Late
reggae singer and cultural icon, Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert, joins a
select list of distinguished Jamaicans who have been laid to rest within the
hallowed walls of the National Heroes Park in Kingston.
Toots Hibbert – 1942-2020
He died at the
University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) in St Andrew on September 11 at
age 77, after a bout of illness.
On hand to witness the interment
and bid farewell to Mr. Hibbert on Sunday (November 15) were: Minister of
Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange; his widow, Doreen
Hibbert, and family members, as well as friends and well-wishers.
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Sunday’s ceremony featured musical
tributes from well-known members of the local entertainment fraternity, among
them: saxophonist, Dean Fraser; performing arts company, Nexxus; drummer, Bogo
Herman; and singer, Demario McDowell.
The tributes also
included several medleys of Mr. Hibbert’s vast musical repertoire.
The act of committal was undertaken
by Pastor of Fellowship Tabernacle in Kingston, Rev. Merrick ‘Al’ Miller, and
Dr. Carlene Davis.
In an interview with JIS News,
Minister Grange said Mr. Hibbert stood out as one of Jamaica’s most outstanding
singers, songwriters, performers, patriots, and loyalists, while describing him
as a countryman “who was true to his roots”.
“He
embodies everything that you would look for in a true Jamaican of African
descent. You couldn’t find a warmer person, more loving individual, and a
better human being,” she shared, noting that Jamaica and the world will miss
his unique sound.
“His music is a treasure chest. His
performance is something else. No-one else can perform like Toots. We have some
great artistes, we have some great performers and songwriters. But there is
just nobody like Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert… and I will say that over and over
and over again without apology,” she added.
Ms. Grange urged his family to
honour the name of the cultural icon who has performed outstandingly over the
years.
“He loved everyone and his family has a
responsibility to show that warmth and appreciation to each other and to others
who are not family,” she said.
The Minister commended the medical
team at the University Hospital of the West Indies who attended to Mr. Hibbert
after he fell ill and was admitted.
“I just want to commend them for
all the attention they gave him and all the work that they are doing to keep
other Jamaicans alive and to have them survive this COVID-19 pandemic,” she
said.
Dean Fraser, who spoke with JIS
News, described Mr. Hibbert as “one of the real superstars out of Jamaica”.
“His vocal ability was huge… better
than the rest; and this is a real loss which can’t be replaced,” he shared.
Rev.
Miller said Jamaica has lost an icon who has served Jamaica well, noting that
“he means so much to so many of us all around the world”.
“Let us not just look at the loss; it
is real, it is part of the journey of life. But remember Toots [as] the daddy,
the husband, the brother, the friend who you knew, and remember him for who he
is… and give thanks for his contribution to life,” he said
Mr. Hibbert’s
group, Toots and the Maytals, which was formed in the 1960s, was pivotal in
birthing, shaping and popularising Reggae music.
The group’s 1968
single, ‘Do the Reggay’, was the first song to use the word ‘Reggae’, which led
to the genre’s naming and their subsequent introduction of the music form to a
global audience.
Other popular
songs by the group include ‘Monkey Man’, ‘Pressure Drop’, ‘Sweet and Dandy’, and
‘Bam’.
The latter two singles
are among the three that propelled the group to the National Festival Song
titles during the competition’s formative years, between 1966 and 1972.
The group topped
the inaugural competition in 1966, with ‘Bam-Bam’, and replicated the feat in
1969 with ‘Sweet & Dandy’, and 1972 with ‘Pomps & Pride’.
Toots and the
Maytals returned to the competition, which became their signature stomping
ground, 48 years after their last triumph to participate in the 2020 edition with
their entry ‘Rise up Jamaica’, which was among the 10 finalists.
Among the other
notable accolades the group earned were: the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Reggae
Album with ‘True Love’, while Mr. Hibbert was recognised by the Government in
2012 with the Order of Jamaica for his contribution to Jamaica’s music.
Mr. Hibbert was
laid to rest beside another globally-acclaimed Jamaica icon, the undisputed ‘Crown
Prince of Reggae’, singer – Dennis Emanuel Brown.
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PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: When Wal Registre started his career at Beaches Turks and Caicos (BTC) on October 25, 1997 as a bartender, little did he know that 25 years after, he would have risen to the post of payroll administrator within the same organisation.
The Raymond Gardiner High School graduate was always good at accounting and mathematics and had the dream of excelling in the hospitality industry in an area that would best fit his passion and academic strength.
Having been promoted to bar supervisor in 1999, Wal’s vision for growth was still active as he recognised that being a team member at Beaches Turks and Caicos would allow him to excel beyond his comfort zone. Following the completion of a number of courses with the Sandals Corporate University (SCU), he transitioned to the Cost Control unit in the Accounting Department as the cost control clerk.
Wal pointed out that his ability to grow within the company was largely due to his commitment to excellence. The SCU courses that were offered gave him the added training needed to build on what he was able to learn on the job and from his mentors.
“At BTC, training is very important to each employee. There are many opportunities for professional development and with the guidance from the Learning and Development team, and the leaders within the company, team members can truly grow,” Registre added.
One of Wal’s colleagues, Janet King, noted, “Wal’s commitment serves as an example to every team member here. His ability to grow from an entry level position to where he is now shows that everyone can succeed once they put their minds to it.”
While expressing his commitment to his profession, Wal’s dedication and discipline are traits that he values and chooses to pass on to those he leads. In sharing his advice to younger professionals seeking to enter the industry, he noted, “this organisation believes in quality work life balance that will allow each team member valuable time with family. This period helps me to maintain a bond with my family and explore the world. Training within this company is available for everyone and the ability to grow professionally is dependent on each person having the right attitude to grow.”
Release: BTC
Photo Captions
Header:Wal Registre, Payroll Administrator at Beaches Turks and Caicos makes final checks as he goes through documents at his desk at the resort
Insert: Anna Francis, Accountant in the Finance department at Beaches Turks and Caicos and Wal Registre, Payroll Administrator at the resort pause from discussing work related items to smile for the camera
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands – Parents and students from the Special Education Unit at the Thelma Lightbourne Primary School were recently recognized by the Beaches Turks and Caicos team during a special session at the institution as part of autism awareness activities.
Children’s Activities Manager Fedeline Julien shared, “educating students, parents, teachers and other adults about the best practices of dealing with children with autism is needed especially in our homes and schools. Children who are autistic do things differently and should be treated with patience and care.”
Robin Cox Foster, principal of the school said, “the partnership between Beaches Turks and Caicos and our school is always welcome. As the only resort on island that is an autism certified centre, they were readily available to share with our students and their parents. The involvement of the Sesame Street character, the presentations from the Kids Camp team to the parents allowed those present to appreciate their roles in being change agents for autism.”
Caring for a child with special needs was highlighted as an opportunity to create a closer bond between child and parent/caregivers.
Walter Moore, who has a son on the spectrum shared, “being able to deal with the many challenges of a special needs child will assist parents in being more patient and creative in how they care for a child. My son and I are best friends. He is comfortable talking with me about anything and I have to learn how to respect his likes and dislikes and create an environment that makes him happy.”
Beaches Turks and Caicos’ Kids Camp is an Advanced Certified Autism Centre which ensures that team members have the required knowledge, skills, temperament, and expertise to cater to all children. The resort offers age-specific programmes for infants, toddlers, pre-teens and teens.
Release: BTC
Photo Captions:
Header: Tanya Swann (left), Director of Sales, Groups and Conventions at Beaches Turks and Caicos introduces the team of volunteers who were present while Robin Cox-Foster, school principal looks on
1st Insert: Walter Moore (left) Beaches Turks and Caicos team member shares a moment with his son (right) and Sesame Street character Sesame Street
2nd Insert: Some members of the Beaches Turks and Caicos Sandals Foundation team share a moment at the Thelma Lightbourne Primary School during a presentation to the institution
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. 1 June 2023. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) joins the Caribbean Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians (CANDi) and countries in the Caribbean region in commemorating Caribbean Nutrition Day (1 June) and Caribbean Nutrition Awareness Month (June) 2023.
Caribbean Nutrition Day and Awareness Month are annual regional nutrition education and information campaigns that aim to promote healthy eating and active living in populations using a promotion-based approach. To kick-start the month, Caribbean Nutrition Day will be observed under the theme: “Let’s Nourish to Flourish…Your Mental Health Matters.” It was first celebrated on 1 June 2004 and became a month-long observance in response to the growing recognition of nutrition in disease prevention and health promotion. Caribbean Nutrition Awareness Month provides an opportunity to promote and encourage health seeking behaviours on a range of topics and across multiple sections of the population.
“CARPHA has planned a series of activities to commemorate these campaigns, and to raise awareness of the importance of nutrition. This includes the launch of a Diabetes Nutritional Management Toolkit. A social media campaign will also be rolled out to engage the public on nutrition and mental health and nutritional management of NCDs in the region,” said Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at CARPHA.
The observance of Caribbean Nutrition Day originated from the former Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI); one of five institutions subsumed under the Caribbean Public Health Agency.
Events scheduled include:
Fifth Meeting of the CARPHA Six Point Policy Package (6-PPP) Inter-Agency Technical Committee (ITC) on Monday 12 June 2023.
The 6-point policy packageis a framework instituted in 2017 to promote healthier food environments and food security to address childhood obesity (and non-communicable diseases) through joint policy action. The 6-PPP includes policy recommendations to address: (1) Food Labelling; (2) Nutrition Standards and Guidelines for Schools and other Institutions; (3) Food Marketing; (4) Nutritional Quality of Food Supply; (5) Trade and Fiscal Policies; and (6) Food Chain Incentives. The ITC comprises of CARICOM institutions and other agencies with responsibility for economic and social sectors to collectively monitor and coordinate the implementation of the 6-PPP.
Webinar to launch the Diabetes Nutritional Management Toolkit on Tuesday 13 June 2023.
The toolkit – comprising of booklets, posters, flyer and recipes for both the health care professional and person with diabetes – will standardise the nutritional management of diabetes in primary care in the Caribbean. The toolkit was developed in 2022 following a Rapid Needs Assessment of Nutrition Services in primary health care in a representative 10 Member States. This initiative was funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) through the CARPHA-led project “Strengthening Strategic Intelligence and Partnership Approaches to Prevent and Control NCDs and Strengthen Regional Health Security in the Caribbean”.
CARPHA will also disseminate an article “Nutrition for Good Mental Health”. The article will highlight the essential role nutrition (nutrients) play in the functioning of the nervous system and key elements of the diet to ensure good mental health.
We encourage persons to follow CARPHA’s social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram – for updates and pertinent information on nutrition for good mental health and NCDs management.
CARPHA will also be supporting its Member States in their celebration of Caribbean Nutrition Day and Awareness Month.