11 am Monday - Haiti Update from FFTP

MON 18 JAN 2010 - Update on Haiti operations from Food for the Poor 

11 AM
http://www.lynn.edu/alert
Update on the Lynn University Students.  For the most recent and up to date information please look at this link and website. 

Crews are still working at the Hotel Montana to locate everyone. They saved the coowner of the Hotel Montana Sat night, Nadine Cardozo, she was pulled out of the rubble and is fine.

 

FFP has arranged aircraft shipments into PAP coming from Jamaica consisting of bottled water and from FL medical supplies, water and food.  Fed Ex and Spirit Airlines is helping with this process and the shipments arrived last night into PAP and is now in our warehouse in PAP. We thank Fed Ex and Spirit airlines for assisting us with these shipments.

FFP Fl is also sending container shipments into Cap Haitien, the North part of Haiti. We will be inundating the North with supplies of Food, Water and Medicine to handle all of the people that will be inundating the area.

The Jamaica Defense Force is housed at our office complex in PAP of approximately 150 defense force.  They will use our trucks and facility to offer us massive security.  We offer many thanks to Jamaica. The Jamaican civil engineer team are helping to assess all of our programs and assist with fixing structural engineer of buildings.

Liony and Team from the DR are acquiring all wood, cement and building materials to truck over from the DR to our office in PAP with a team to help with the construction of securing our building. "Operation Revive Haiti" is the name of this mission.  They will also bring over fuel, medicine and water from the DR.

Leann Chong our Dir of Missions/Travel has flown back to FL and is in Melbourne FL receiving treatment at a hospital. Leann will be on NPR radio tonight.  Here is the link to the promo. It can be heard in South Florida at 8 p.m. on WLRN 91.3 out of Miami. http://thestory.org

HCA Hospitals across the country are coordinating medical supply donations to FFP.

We have been told that Leogane city is 80% destroyed and that Jacmel and Miragon are in a terrible condition.

All secondary roads near PAP Haiti are blocked from rubble.

When I speak to our people on the ground they state that the situation in Haiti is 100 times worse than what you are seeing on TV.

We are using twice the amount of fuel for our generators due to no electricity at this time.  Our water cisterns that we operate are full and we have approximately 40,000 gallons available at our warehouse.

A group of Lebanese businessmen sent on a Middle Eastern Airline a plane load of 1000 tents and 3 Tons of Milk Powder and 3 Tons of IV Solutions to FFP to distribute.

Our Creative Team is still in Haiti and some others from our office in FL who are trying to help with the situation. Mr Daniel Rouzier, our Chairman of the Board for FFP-Haiti along with other board members are involved with the operations and trying to help assist Mrs Kareen Dolce our Executive Director of FFP-Haiti.  They are all doing a tremendous job.

Our offices are working around the clock to coordinate everything and I would like to thank everyone for their hard work.  They have issued a 6 pm curfew for PAP Haiti.

Our Feeding center at our offices in PAP Haiti is operating today and we will be feeding over 20,000 people a hot meal today for lunchtime.

Items that we need the most are Orthopedic items and we are working on this to be shipped ASAP.

I ask you to continue to Pray for Haiti and for all of our workers on the ground in Haiti.

Thank you,

Robin

Robin G Mahfood
President/CEO

Kim M. Williams, Executive Assistant to the President/CEO
Food For The Poor, Inc.
6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073 USA
Direct Tel: 954-596-4029, Main Tel: 954-427-2222  ext 4029
Main Fax: 954-570-7654
E-mail: kim@foodforthepoor.com

Our website: www.foodforthepoor.org

Now we finally see Haiti

Click on title for full column

by Jean Lowrie-Chin | Observer column | Monday, January 18, 2010

It was a painful way to get a perspective. Suddenly Jamaicans - possibly the biggest complainers on Planet Earth - were giving thanks that we were spared the 7.0 quake that shook Haiti. By the time Prime Minister Golding faced the microphone on Wednesday evening, his announcement of his Debt Exchange Programme, the imminent downsizing of the public sector and increase in property taxes created barely a ripple.

... Jamaica continues to be its brother's keeper. It was Jamaica who had given temporary asylum to former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004 after his hurried departure from Haiti, and it was our then Prime Minister PJ Patterson, who, on behalf of Caricom, spoke up for fellow member Haiti.

This week's media coverage showed us the bravery and nobility of the Haitian people. CNN's Anderson Cooper took us through the rescue of a 15-year-old girl who was able to speak strongly after her ordeal, declaring, "I was never afraid." She is of course the descendant of Haiti's great soldiers, led by Toussaint L'Ouverture who defeated Napoleon in 1804, creating the world's first black republic.

On a visit to Haiti in 2006, I described "the touching gentility among even the poorest that I met lining up, waiting without a murmur for up to five hours to finally own a cellphone. And there was the art - fine carving, enchanting pottery, vivid paintings...Their craftsmen could teach ours a thing or two - not one vulgar carving did we see on the sidewalks".

I also described the fashionable side of Haiti, a hillside location where tables were covered with crisp white linen and adorned with deep red roses in crystal. The service there and in other restaurants was impeccable and the ladies were chic and svelte.

The Haitians show incredible forbearance and resourcefulness. I met a well-educated young businessman, the third generation of his family-owned concern, who continued to soldier on. Yes, there is a side of Haiti that never gets press coverage and so we only view the country as one of misery, although it offers so many opportunities.

We hear that an intellectually limited evangelist has been shooting off his mouth about Haiti's earthquake being a punishment for voodoo worship. We in Jamaica had better be careful how we judge others. At least Haiti lost their people to a natural disaster. We have lost 1680 precious souls to violence, so we should be the last ones to talk about retribution.

...Angel Aloma, Food for the Poor executive director wrote from Haiti last week, "The devastation in Haiti challenges the senses... We have a tough road ahead and I am exhausted, but I take comfort in a passage from 2 Corinthians 4:8, "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit." Although we are accepting only three items of canned food (canned meat and fish, canned milk), cash is our greatest necessity. We are planning an initial response to this horror of 400 40ft containers of food, water and emergency supplies, followed by lumber and zinc for construction and repair. We have a tough road ahead of us, thank you for travelling it with me."

After three days of being glued to the television and going to work in a twilight zone of grief, I think I am approaching some level of discernment. Perhaps it took this terrible quake to focus the world on a country that has been bleeding unnoticed for too long. Perhaps now the international community will finally carve out a plan to help the beautiful people of Haiti build a strong democracy, finally realising the dream of its legendary liberator.

JDF based at Haiti Food for the Poor

Food For The Poor Provides critical support to Jamaica's efforts in Relief Aid to Earthquake-Ravaged Haiti

Sunday, January 17, 2010: Following the occurrence of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, January 12 which caused widespread death and destruction, Food for the Poor Jamaica (FFP) is integrally involved in the national effort to provide assistance to our brothers and sisters in Haiti and is already offering logistical and technical support to assist in the relief efforts.

One significant area of assistance is that yesterday Food for the Poor Inc offered its compound in Haiti to be used as the operations base for the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). They have already moved into the location. That compound has an FFP organisation-wide internet telephone plus all office, warehousing, and distribution facilities, and all is now at the disposal of the Jamaica Defence Force.

"FFP Jamaica has already sent medical supplies with the Salvation Army and the Ministry of Health who both had flights which left Jamaica last week Thursday and Friday, plus eight generators were sent with the very first JDF vessel that went into Haiti last week" explained CEO of Food For The Poor Jamaica, Mr. Ryan Peralto.

Thousands of homes were completely destroyed as a result of the earthquake so much of FFP's assistance will be directed toward rebuilding homes for those who were affected. To this end, FFP Jamaica has opened a special bank account with National Commercial bank (NCB) where persons can make direct financial donations. The account number is 47-104-3885. It should be noted that FFP's operating costs account for less than 4% of the value of the donations it receives.

"While we are encouraged by the response of the public so far, we continue to seek donations of cash to further our efforts in providing relief to the Haitians" continued Mr. Peralto. "We need cash in particular to assist in purchasing materials for temporary shelters, plus the next stage, that of rebuilding homes in the badly ravaged capital city and implore all persons to make a contribution to our account at NCB, no matter the size of the donation."

FFP has also advised that donations of goods (canned food, clothing) are being collated by NCB, BNS, the FFP's Western Committee, Stella Maris, and Azans (Regal Plaza) . These partners are sorting, packaging, and labeling and FFP will facilitate the shipping arrangements.

"Through our Florida office, we have already sent 100 containers of rice, canned food and medical supplies to Haiti -- most of which is already in place in Port-au-Prince and being distributed" Mr. Peralto continued.
In an effort to get as many aid items into Haiti as quickly as possible, Food For The Poor Inc is directing additional food, water and medical supplies into the Dominican Republic to be sent over the border and into the hands of the hurting Haitian people. The charity will also be sending pallets of critically needed medical items by air directly into Port-au-Prince on Sunday.

"We continue to pray for the people of Haiti and will continue to respond to the needs of our less fortunate brothers and sisters as they embark on the awesome task of rebuilding their lives" said Mr. Peralto.

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Dr Shane Alexis leads JA doctors on Haiti mission

Info from Go-Jamaica | Gleaner Website

A group of volunteer doctors from the Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association, (JMDA) led by their President Dr Shane Alexis along with private partners left for Haiti on Thursday, 14 January.

Dr Alexis said the group was moved by the devastation in the country.

Jamaica's health minister, Ruddy Spencer said the 20-member team comprises doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians and public health inspectors.

The Jamaica Teachers’ Association ( JTA) has also opened up its offices in Mandeville, Port Maria, Montego Bay and Kingston as relief collection centers.

JTA president Michael Stewart said all donations must reach the offices by January 29.

He said the JTA will also be seeking to raise money for the Haitian survivors.

DIGICEL - FIRST MAJOR CORPORATE DONOR FOR HAITI

DIGICEL GROUP DONATES US$ 5 MILLION FOR URGENT RELIEF EFFORTS IN HAITI

Wednesday 13th January 2010 – Kingston, Jamaica: Digicel Group, the largest mobile company in the Caribbean and fastest growing mobile company in Central America, is donating US$5 million in cash to support the urgent relief efforts needed following the widespread devastation caused by the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti yesterday.

Digicel’s donation will be made to the NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) who are spearheading the relief efforts.

With the impact of the earthquake resulting in considerable casualties and catastrophic damage to homes, buildings and infrastructure, Digicel is appealing to people and Governments across the world to support the people of Haiti in this their time of need.

Digicel is also sending in a team of people to Haiti early on Wednesday to assist in whatever way possible with the relief efforts and to assess the impact on its communications infrastructure which incurred damage but is operational.

Digicel is one of the largest companies in Haiti having launched its mobile services in 2006 – and as the largest foreign direct investor in Haiti today, Digicel is proud to serve over two million customers in Haiti and to be a part of the fabric of Haitian society.

Colm Delves, Group CEO of Digicel, comments; “We are deeply upset and concerned at the news of the earthquake in Haiti and want to do whatever we can to support the desperately needed relief efforts. We hope that governments around the world will also support the people of Haiti and immediately provide much needed aid to assist with the huge recovery efforts that are now needed.

“The people of Haiti welcomed us and made us their own when we launched there in 2007 and we are determined to be there for them in their time of need. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti and we would like to assure them that Digicel stands ready to assist in whatever way we can at this difficult time.”

Food For The Poor Rushes Aid to Haiti

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Jan. 16, 2010) – In an effort to get as many aid items into Haiti as quickly as possible, Food For The Poor is directing food, water and medical supplies into the Dominican Republic to be sent over the border and into the hands of the hurting Haitian people.

The charity also will be sending pallets of critically needed medical items by air directly into Port-au-Prince on Sunday.

Food For The Poor, the largest international charity in the United States, will send 189 tons of goods in this shipment. The charity already had sent 100 containers of rice, canned food and medical supplies to Haiti -- most of which is already in place in Port-au-Prince and ready to be distributed. With the port there damaged and the need growing, Food For The Poor executives are expediting shipment of aid to accelerate relief activities.

“It is critical that we get this relief as soon as possible into the hands of the Haitian people and to the people who are trying to help them,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “We are hearing today that orthopedic supplies are particularly needed for the trauma patients that medical staff and volunteers are treating. They are seeing terrible wounds.”

The medical supplies and equipment already housed in Food For The Poor’s Haiti warehouse were taken to a Petionville hospital on Friday night. On Saturday, trucks of food left the warehouse to be distributed to the feeding centers.

The goods are part of Food For The Poor’s initial goal to provide $5 million in relief to the struggling nation, as it recovers from one of the worst natural disasters in its history.

Food For The Poor, the largest international relief and development organization in the United States, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian agency provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.foodforthepoor.org

Kathy Skipper
Marketing and Public Relations Manager
(954) 427-2222, ext. 6614
kathys@foodforthepoor.org

Race against time in Haiti!

Antonia Graham of Digicel greets Carine Jones, a Haitian mother, with her children, after arriving from Haiti at the Norman Manley International Airport on Friday. Jones' husband, who is Jamaican, works with Digicel. - Rudolph Brown/Photographer

Jamaica Gleaner | Saturday | January 16, 2010
Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter

AS THE Caribbean Community (CARICOM) mobilises regional relief efforts to aid its Haitian neighbours, senior officials from Jamaica echoed fears of not finding any more survivors beyond the critical 72-hour mark, which elapsed yesterday evening.

It was made clear that persons, who might still be trapped beneath debris, are in a race against time. And the clock is winning.

"Life can only be sustained for so long without air and water, so if you recall when the event occurred, it may have been 4:30 p.m. or 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday, and we are now at Friday, so essentially that window is closing.

"Very, very few people have been found alive late in the day, so we are really running out of time in terms of the rescue efforts that have to be conducted," said Ronald Jackson, director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, who was a member of the Jamaican contingent, led by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, that visited Haiti on Thursday.

shared feelings

The director general's fears were corroborated by Minister with responsibility for Information, Daryl Vaz, who also made the trip to Haiti and witnessed first-hand the devastation caused by the seismic activity earlier this week.

"The window of opportunity for rescuing is probably almost closed by now as we speak, based on the heat and all the other elements," lamented Vaz.

(click on title for full story)

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com

Haiti cries for help

Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

JA Catholics help Haiti

STATEMENT FROM THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS IN JAMAICA

The Roman Catholic Church in Jamaica shares the pain and suffering of our brothers and sisters who are coming to terms with the destruction of property, personal injury and loss of life resulting from the earthquake in Haiti on Tuesday, January 12.
As an expression of solidarity, Masses have been offered for the repose of the souls of those who died, and we request continued prayers for those who are left behind, that God will comfort and strengthen them and send quick assistance to alleviate their suffering. A special Mass will be offered at Sts. Peter & Paul Church on Sunday, January 17 at 9.00 a.m. for the people of Haiti. The Ambassador of Haiti and his staff and other members of the Diplomatic Corps have been invited to attend.
Our contribution to the international effort of relief and support will take the form of accepting financial contributions through 2nd collections in all Catholic Churches on January 17 and 24. All cheques, including those that may be left at the various Chanceries, are to be made out to:
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kingston/Haiti
Roman Catholic Bishop of Montego Bay/Haiti
Roman Catholic Bishop of Mandeville/Haiti
Our Catholic Schools are also taking up collections for the relief effort.
The Catholic Church in Jamaica, as it prays and offers help, encourage all to support the united effort to help in the rebuilding of the livelihood of our Haitian neighbours.

Most Rev. Donald J. Reece, D.D.
Archbishop of Kingston

Most Rev. Charles H. Dufour, D.D.
Bishop of Montego Bay

Most Rev. Neil Tiedemann, C.P., D.D.
Bishop of Mandeville

January 15, 2010

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Food for the Poor Haiti Appeal

 

Earthquake in Haiti FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 01/12/10 CONTACTS:    Kathy Skipper                                     Aimee Vignola Public Relations Manager                     Public Relations 954.427.2222, ext. 6614                        954.427.2222, ext. 6079             kathys@foodforthepoor.com                          aimeev@foodforthepoor.com   Earthquake in Haiti        Donations: http://www.foodforthepoor.org/haitiquake  or 1-800-487-1158   Food For The Poor Updated Information:   Interview available with Executive Director Angel Aloma, and staff member in Haiti.   COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Jan. 12, 2010) – An earthquake hit off the coast of Haiti, about 10 miles west from the Caribbean nation's capital of Port-au-Prince, according to the US Geological Society. The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0.   Currently, Food For The Poor has a group of 12 college students, and two faculty advisors in Haiti on a mission trip. They attend Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. Our President/ CEO is in communications with Lynn's President Dr. Kevin Ross, who is gathering information as it comes in from the students' parents. Food For The Poor's Mission Officer in Haiti said the students were dropped off at the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince at 4 pm. We have learned there has been some damage to the hotel and are working to ascertain that the students, advisors and our staff are safe.   Food For The Poor has been in contact with several members of the staff currently in Haiti. Employees have reported the following accounts:   -- A hospital has collapsed in Pétionville, a town in the outskirts of Port-au-Prince -- There appear to be more homes down than standing in several areas of Port-au-Prince -- Major number of homes down in the area of Delmas -- One staffer saw a five-story building collapse -- One employee saw a major bridge, the Croix de Mission, collapse right in front of her as she drove home. The bridge is a major artery to the North end of Haiti from Port-au-Prince. -- A portion of Food For The Poor's main office in Port-au-Price has collapsed. Our feeding center (Food For the Poor provides food for thousands of Haitians on a daily basis there) and the charity's warehouse are there. We are still gathering information on the extent of the damage. -- Cell phone communication continues to be limited. -- Food For the Poor has 2 employees in Santo, Domingo where the shocks were strongly felt. The hotel they were at during the quake asked all guests to stay in the lobby until the shocks subsided.   Food For The Poor will do everything it can to reach out to the people of Haiti, and will keep updating our website as information comes in.

Our quiet heroes give us hope - JamaicaObserver.com

Our quiet heroes give us hope - JamaicaObserver.com

Messianic Rabbi Ralph Messer to visit Jamaica

Passing this on from Fay Bangerter:

Messianic Rabbi Ralph Messer to visit Jamaica

Internationally acclaimed Bible teacher, conference speaker and Spirit-filled Minister, Messianic Rabbi Ralph Messer will be visiting Jamaica for eight days later this month. Rabbi Messer actively teaches the Hebrew Roots of the Christian Faith fulfilling the great commission to "...make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19) Rabbi Messer is pioneering a work to bring the "Good News" of Yeshua (Jesus Christ) in the Torah to the Nations. He teaches all of the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. www.torah.tv

Rabbi Messer will have his first speaking engagement in Montego Bay on Sunday January 24th at 6 PM where he has been invited by Pastor Mary Wildish Reece to preach the sermon at The Meeting Place.

On Monday the 25th the Rabbi moves on to Trelawny where he has been invited by Pastor Gladstone Fairweather to preach at the 7 PM service.

Tuesday the 26th January will find Rabbi Messer in Spauldings where Pastor Bernard Harris has invited him to present a Seminar on The Hebraic Roots of the Christian Faith at the Spauldings Apostolic Church at 9 AM and to preach at the 5 PM service.

On Wednesday the 27th Rabbi Messer moves to Kingston and in the afternoon, he will be interviewed by Ian Boyne for his Religious Hard Talk program.

That evening Rabbi Messer will present a seminar on The Hebraic Roots of the Christian Faith at Grace Missionary Chapel at West Avenue, Camperdown at 6:30.

The following day, Thursday the 28th, Rabbi Messer will be the guest of Dr. Henley Morgan who has invited the Rabbi to present a seminar on The Hebraic Roots of the Christian Church at Praise City International in Arnett Gardens and to preach the Sermon at their 6:30 PM service.

On Friday morning the 29th the Rabbi will have an early start with a breakfast meeting with Pastor David Henry and the Elders of Swallowfield Chapel.

Leaders and members of Temple Beth Shalom will be blessed by Rabbi Messer conducting the Erev Shabbat Service on Friday at 6:30PM and the Shabbat Torah Service on Saturday at 11 AM.

On Saturday 30th Rabbi will conclude his day at the Berea Seventh Day Christian Church where Pastor Levi Rodney has invited him to be the guest preacher.

Rabbi Messer concludes his busy "Set it Straight Tour' on Sunday 31st January with a Service at Pastor Al Miller's Fellowship Tabernacle at 7:30 AM and a seminar on the Hebraic Roots of the Christian Faith which will commence at 6 PM.

Heed Aviv's warnings!

From my friend Larry Lee:

Juval Aviv was the Israeli Agent upon whom the movie ' Munich ' was based. He was Golda Meir's bodyguard -- she appointed him to track down and bring to justice the Palestinian terrorists who took the Israeli athletes hostage and killed them during the Munich Olympic Games. 

In a lecture in New York City a few weeks ago, he shared information that EVERY American needs to know -- but that our government has not yet shared with us.

He predicted the London subway bombing on the Bill O'Reilly show on Fox News stating publicly that it would happen within a week. At the time, O'Reilly laughed and mocked him saying that in a week he wanted him back on the show. But, unfortunately, within a week the terrorist attack had occurred. 

Juval Aviv gave intelligence (via what he had gathered in Israel and the Middle East ) to the Bush Administration about 9/11 a month before it occurred. His report specifically said they would use planes as bombs and target high profile buildings and monuments. Congress has since hired him as a security consultant. 

Now for his future predictions. He predicts the next terrorist attack on the U.S. will occur within the next few months. 

Forget hijacking airplanes, because he says terrorists will NEVER try and hijack a plane again as they know the people on board will never go down quietly again. Aviv believes our airport security is a joke -- that we have been reactionary rather than proactive in developing strategies that are truly effective. 

For example: 

1) Our airport technology is outdated. We look for metal, and the new explosives are made of plastic. 

2) He talked about how some idiot tried to light his shoe on fire. Because of that, now everyone has to take off their shoes. A20group of idiots tried to bring aboard liquid explosives. Now we can't bring liquids on board. He says he's waiting for some suicidal maniac to pour liquid explosive on his underwear; at which point, security will have us all traveling naked! Every strategy we have is reactionary.

3) We only focus on security when people are heading to the gates. Aviv says that if a terrorist attack targets airports in the future, they will target busy times on the front end of the airport when/where people are checking in. It  would be easy for someone to take two suitcases of explosives, walk up to a busy check-in line, ask a person next to them to watch their bags for a minute while they run to the restroom or get a drink, and then detonate the bags BEFORE security even gets involved. In Israel , security checks bags BEFORE people can even ENTER the airport. 

Aviv says the next terrorist attack here in America is imminent and will involve suicide bombers and non-suicide bombers in places where large groups of people congregate. (i.e., Disneyland, Las Vegas casinos, big cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, etc.- and that it will also include shopping malls, subways in rush hour, train stations, etc., as well as rural America this time (Wyoming, Montana, etc.). 

The attack will be characterized by simultaneous detonations around the country (terrorists like big impact), involving at least 5-8 cities, including rural areas. 

Aviv says terrorists won't need to use suicide bombers in many of the larger cities, because at places like the MGM Grand in Las Vegas , they can simply valet park a car loaded with explosives and walk away. Aviv says all of the above is well known in intelligence circles, but that our U. S. government does not want to alarm American citizens' with the facts. The world is quickly going to become 'a different place', and issues like 'global warming' and political correctness will become totally irrelevant. 

On an encouraging note, he says that Americans don't have to be concerned about being nuked. Aviv says the terrorists who want to destroy America will not use sophisticated weapons. They like to use suicide as a front-line approach. It's cheap, it's easy, it's effective; and they have an infinite abundance of young militants more than willing to 'meet their destiny'. 

He also says the next level of terrorists, over which America should be most concerned, will not be coming from abroad. But will be, instead, 'homegrown' -- having attended and been educated in our own schools and universities right here in the U. S. He says to look for 'students' who frequently travel back and forth to the Middle East . These young terrorists will be most dangerous because they will know our language and will fully understand the habits of Americans; but that we Americans won't know/understand a thing about them.  Aviv says that, as a people, Americans are unaware and uneducated about the terrorist threats we will, inevitably, face. America still has only have a handful of Arabic and Farsi speaking people in our intelligence networks, and Aviv says it is critical that we change that fact SOON. 

So, what can America do to protect itself? From an intelligence perspective, Aviv says the U.S. needs to stop relying on satellites and technology for intelligence. We need to, instead, follow Israel 's, Ireland 's and England 's hands-on examples of human intelligence, both from an infiltration perspective as well as to trust 'aware' citizens to help. We need to engage and educate ourselves as citizens; however, our U. S. government continues to treat us, its citizens, 'like babies'. Our government thinks we 'can't handle the truth' and are concerned that we'll panic if we understand the realities of terrorism. Aviv says this is a deadly mistake. 

Aviv recently created/executed a security test for our Congress, by placing an empty briefcase in five well-traveled spots in five major cities. The results? Not one person called 911 or sought a policeman to check it out. In fact, in Chicago , someone even tried to steal the briefcase!

In comparison, Aviv says that citizens of Israel are so well 'trained' that an unattended bag or package would be reported in seconds by citizen(s) who know to publicly shout, 'Unattended Bag!' The area would be quickly & calmly cleared by the citizens themselves. But, unfortunately, America hasn't been yet 'hurt enough' by terrorism for their government to fully understand the need to educate its citizens or for the government to understand that it's their citizens who are, inevitably, the best first-line of defence against terrorism. 

Aviv also was concerned about the high number of children here in America who were in preschool and kindergarten after 9/11, who were 'lost' without parents being able to pick them up, and about our schools that had no plan in place to best care for the students until parents could get there. (In New York City , this was days, in some cases!) 

He stresses the importance of having a plan, that's agreed upon within your family, to respond to in the event of a terrorist emergency. He urges parents to contact their children's schools and demand that the schools, too, develop plans of actions, as they do in Israel . 

Does your family know what to do if you can't contact one another by phone? Where would you gather in an emergency? He says we should all have a plan that is easy enough for even our youngest children to remember and follow. 

Aviv says that the U.S. government has in force a plan that, in the event of another terrorist attack, will immediately cut-off Everyone's ability to use cell phones, blackberries, etc., as this is the preferred communication source used by terrorists and is often the way that their bombs are detonated. 

How will you communicate with your loved ones in the event you cannot speak? You need to have a plan. 
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Paul Banta: 'Be a Giver in 2010'

Sharing this from  
Paul Banta's Global Soccer Ministries - International Devotional - January 1, 2010
 
BE A BLESSING GIVER WITH YOUR TALENTS
Scripture: Genesis 12:2 says, "I will bless you ... and you will be a blessing."
 
... From first hand knowledge I can tell you that it's much better in the world we live in to give than to constantly be taking in as the receiver. Being a constant receiver changes our lives to be dependent on others and not God. I've learned by giving over and over again we become dependent on giving our gifts away to where we have to become more relying on the Lord to supply our resources. I can guarantee that if you're truly a committed person of God there will be blessings waiting for you beyond your imagination in Heaven and to tell you the truth you'll be getting them before you even get there and this has nothing to do with 'Prosperity Christianity'. It just the way God in His deep love for us works.
 
How about doing the "New Year Resolution Thing" and plan just how you're going to bring blessing to others ... so God can bless your life in 2010?

... When We Put an Effort into Others Stuff Happens
God promises that if we will concentrate on blessing others, he'll take care of our needs. There's almost nothing that God won't do for the person who really wants to help other people. In fact, God guarantees this blessing. In Luke chapter 18, Jesus says, "I guarantee this. Anyone who gives up anything for the kingdom of God will certainly receive many times more in this life and will receive eternal life in the next world to come."

When We Bless Others Things Happen to Us
The more you bless others, the more God blesses our lives. Luke 6:38 tells us, "Give your life away and you'll find your life given back. But not merely given back. Given back with bonus and blessing." Not a bad deal right? You cannot out-give God. The more you do the blessing other thing in the game, the more God says, "I'm going to pour blessings out on you."
 
Who Are Your Pouring Your Life Into
God wants us to be blessed not just so that we can feel good about ourselves, not just so we can be happy and comfortable in life and have a clear conscience before our Lord, but so that we will bless others beyond their imagination. God told Abraham in Genesis 12, "I will bless you and you will be a blessing to others."

If God Is Giving Providing for You He Expects You to Help Him
 
Jesus said it this way in Luke chapter 12 "Much is required from those to whom much is given. For their responsibility is greater."
 
Based on the blessings of your life (think about them), what is God expecting from you?
...
2 Peter 1:5-11 says, "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. So if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he (she) is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he (she) has been cleansed from there past sins. Therefore, my brothers (sisters), be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
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For 2010: A Habit of Thankfulness

A message from Msgr. Gregory Ramkissoon and the Mustard Seed Communities Family

Dear Friend in Christ:

This has been a difficult year. People around the world have lost their jobs and their homes as a result of the recession; some have lost members of their families to wars, separation, divorce, illness and death.

We are happy that even throughout the hardships there are those who continue to remember the less fortunate, the abandoned, the homeless, the children who have been displaced. Surely the hand of God is with them. Is the Lord calling you to give of yourself, your time, your talent or your treasure and to reach out to someone in a beautiful way?

For the coming year, lets us develop a HABIT of thankfulness to others; this habit will form our character and in a short time we will be THANKING OTHERS AND GOD every minute of our lives!!!.. Try it… you will like it!!! Doing this will move us out of depression and bring us into the light of HOPE and personal JOY………

May your New Year be filled with God's richness.



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How to keep Jamaica 'lucky'

OUR ‘CHRISTMAS MIRACLE’... for this and more, let us be thankful.

Column by Jean Lowrie-Chin | Jamaica Observer | 28 December 2009

AS I watched the CNN report headlined "Christmas Miracle" last week, I wondered if we in Jamaica realise how blessed we are. In the last 10 days, we have seen new taxes, national outcry, drought broken, a plane crash with no loss of life, tax rollback. These are just the high notes against the constant hum of investments, crime, traffic mishaps, entertainment and sports.

Meanwhile, we are reading about scores of Europeans freezing to death in extreme weather, 50,000 Filipinos being evacuated from their homes as a volcano threatens to erupt and daily bombings in Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan. Somewhere between the ice and the fire is Jamaica, lauded by patriots and undermined by parasites of all stripes.

We are giving thanks for the miracle at Norman Manley Airport last Tuesday night involving an American Airlines flight. From all accounts, it could have been a huge tragedy. Additionally, at this delicate stage of the negotiations for the sale of Air Jamaica, we can imagine the repercussions if this incident had involved our national airline.
(click on title for full column)

Google's Top 10 searches for Jamaica

Results 1 - 10 of about 129,000,000 for jamaica. (0.16 seconds)

Search Results

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Visit Jamaica is a travel and tourism site that provides all the information, photographs and tools you need to plan and purchase your ideal Jamaica ...
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CBC.ca Jamaica: No Guide Lights When Jet Overshot Runway‎ - 3 days ago
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Dec 29, 2009 ... COM, the most concise and in-depth website for news,business, sport, commentary, entertainment, education, and lifestyle coverage on Jamaica ...
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Features map and brief descriptions of the geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military and transnational issues.
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Jan 2, 2009 ... The official national centre for information on Jamaica; features historical tidbits, government publications, links to Jamaican web sites ...
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PICS - American Airlines crash landed at Norman Manley Intl Airport

Kirk Wright's AP report

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — An American Airlines flight carrying 154 people skidded across a Jamaican runway in heavy rain, bouncing across the tarmac and injuring more than 40 people before it stopped just short of the Caribbean Sea, officials and witnesses said.

Panicked passengers screamed and baggage burst from overhead bins as Flight 331 from Miami careened down the runway in the capital, Kingston, on Tuesday night, one passenger said.The impact cracked open the fuselage, crushed the left landing gear and separated both engines from the Boeing 737-800, airline spokesman Tim Smith said. Crews evacuated dazed and bloodied passengers onto a beach from a cabin that smelled of smoke and jet fuel, passengers said. Rain poured through the plane's broken roof, one said.

Some 44 people were taken to hospitals with broken bones and back pains and four were seriously hurt, airport and Jamaican government officials said. American Airlines said two people were admitted to the hospital and nobody suffered life-threatening injuries.The plane skidded across a causeway road before coming to a halt on a grassy embankment. Two gaping cracks marked the fuselage, and the jet's mangled nose section tilted downward just short of the ocean.

Heavy turbulence on the way to Jamaica had forced the crew to halt the beverage service three times before giving up, Pilar Abaurrea of Keene, New Hampshire, told The Associated Press by phone. The pilot warned of more turbulence just before landing but said it likely wouldn't be much worse, she said."All of a sudden, when it hit the ground, the plane was kind of bouncing. Someone said the plane was skidding and there was panic," she said.U.S. investigators will analyze whether the plane should have been landing in such bad weather, Smith said, adding that other planes had landed safely in the heavy rain.Passenger Natalie Morales Hendricks told NBC's "Today" that the plane began to skid upon landing and "before I knew it, everything was black and we were crashing."

"Everybody's overhead baggage started to fall. Literally, it was like being in a car accident. People were screaming, I was screaming," she said."There was smoke and debris everywhere," after the plane halted, she said. "It was a mess. Everybody could smell jet fuel."

Passenger Robert Mais told The Gleaner newspaper of Jamaica that he had heard the engine's reverse throttle but that the plane didn't seem to slow as it skittered down the runway.The plane stopped about 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 meters) from the Caribbean and passengers walked along the beach to be picked up by a bus, Mais said. Rain came through the roof of the darkened jet and baggage from the overhead compartments was strewn about the cabin, he said.

The plane originated at Reagan National Airport in Washington and took off from Miami International Airport at 8:52 p.m. and arrived in Kingston at 10:22 p.m. It was carrying 148 passengers and a crew of six, American said. The majority of those aboard were Jamaicans coming home for Christmas, Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz said.Smith said there were two "significant" cracks in the fuselage, and the engines are designed to separate from the wings during an accident as a safety measure.

A team of six investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board was traveling to Jamaica from Washington on Wednesday morning to assist a probe led by the island's government, agency spokesman Keith Holloway said. The airport reopened early Wednesday after officials had delayed flights because of concerns that the plane's tail might be hindering visibility.

Four hundred passengers waited for their flights to be cleared for takeoff, Security Minister Dwight Nelson told Radio Jamaica.

Heavy rains that have pelted Jamaica's eastern region for four days are expected to dissipate by Thursday. Authorities said the rains washed away a 7-year-old girl on Tuesday and led to a bus crash in which two people died.

Associated Press writers Danica Coto, Ben Fox and Mike Melia in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Howard Campbell in Kingston, Jamaica; Carol Druga in Atlanta, Georgia; and Sofia Mannos in Washington contributed to this report.
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All Survived Crash at Norman Manley Airport - Washington Post report

http://mobile.washingtonpost.com/c.jsp?item=http%3a%2f%2fwww.washingtonpost.com%2fwp-syndication%2farticle%2f2009%2f12%2f23%2fAR2009122300146_mobile.xml&cid=578815&spf=1
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Timely Prayer!

Seventeenth century prayer from a nun - Courtesy of Daniel-Gérard Rouzier - Food for the Poor, Haiti .

Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old.  
Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.
Release me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs.  
Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy.  
With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends in the end.
 
Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point.  
Seal my lips on my aches and pains.
They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.  
I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others' pains, but help me to endure them with patience.  
 
I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.
 
Keep me reasonably sweet;
I do not want to be a saint – some of them are so hard to live with – but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.  
Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people.  
And give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so.  
Amen

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Beverley East’s big idea

Beverley East with her ‘biggest achievement’, son Diag Deje Davenport.

from Jean Lowrie-Chin's Observer column | 21 Dec 09

(click on title for full column)

“It was slow going at the beginning,” recalls Bev, “Until a friend suggested that I should write a book about graphology.” Thus, Beverley set herself to the task of producing “Finding Mr Write”, a four-year exercise which paid off handsomely. Random House accepted her manuscript, complete with a six-figure initial payout. “That put me on the map and changed my life,” said Bev.

After marrying an American, Bev moved to Washington DC where her only child, her cherished son Diag Deje Davenport, was born. She credits her former husband, a lawyer, for encouraging her to go into forensic document examination. Just before her book came out, Washington Post award-winning journalist, Patrice Gaines wrote a story on Bev’s work, and by coincidence (or ‘God-incidence’), a front page story got dropped and the story on Beverley East got top billing. “I got calls from so many people,” says Bev. “Even the White House called to ask me to analyse Monica Lewinsky’s handwriting!”

Beverley was contacted also by investigators to analyse the ransom note that had been found at the home of little beauty queen Jon Benet Ramsay on the night of her murder. Beverley did 26 speaking engagements on the subject. Her theory? “I believe the ransom note was dictated to the writer,” she says. “It did not appear genuine. It was too long and too detailed. There was no rhythm and lots of pauses.”

Strokes & Slants this year celebrated 20 eventful years in business. Beverley operates out of London, Washington DC and the Caribbean where she does a great deal of forensic work. In Jamaica, it is mostly Will & Testament and Land Transfer fraud. She is a one-woman business, sub-contracting when needed. “After 9/11 I had nine people working with me because death certificates from other states were being altered to say New York; people were trying to cash in on the special insurance that was being offered,” disclosed Bev. She was also a media consultant on the anthrax letters.

In interviews on ABC and MSNBC, seen on her website http://www.writeanalysis.com Beverley proves that she has mastered the science of graphology. Visit the site to learn how to analyse the handwriting in those romantic Christmas cards as you search for your ‘Mr/Ms Right’. Beverley East’s sparkling career grew from the courage of following up on her big idea. What is yours?

Prof Chen's and Ambassador Hill's Jamaica-Copenhagen Letter

Distinguished Ambassador Anthony Hill (centre) after his Induction into the St George's College Hall of Fame with colleagues Noel Hall and Keith Lyn

Professor Emeritus and Nobel Laureate Anthony Chen receiving his Jamaica 50 Living Legacy Award from Prof Denise Eldemire Shearer, Chairman of the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons

The authors: Anthony Hill is a retired Jamaican Ambassador.

A Anthony Chen is Nobel Laureate and Professor Emeritus, UWI.

Jamaica Observer | Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Science and its technology tools have made lifestyles generally the most comfortable since the dawn of contemporary history. Applied to energy transformation these technologies have been central to raising hundreds of millions out of poverty and improved living standards across the board.

Over the past 20 years science now demonstrates with a very high degree of confidence that modern man's lifestyles are now a decisive factor altering the naturally equilibrating forces in the earth's system. The greenhouse gases, emitted by an excess of carbon dioxide (CO2) mainly, now saturate the atmosphere and are bringing the system to a major tipping point.

Make no bones about it: the greenhouse gases emitted by releasing energy from the fossil fuels of oil and gas, the pressure on the declining soil and water resources, the demand for food, minerals and fossil fuels, the pollution of the atmosphere are well beyond the equilibrium-carrying capacity of the earth. In Jamaica we face a myriad of threats ranging from sea level rise and droughts (which we are now experiencing) to increased incidence of diseases (See, for example, http://www.america.gov/publications/ejournalusa.html#0909). These threats will increase in proportion to the increase in global warming which in turn depends on the increase in quantity of greenhouse gases emitted by man-made activity. The greatest harm will come to the poor and underprivileged who are less able to adapt to these threats. Globally, the greatest threat is the irreversible melting of the polar ice caps and Greenland due to what is termed "a positive feedback" where the melting feeds on itself.

It is to reduce these threats that the world began meeting in Copenhagen last week. The main areas for discussion include:
* Targets to curb greenhouse gas emissions, in particular by developed countries
* Financial support for mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change in developing countries
* A carbon-trading scheme aimed at ending the destruction of the world's forests (a sink for CO2) by 2030.
At the time of writing, the governments of the major greenhouse gas emitters meeting in Copenhagen are still not ready to take bold action, despite the high confidence of the scientific findings. It is clear that there will be no agreement of a legally binding nature, but a political best endeavour declaration. The Kyoto Protocol and its commitments will suffice, up to 2012.

The mature course of action for those countries faced with the heavy burden of adaptation to the hazards, with and without agreement in Copenhagen, is the sensible disposition of policy to our island circumstances. It will be necessary to devise an all-encompassing set of programmes, which lay the bases for individual, community and national activities. We consider this using the terminology widely adopted, namely the "low-carbon economy".

The transition to a low-carbon economy will not be easy. In the short and medium term the volume of greenhouse gases must increase in Jamaica, and perhaps rapidly so if the economy is to move to a new self-sustaining phase to meet its growing demand for goods and services.

This reliance on and increased use of fossil fuel energy sources make sense only in the context of built-in measures to use them efficiently and simultaneously increasing the share of renewable energy sources and technologies across all sectors of the society.

This requires phasing out as rapidly as possible several of the more technologically inefficient heavy fuel oil power generating plants with high heat rates and considerable polluting emissions of CO2. The replacement by technically and economically feasible renewable energy sources, such as wind and hydro power, will set Jamaica on track to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

The new breed of wind turbines reaching to higher heights and with increased energy output is a proven technology. This must now be applied to the Wigton Wind Farm if it is to overcome its early disappointment, as well as to other suitable wind sites. Further, legislation must be put in place for more equitable power purchase agreement.

The base year for the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions must be set, say 2010, overall and by sector. The basis for this exercise is to be found in Jamaica's "Final Report - Jamaica's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, which "presents Jamaica's greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory of anthropogenic emissions and removals of greenhouse gases (GHGs) not controlled by the Montreal Protocol.

This inventory should be refined and constitute an integral part of the National Development Plan Vision 2030. Targets set leading up to 2030 and 2050 will be an important measure for the efficient use of energy in producing goods and services and the rollout of renewable energy technologies.

The sectors in which the low-carbon strategy will make the most impact includes power generation across the national grid and its consumption by major industrial users, water utilities, communications and transportation firms, including airlines and ships within territorial space, distribution outlets, buildings, including hotels, hospitals and prisons and individual lifestyles.

The financial services sector, and importantly insurance must be a major and integral participant, underwriting, asset management and claims management of both private assets, and increasingly "public goods".

Major government-initiated or supported "investments", or both, through incentive measures and tax breaks, without integrating the low-carbon dynamic, is self-defeating and ultimately cannot be considered "visionary". Climate change with its immense uncertainties and risks "threaten human health, disrupt economic activity, damage natural ecosystems irreversibly, and even (in worst-case scenarios) lead to mass migration, food shortage, and other global humanitarian crises".

The governance structures as presently functioning, while admirably underpinning democratic pluralism, have shown themselves less than optimum to the task of delivering balanced growth, development and social harmony.

The challenges and risks posed by climate change offer the country a real opportunity to decentralise and devolve power from central government, redistribute bureaucratic expertise to local governments and communities and importantly to deconcentrate private capital.

The call for a "Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business" is possible only when there is a restored sense of solidarity and self-governing institutions at the local and community levels where climate change strikes first and hardest.

The ongoing turmoil of economic uncertainty notwithstanding, the Jamaican society stands to lose much, much more should it fail to be guided by the basic principle of survival, namely precaution.

Consider a Jamaica in 2050, without the results of fundamental changes to present governance institutions, principles, policies, programmes and lifestyles: less arable land with eroded coastal zones and denuded hillsides, less clean air with more pollution, less potable water with more floods and waste, a less healthy population, less to share but more, many more people angling to get their share.

Jimmy Cliff 's The Harder they come, the Harder they Fall will be ringing in our ears.

Bolt beats Barack! Bernanke is TIME’s 2009 Person of the Year - TODAY People - Today.msnbc.com

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34441681/ns/today-today_people/?ns=today-today_people
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Looking out for our men - JamaicaObserver.com

Looking out for our men - JamaicaObserver.com

JA ICIs in China!

Sunday Gleaner Report: Higglers' paradise, Jamaican ICIs take advantage of low prices in China

Published: December 13, 2009
By Athaliah Reynolds, Staff Reporter

China is now the main market for Jamaican informal commercial importers. Some make the the cross-continental journey many times per year to buy goods ranging from furniture to clothing and appliances.

Judith, an ICI who sells children's shoes in the Oxford Mall in downtown Kingston, told The Sunday Gleaner that she made several trips a year to purchase goods instead of travelling to the usual places, such as Miami and Curaçao.

"Sometimes we travel in groups. So, like nine, 10 of us will pool together and share one container," she said.Judith said China's appeal lies in the fact that it works out much cheaper for the vendors and eventually, the consumer, because they are cutting out the middleman and going straight to the source.

"You can get children's shoes for all US$2.50, and adult shoes for about US$3 or $4, while in Fort Lauderdale they selling for like US$10," Judith said.availability of goods.

Another vendor, Conseta, who sometimes makes the two-day, 9,000-mile trek across the globe with Judith, said when one took into consideration the low prices and availability of goods, the long journey and high plane fare were a minor price to pay. A ticket to China can cost anywhere from about $200,000 to $300,000."

You don't have to go to Panama, Curaçao, Miami or Los Angeles anymore when you can just go straight to China," she said. "Plus, I always say, those same people that you buy from in those other countries are shopping in China, too.

"The vendors also said that the competition was often quite intense when they travelled to the United States as there was only a limited number of some of the fashionable items they might be interested in buying."

Sometimes it's like a race, because you have to be hurrying and running about to make sure you get to a certain shop before somebody else gets there when you in Miami. But in China, there is enough for everybody, and if it finishes, they can make more, because we go right to the factory," said Conseta.

The women said the trip was often tiring and time consuming as they often had to make a number of stops through several countries to get to their destination.Judith's preferred route is taking a one and a half hour trip from Kingston to Curaçao, where she stays in transit for three hours. She then boards a nine-hour flight to Amsterdam, where she spends an additional 13 hours.

"I will stay at a hotel, get something to eat, shower, get some sleep and then take a 12-hour flight from there to Hong Kong," she said.

One of the women's favourite towns to shop at when in China is Quanzhou.peace of mindJudith said she usually made about three to four trips a year, as she shopped based on the season and the level of need.

"We usually shop for Easter, back-to-school, Independence and Christmas," she said."Shopping in China is a big thing for most ICIs these days. Even recently, about 150 of us meet up there," she said. "It is not just the shopping for me. When I am there, my mind is at peace. It's quiet and nice and there is hardly any crime, and people are appreciative of the money you spend with them," Judith added.

And language isn't necessarily a hindrance, as, according to the women, close to 75 per cent of Chinese residents speak English. There is also a large number of interpreters always willing to translate on behalf of the buyers and sellers.

The vendors, however, admitted that there was just one draw back to travelling so far to buy goods.

"It take about 21-30 days for the goods to get here. You have to wait very long and you have to remember that fashion don't stay in style for long. Styles change very quickly and people don't want anything that is out of date, so that is sometimes a challenge," Conseta said.

athaliah.reynolds@gleanerjm.com
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PAJ honours veterans

Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn poses with Observer senior photo editor Michael Gordon (left), the Gleaner’s Winston Sill (second right) and videographer Ken Dawson after the Wray and Nephew-sponsored PAJ veterans’ luncheon at the Girl Guides Headquarters in Kingston, yesterday. TVJ videographer Rudolph Matherson, who was also recognised, was unable to attend. Llewellyn was guest speaker at the function. (Photo: Lionel Rookwood)

Observer senior photo editor among four honoured by PAJ

JAMAICA OBSERVER | Thursday, December 03, 2009

MICHAEL Gordon, senior Observer photo editor, was one of four veterans honoured yesterday by the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) at its annual veterans’ luncheon, held at the Girl Guides Headquarters in Kingston.

Gordon, along with Gleaner photographer Winston Sill, TVJ videographer Rudolph Matherson and videographer Ken Dawson were recognised by the PAJ, at the Wray & Nephewsponsored luncheon, for their years of excellent service to the media.

Gordon was introduced to the business of photography by his uncle at the tender age of 15. At the time he worked with his uncle in a photo studio at Church Street in downtown Kingston as an apprentice. His first lessons involved developing and printing photographs.

Gordon has, over the years, received awards for human interest, sports and news photography, one of which was that which captured former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller drawing caricatures in the House of Parliament during a speech by then Opposition MP Audley Shaw.

The photograph, which was dubbed ‘Doodling’, was taken on October 19, 2006 and won the Aston Rhoden award for news photography.

He won his first photography award in 1985 for the human interest photograph which captured the wife of former Prime Minister Edward Seaga embracing the wife of former Prime Minister Michael Manley.

In 1993, Gordon won the first-ever photography award in any for the Observer, which was founded that same year.

His photographs ‘Flying Floyd’, which caught a cricket bat flying from the hand of West Indian cricketer Floyd Reifer at Sabina Park in 1993 and ‘MoBay Massacre’ also won awards.

Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn, who was guest speaker at the luncheon, urged the media to join the band of the law-abiding and play their part in beating back the wave of crime affecting the country.

TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP NEEDED!

JAMAICA'S PRODUCTIVITY DISASTER REQUIRES TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP

By Keith Collister

Jamaica Observer | Friday, November 13, 2009

It is not possible to overstate the importance of the Jamaica Productivity Centre's three-day seminar that ended yesterday. Even the phrase 'productivity disaster' used in the headline does not do justice to the key conclusions of the Jamaica Productivity Centre's Productivity Summary Report, as it is also an economic, social and human disaster for Jamaica.

Over the 35-year period covered by the report, between 1972 and 2007, the productivity of the average Jamaican worker has declined at a rate of 1.3 per cent each year. Even worse, the fact that the rate of decline had doubled to 3.4 per cent per annum in recent years shows that not only are we going in the wrong direction, we are actually speeding up in the wrong direction.

As a clearly related consequence, the Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person in Jamaica in 2007 was only 90 per cent of the level attained in 1972.
Many would respond that the report only confirms what those who were prepared to look at Jamaica's economic performance objectively had long known - namely that we have a severely unproductive economy.

The timing of the JPC's seminar, themed "Transformation for sustainable competitive advantage", in the midst of our most severe economic crisis since the 1970s, is impeccable.

It was therefore appropriate that the keynote speaker, Newfield Networks' Daniel Newby, appeared up to the task of outlining transformative leadership. Defining a leader as someone who "declares a future that others commit to", Mr. Newby outlined the difference between the old pyramid organisational structure, with a godlike Pharaoh at the top, and the new network model that has emerged, where one interacts with people over which one doesn't have direct control. Consequently, instead of issuing commands, this requires that individuals use language, emotion and presence to attract people to your vision.

Most organisations are, of course, a hybrid of people you control organisationally, and those that you don't control. A classic example of responsibility without authority is the typical project manager, who has enormous responsibility and absolutely no authority. A project manager needs to be in a position to make people want to help complete the project ("an influencer") to get things done.

According to Newby, such a situation requires that we understand the power of language - requests, offers, promises - as nothing happens in an organisation without these. Without traditional authority, one needs to be masterful at building alliances, and generating emotion to get people committed.

If one thinks of the requester as a customer, and the performer of the request as the "doer", one quickly sees "somebody should do this" is not a true request. A clear request requires conditions, time and a result.

According to Newby, in the impossible ideal the best leaders would do nothing, as their job is to make other people do the work, not do it themselves. They are "customers for other people's promises/performance".

Addressing the issue of trust as an example of the enormous importance of language, Newby argued that better communication requires that trust be viewed not as a moral issue, but as a willingness to coordinate action with others. This allows a different, more specific conversation about sincerity, competence and reliability to deliver on a promise.

If one applies Newby's insight to the prime minister's recent negotiations on the Memorandum of Understanding with the unions, the prime minister could have been sincere in his desire to reach an agreement, and have the skills to negotiate such an agreement, but simply ran out of time.

Why workers won't work

There is no better local example of the problem of trust, and its impact on productivity than the research embodied in the book Why workers won't work. The author, Kenneth Carter, uses the analogy of "the early bird catches worms that are early". His key finding is that Jamaican workers perceive management to be early birds and workers to be worms, and therefore it is rational behaviour for workers not to be early.

In more concrete terms, Carter argues that the vast majority of Jamaica's labour force is highly dissatisfied, short of both monetary and psychic pay, and sees no reward or advantage in being more productive. Whilst the book was based on research between 1974 - 1988, in a side conversation Carter argues that if anything the problem may have got worse over the past 20 years.

Lean operations

A critical part of improving productivity is process improvement, which is driven mainly by people and technology. In the view of Alan Krul, a leader in Deloitte Consulting's Global Practice on Lean Operations, the key issue is "how do you incorporate internal and external customers into your business process".

The birth of what is now called "lean operations" began more than 25 years ago with the rediscovery by American business of the work of an American engineer, W Edwards Deming, who had gained fame in post-war Japan for his statistically driven work on quality improvement.

Now called the father of the total quality movement, Deming published a book called Out of the Crisis in 1982 at a moment when American business had lost confidence in their ability to respond to Japanese competition. Deming argues simply "If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you are doing."

This total quality movement evolved into the six sigma movement in the early 1980s at Motorola, still emphasising, as did Deming, the need to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects (errors) and variability in manufacturing and business processes.

Lean manufacturing, of which the best example is Toyota's lean production system as outlined in James Womack's 1990 book The Machine that Changed the World is based on teamwork, communication, and efficient use of resources.

According to Krul, in the late 1990s the different approaches began merging into what came to be called lean six sigma, combining the reduction of variance and the reduction of waste and complexity. The focus is now on reducing waste and complexity, hence the term lean operations.

This approach emphasises process excellence, focusing on strategic projects that integrate what Krul calls "the voice of the customer".

In the old way of doing things, businesses would try to improve the different jobs they were doing, not thinking about the end-to-end process. The new way of doing things emphasises process mapping, so that one measure of the dynamism of company, in terms of productivity improvement, would be how many people are working on process improvement projects. Of course, process mapping is not managing change, which is a key part of structuring a project. Deloitte provides change management tools that provide a process improvement framework for projects that define, measure, analyse, improve, and control "high impact customer processes".