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Jamaicans Attend Independence Service In Washington

Published

8 years ago

August 5, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 4 (JIS): Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica turned out in large numbers on Sunday,
August 2, at Howard University’s Dumbarton Chapel for a service of Thanksgiving, in celebration of Jamaica’s 53rd anniversary of independence.

The annual church service, which is the centrepiece of the Embassy of Jamaica’s commemorative activities, was attended by a capacity audience, which included members of the Jamaican community in the Washington metropolitan area, Baltimore and Richmond, Virginia.

Also in attendance were several members of the Washington Diplomatic Corps, along with a strong contingent of CARICOM Ambassadors as well as representatives of international organisations in Washington.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson-Miller, in her message read by Charge d’Affaires at the Jamaican Embassy, Marsha Coore-Lobban, said that independence 53 provides for Jamaica and Jamaicans at home and in the Diaspora, a timely moment for reflection.

“At this juncture in our history and development, as a nation and people, we reflect on the road we have travelled, the significant social, economic and political advances we have made and the challenges we have encountered and overcome,” she said.

The Prime Minister said that amidst the celebrations, “we should ponder the developmental challenges that remain and fashion strategies and approaches to mobilize the nation to surmount them.”

Mrs. Simpson Miller pointed out that the nation’s resolve to face the future with confidence, is strengthened by the many successes in the past, and that one of the proudest and most enduring achievements has been the country’s exemplary democratic tradition that has stand the test of time.

She said that Jamaica’s mature democracy continues to guarantee the people important social, economic, political and religious freedoms that have now been enshrined in a charter of fundamental rights and freedom anchored in the Constitution of Jamaica.

“It is on this time-honoured achievement that we stand today to proclaim our independence theme this year, ‘Proud and Free, Jamaica 53’, said the Prime Minister.

Delivering the sermon, General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance,
Rev. Dr. Neville Callam, recalled that after 131 years, without a gun being fired, the Jamaican people were emancipated.

“Today, we strive to live into the reality of our emancipation and independence by continuing the fight for freedom from mental slavery and other deleterious consequences of negative developments in our history,” proclaimed the General Secretary.

He said that in spite of the many challenges the people of Jamaica face, “we are encouraged by the signs of hope that dot the landscape of Jamaica’s contemporary history.”

The former pastor of the Tarrant Baptist church said “we should also consider the way we have preserved a liberal democratic ethos in Jamaica,” noting that people of many nations could learn much from the way “our elections are conducted.”

He listed some of the country’s achievements to include the exploits of the sporting stars – Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Brigitte Foster-Hylton.

Rev. Callam also recalled the performances of the Sunshine Girls and the Reggae Boys on the netball and football fields, respectively; and the amazing developments in the arts and in medical research.

Lessons were read by Senator Shirley Natham-Pulliam of the Maryland Senate; Jacob Phillips, who represented the young in the Diaspora, and Colonel Jacqueline Payne Borden, President of the Washington based Jamaica Nationals Association. The gospel reading was done by Dr. Milton Morris.

The service was officiated by Jamaican Theologian and Dean of the School of Divinity at Howard University, Dr. Bertram Melbourne, assisted by Rev. Sylvia McDonald Kaufman, one of the Pastors at the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel.

The offering at the service will benefit the Portland Infirmary and Bellevue Hospital.

Following the church service, a reception was hosted by Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Jamaica, Marsha Coore-Lobban.

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Deandrea S Hamilton

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Register of Interests of the Members of the House of Assembly

Published

4 days ago

September 29, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Integrity Commission advises that the Register of Interests for Members of the Turks and Caicos Islands House of Assembly, as at 31st December 2022 has been completed.

Members of the House of Assembly are required by the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution, Section 103(2), and the Integrity Commission Ordinance (the Ordinance), as amended, Section 52(1), to file with the Commission, Statements of Registrable Interests. The Commission would, therefore, like to inform members of the public that, it has compiled the information contained in these Statements of Registrable Interests and has produced The Register of Interests 2022 for the Members of the House of Assembly, as at 31st December 2022.

The Register of Interests 2022 is now available for public inspection at the following locations:

House of Assembly in Grand Turk
Office of the Premier – Grand Turk and Providenciales
Office of the Integrity Commission – Grand Turk and Providenciales (during the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm from Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 4:00pm on Fridays.)
Office of the District Commissioner – Middle Caicos, North Caicos, Salt Cay and South Caicos.

The Register can be viewed at these locations during normal working hours or at a time that is convenient for the respective offices.

For further information or any assistance please contact the Integrity Commission:

By telephone at: 946-1941(Grand Turk Office) or 941-7847 (Providenciales Office) By e-mail at: secretary@integritycommission.tc or info@integritycommission.tc

Bahamas News

Grand Bahama to be CARGO HUB, as Bahamas & Qatar ink MOU

Published

4 days ago

September 29, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, September 29, 2023 – With moves to deepen ties, governments of The Bahamas and Qatar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to solidify agreements in principle surrounding the development of aviation and other related services.

This is according to Chester Cooper, The Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation in a Facebook post.

This comes after The Bahamas Government in a press release on September 24th, revealed that Cooper, was set to meet with the head of Qatar Airways to have talks regarding “multiple mutually beneficial aviation opportunities for both countries.”

The release also said the deputy prime minister and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investment and Aviation are working on “forging strategic partnerships with several Middle Eastern countries to strengthen ties to The Bahamas and the Caribbean,” and this new signing is indicative of such efforts.

Following the September 25th signing, on September 27th, Kenneth Romer, Deputy Director General of Tourism for The Bahamas informed via Facebook some details of the agreement saying, “we have now established a framework for cooperation and formed strategic partnerships with Qatar Airways, Qatar’s Transport, Aviation and Investment Agencies and The Qatar Aeronautical Academy, that will benefit our country.”

Regarding further efforts for the improvement of The Bahamas, Cooper announced on Facebook again on Tuesday September 26th that both countries are working to make Nassau a passenger hub for Latin America and the Caribbean adding that talks are being held for Grand Bahama as a cargo hub.

Additionally, as the press release informed, Cooper is preparing for an on ground visit of Bahamasair domestic operations by Qatar Airways Technical team sometime in October.

Caribbean News

Guyana to build regional food hub

Published

4 days ago

September 29, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#Guyana, September 29, 2023 – Guyana is making moves to become the primary food production center for the Caribbean, going ahead with plans to develop a USD$14 million regional food hub.

In fact, as reported by the Observer, the facility has already been identified on the country’s Soesdyke /Linden Highway.

Guyana seems to really want this to become a reality and Zulfikar Mustapha, Agriculture Minister, expressed this, highlighting what Guyana has over its Caribbean sister Islands.

“We want Guyana to be the food hub, the primary production hub of the Caribbean so that we could supply the Caribbean. What we have, our colleagues in the Caribbean don’t have. We have arable flat land and abundant fresh water,” he said, adding that with the multi-million dollar US investment, the country can, “modernise the infrastructure, and start ramping up the productions.”

Also, the Agriculture Minister pointed out that the project is geared to make for a more competitive local Agriculture industry as well as developing high-yielding varieties, pest-resistant and climate-resilient varieties.

Additionally, in the facility’s development, Guyana, Mustapha said, will work with Belize.

In fact, with more on Belize’s involvement, Dr. Ashni Singh, Finance Minister, informed that the Government is in talks with the Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley about sourcing inputs from northern Brazil and transporting them through Guyana to Barbados and vice versa.

Singh also reportedly revealed that the project will help develop the growing logistics industry in Guyana.

Considering regional food import cost, with this development, Guyana is the leading Caribbean Community country pushing ahead with plans to reduce the multi-billion dollar regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, the Observer says.