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‘Amazing Dads’ documentary miniseries launched in Jamaica

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#Jamaica, October 23, 2017 – Kingston – The Bureau of Gender Affairs in partnership with Men of God Against Violence and Abuse (MoGAVA), AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and the Management Institute for National Development (MIND), have launched a new miniseries titled ‘Amazing Dads’ which aims to promote positive stories about fathers in Jamaica and mobilise men to be productive members of society.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Hon. Olivia Grange, who has portfolio responsibility for the Bureau, attended the launch, which was held at MIND on Old Hope Road in St. Andrew on Friday, October 20, during which she recommitted to supporting the initiative.

The concept of Amazing Dads was developed by members of MoGAVA, which is a faith-based organisation that primarily seeks to empower men to become productive citizens.

According to Ms. Grange, when the concept of the miniseries was introduced to her by MoGAVA earlier this year, she readily endorsed its development and implementation.

“The Amazing Dads miniseries is a well-needed platform to highlight the positive roles of men, notably, our Jamaican fathers.   There are many amazing stories of fathers who have gone above the call of duty for their children and their family’s well-being, despite challenging circumstances,” she added.

The Minister said she is hopeful that positive messages about Jamaican fathers will be broadcast, so that other persons who need motivation to become positive male role models will be inspired.

“These stories are not always highlighted to remind us of how important fathers are, and that good fathers do exist. For this, I commend Reverend Jayson Downer and his creative team for conceptualising the idea of Amazing Dads. I wish to commend the Bureau and their continued support and partnership with men groups such as MoGAVA. I also wish to highlight the partnership of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which is providing developmental support to this initiative,” she said.

Ms. Grange noted that some of the goals of Amazing Dads are consistent with those of the special service desk for men that was established in the Bureau of Gender Affairs in April 2016.  This followed Cabinet’s approval for the name of the Bureau of Women’s Affairs to be changed to the Bureau of Gender Affairs.

“It (the desk) serves as a central point to provide sensitisation and awareness on a range of issues affecting men and boys.   These include parenting, health, education, the role of men in the elimination of violence against women, among others.   It also focuses on policy, research, gender-sensitive training to develop leadership and promote responsible male behaviour and attitudes”.

The desk also serves to forge partnerships with men’s groups and other key stakeholders to heighten awareness on specific issues faced by men and boys.

In the background information on Amazing Dads, which President and Founder, MoGAVA, Reverend Jayson Downer, shared with those present, it stated, “Amazing Dads is a public education programme that seeks to highlight men and their positive role as parents in the Jamaican society.   The programme will be in the form of a televised miniseries, which aims to document the importance of fathering, dispel the cultural myth that fathers are ‘wutliss’ and, perhaps, most importantly, demonstrate how Jamaican fathers can be actively involved in the growth and development of their child/children amidst challenges”.

It further stated, “Amazing Dads also aims to reiterate the positive roles that men play in society, being mentors and guiding both younger males and other fathers.   Fathers of exemplary character will be interviewed to share their role played in their child/children’s lives and the influence it has on their child/children’s behaviour.   The interviewer will take a journey in the lives of these fathers, interviewing other family members, friends, members of the community and, in some cases, their child/children, in an effort to get a wholesome view of fathering”.

MoGAVA has implemented several initiatives with men and boys throughout Jamaica, with one of the programmes being ‘Fathering Behind Bars’.

Fathering Behind Bars aims to assist men who have been incarcerated, through sensitisation sessions, empowerment and capacity building, to develop as better men, despite previous mistakes.    Additionally, it is intended to motivate fathers behind bars to continue playing an active role in the lives of their child/children, and help to restore hope.

Release: JIS

 

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New Tilapia Hatchery Slated for Completion Later This Year

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#Kingston, Jamaica, March 27, 2024 – The new tilapia hatchery under construction in Twickenham Park, St. Catherine, is slated for completion towards the end of 2024.

The 12,000 sq. ft. facility, being built at a cost of approximately $574 million, is intended to address the major issue of shortages in good-quality seed stock for fish farmers islandwide.

Manager for the Promoting Community-based Climate Resilience in the Fisheries Sector Project, Selena Ledgister, says the hatchery’s establishment is critical for securing a sustainable fisheries sector.

“Construction is on in earnest and we are looking before the year is out – which would be by around September or October – to complete the building part of it. The Project will be supporting the purchase and installation of the recirculating aquaculture system. This system will provide over five million advanced fries (young fish) per year, using the recirculating aquaculture system,” she told JIS News.

The bio-secure climate-resilient modular hatchery, being developed in partnership with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), will feature a solar standby generator, plumbing system, rehabilitated guard host and administrative building.

Mrs. Ledgister said the hatchery, to be built and operated under environmentally friendly conditions, will impact the lives of fish farmers islandwide.

“I believe we have over 120 aquaculture farmers, and that number is growing; so, this will benefit the industry significantly. The hatchery is also expected to cushion the demand for fish. Fish farmers will also get the supply of advanced fries to restock their ponds. This is a significant impact that the Climate Resilience Project, as well as JSIF, will be creating for the Jamaican fish farmers,” she said.

 

Contact: Twila Wheelan

Release: JIS

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Trust Fund for Poor Children Born On or After August 6, 2022

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#Kingston, Jamaica, March 27, 2024 – Children born on or after the 60th anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence, who are wards of the State or beneficiaries of the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), will be eligible for the Jamaica 60 HOPE (Hope, Opportunity, Prosperity and Empowerment) For Children Trust Fund.

Jamaica celebrated its Diamond Jubilee on August 6, 2022.

In his contribution to the 2024/25 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 21, Prime Minister, the Most. Hon. Andrew Holness, said the purpose of the Fund is to help to close the wealth gap and address the issue of intergenerational poverty by creating a trust account specifically catered to vulnerable children.

“The HOPE for Children Trust Fund will provide each eligible child with a long-term savings account funded through annual contributions from the Government. Parents, guardians or other donors will also be able to make deposits into the account for the future benefit of any specific child,” Mr. Holness said.

The accumulated funds, including interest, will be accessible on or after the child’s 18th birthday, for specific purposes such as education, purchase of a home or commercial property or investment in a business.

“The central idea behind the programme is to provide children with a lump sum to start them in life upon attaining adulthood. Our initial target is a lump sum of between $600,000 and $800,000, to be available on the 18th birthday of any eligible child,” Mr. Holness said.

He noted that the Government will also explore alternatives to establish and manage the Fund, adding that it could form part of the National Insurance Fund or be administered by private insurance companies.

“This is, I believe, a ground-breaking initiative to truly grapple with inequality in the society. From a historical perspective, there are many households who have no endowment in Jamaica, meaning that they can’t look towards anything bequeathed to them from their family. There is no asset being passed down to them from generation. The only way that they are able to create any wealth is through their labour, through the dint of their effort – literally pulling themselves up by their bootstraps,” Mr. Holness said.

The Prime Minister emphasised that as the economy grows, the Government has a responsibility to take instrumental and decisive steps to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and correct structural inequalities.

“The intention here is great, the amount may be considered small, but it is the first step in the right direction to truly create a more equitable society,” Mr. Holness said.

 

Contact: Judana Murphy

Release: JIS

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Port Royal Museum to Open in May

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#Kingston, Jamaica, March 26, 2024 – The long-awaited Port Royal Museum is expected to be opened in May of this year, with the first exhibit set to be unveiled at the event.

Construction of the two-storey facility, which will be the first fit-for-purpose museum erected in Jamaica, was done at a cost of $788 million with funding from the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ).

Major work on the building was completed in December 2023, with finishing touches and furnishings left to be done.

Director of the National Museum Jamaica (NMJ), Dr. Jonathan Greenland, told JIS News in an interview that the new museum will replace the older and much smaller facility at Fort Charles.

“It didn’t touch all the subject areas… so we lobbied for the Port Authority to collaborate with us and develop a museum in Port Royal, and so they’ve actually constructed a huge building with restaurant facilities, lots of parking, multifunctional space and meeting rooms, shops and everything that a modern museum should have,” he said.

The museum will also be fully accessible to members of the disabled community with wheelchair ramps and an elevator.

Dr. Greenland added that the location of the museum is also of notable significance to the history of the sunken city.

“Right on the spot where the museum is going to be, there was a rebellion of the enslaved workers from the dockyard. The leader of the rebellion or uprising was a skilled bricklayer and when you look at the walls around the whole area where the dockyard used to be, he was probably involved in building that,” he said.

He further pointed out that the museum will present a new opportunity for the NMJ to attract even more visitors and facilitate cultural tourism.

“We’re very excited…. and you know Port Royal is a very interesting place and the history is fascinating. We always had loads of visitors from all around the world without doing any marketing whatsoever, and this is going to be a whole different level of merchandising, marketing and tourism. This is fascinating history and it’s going to be quite dramatic,” Dr. Greenland told JIS News.

 

Contact : Jermi-Lee Nelson

Release : JIS

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