project according to TEF chairman Godfrey Dyer is the recreational park at the Old Hospital Site that is being refurbished at a cost of J $30 million.

 

“It is a lot of soft work that will be done there landscaping and such not a lot of concrete will be there. Work started there two weeks before Christmas by the UDC (Urban Development Commission) and it should take six months to be completed. It will be very nice that Jamaicans and tourist alike can enjoy once it is finished” Dyer stated.

 

He added that that another J$30 million plan to theme the Hip Strip area (from Pier One-Dead End) has been done and is now for the UDC and the Development Council in Parliament to sign off on this particular plan.

 

 

 

Major shopping village for MoBay

Montego Bay is not intent on being classed only as the tourism mecca but is securing its position as the ideal place to do business with the inclusion of the billion-dollar multifaceted shopping complex along the Rose Hall main road.

Known as Whitter Village, the construction cost US$40 million (or J$1.2 billion) and took just under two years to be completed. The brainchild of local developers Joe and Angella Whitter, the vision was to create the ideal convenience stop for business, shopping, food and entertainment. With the construction of the multi-million dollar convention centre in Montego Bay, this is a welcomed addition to assert the second city as a business hub according to the president of Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lloyd B. Smith during a tour of the village.

“Apart from being a facility that provides dining, entertainment and different types of shopping facilities, it will give Montego Bay an enhancement that it desperately needs at this time” Smith charged

He further commended the entrepreneurs for their vision and business aptitude in developing this project without the scandals that are normally associated to these mega constructions.

The architecture, which features a magnificent Village Square highlighted by a landmark Clock Tower, evokes the nostalgia and ambience of a traditional Jamaican village and was designed by one of one of Jamaica’s leading architects Clifton Yap.  According to Yap “the trend in development around the world is to develop complete town centres, where people live, work and play. That’s what we hope to achieve in the long term”. He further argued that any local investor putting up that amount of investment shows commitment and foresight and they should be supported for that. “I can’t think of any local investor who would put up that kind of investment without assistance from the government.”

The Whitter Village Centre is the first phase of a comprehensive development plan for the 15 ½ acre site. The next phase will include the construction of offices and living space to create the ideal town-centre where people can work, shop and socialize within their communities.

Major housing project for Trelawny

One of Jamaica’s poorest parishes, Trelawny will be given an opportunity to improve their standard of living through the groundbreaking housing project launched in the district of Tilson in Trelawny.

According to the chairman of the National Housing Trust (NHT) Howard Mitchell “Trelawny is a wonderful parish, it is beautiful here but it is also a poor parish. Most of our people cannot afford the houses will build and this is a reality, but there need to be solutions and this (the housing project) is a solution”.

The National Housing Trust in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Housing did the groundbreaking development for 288 service lots in the community. With several developments on stream for the parish Trelawny, the demand for housing will soon increase and the NHT and Water and Housing has taken a proactive approach to prevent squatting when such developments are completed.

“Developments are taking place in Trelawny, they are good developments and we welcome them, but unless housing in Trelawny is given first priority, these developments will actually work to your detriment” Mitchell warned as he encouraged stakeholders and residents to organize themselves in offering affordable housing solutions for the parish.

The development is also apart of NHT’s efforts to provide housing solutions for sugar workers across Jamaica. This, as approximately 50 percent of the lots in Tilson, Trelawny will be sold to workers from the Hampden Estate while the remainder will be made available to NHT contributors in the wider population.

Member of Parliament for North Trelawny, Dr. Patrick Harris concurred that such proactive move towards development must become apart of Jamaica’s political landscape if the country is to reduce the habitual practices of squatting.

“It is not fashionable in our present political culture, to plan long term, it is not fashionable to look at orderly development but in this area we have planned it and we are now in the process of executing those plans” Dr. Harris confessed. He further added that with this move to encourage orderly development it will facilitate wealth creation for the beneficiaries and the society at large.

Experience history at its best

The historic Accompong Town in St. Elizabeth seeks to boost its community tourism effort through cultural activities such as their annual Accompong Maroon Celebrations which draws hundreds of international visitors each year.

This year's celebration on January 6th saw marked improvement in terms of the flow of activities throughout the day and night affair. Persons from as far as England, Canada, United States of America and even from Kenya in Africa attended the major calendar event in St. Elizabeth.

As a measure to raise funds towards the community’s development, each visitor had to pay an admission fee to enter the celebrations, which was absent at previous celebrations. Colonel Ferron Williams said some of the gate receipts will be used to fund a new education fund, and another portion will be used to partially finance a Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) student and a Grade Nine Achievement Test (GNAT) student within the community.

The annual Accompong Maroon Celebrations is celebrated on January 6 to commemorate the birthday of their former leader Kojo. Kojo fought with the British for 60 years before the signing of a Peace Treaty in 1738.

The celebration begins with the trumpeting of the abeng horn, summoning all the Maroons to assemble like they did over 250 years ago. The Abeng Horn is an old powder horn adapted from its use for carrying musket powder to an instrument used to communicate with Maroons over many miles in the Cockpit terrain.