Press Association Condemns Attack on Journalists

Press Association of Jamaica Condemns Attack on Journalists

 Calls For Swift Investigation and Action From Police

 

November 29, 2022: The Press Association of Jamaica is condemning the attack of a cameraman and newspaper reporter in Homestead, Spanish Town, St Catherine on Tuesday, November 29, 2022.

The photojournalist and reporter told us that while on assignment at the Homestead Primary School, covering a sick out by staff members, they were filming a scene by the school gate when the photojournalist was attacked by a man from the community who punched him.

The photojournalist also pointed out that the man grabbed his camera, ripped the microphone cable and attempted to damage the camera. He also tried to seize the mobile phone of the newspaper reporter.

We were informed that the police visited the scene and took statements.

The Press Association of Jamaica condemns unequivocally this reprehensible act and display of thuggery towards our workers.

The Press Association also wishes to remind the public that journalists must be free to conduct their duties without any form of threat or injurance, and is calling on the police to ensure a thorough investigation is done and appropriate penalties are applied to the attacker.

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"A Free Press, Oxygen of Democracy"

Our silos of selfishness

Observer column published Monday 17 January 2022

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

There are no words for the terrible murders that are shaking our country. But there are words for us who have stepped up to be leaders, whether in politics, the public or private sector, church, media or civil society. We have failed our country. With our tiny egos, we have created silos of selfishness instead of joining together to be a powerful instrument of change. We can quarrel, criticize and 'speechify', we can shout God's name from prayer breakfasts; but nothing can happen if we do not become active in this social emergency.

This hunger for power has shredded the true definition of politics, a means by which the people of a nation can be well served and assured of their human rights. Study well these rights at https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights .

Article Three states: 'Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.' In this tiny rock of three million, our leaders from this and previous administrations just cannot seem to give us these rights. We are locked behind bars in our homes while the criminals run free. One of Jamaica's most positive souls, Nadine Sutherland, posted on social media: 'Today I feel like a prisoner in my own country. I'm tired, I'm really tired! I live always on the lookout for criminals. Every day, I wake hearing about criminal activities of the worst kind. We are the ones hiding, they seem to have free rein, rampaging!" She added, "The death of this kid!" referring to the horrific murder of nine-year-old Gabriel King.

The PSOJ and JCC launched the Crime Monitoring and Oversight Committee two years ago, and have been reporting that several of the important crime-fighting steps that had been agreed by them, including Government and Opposition stakeholders, have not been met. Again, PSOJ President Keith Duncan has called for a state of emergency, and we can expect the usual quibbling while we hold our collective breaths.

On Thursday, church leaders will meet at the Pegasus Hotel for the National Leadership Prayer Breakfast. We believe that if we did not have dedicated church leaders and members, Jamaica would be in a worse position. It was Peter Mais who marshalled a group of us together some 30 years ago to form the Stella Maris Foundation in Grants Pen at a time when it was an area of unrest. By initiating the HEART Training programme, partnering with psychology experts at UWI for mediation and counselling, and with the assistance of the Digicel Foundation and USAID, we were able to bring peace to the community.

This did not happen overnight. It required the focus and planning of resolute volunteers and a diligent staff. At each board meeting, we reviewed our key performance indicators (KPIs). How many lives did we touch? How many enrolled in training? How many graduates? We established the Norma Chang Day care Centre so that mothers of infants could, and still can, attend classes while their children are cared for. We have seen moving success stories out of that Foundation.

The Salvation Army, the Anglican Church's Mother's Union, the Seventh Day Adventist's Good Samaritan Inn, Mustard Seed in the heart of Olympic Way, Sister Benedict's Laws Street Centre, the leading schools founded and run by Churches and the Government – yes, we have noble examples of the splendid work of the Churches.

Churches have the ear of women in crime-ridden communities. They do not want to see their children and grandchildren murdered by fellow gang members or in a shootout with the police. How can we help them to persuade these young men to turn themselves in? We have international colleagues with the experience; let us learn from each other and help our young men to redeem themselves.

Now to our overworked and underpaid members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. It is good news that police stations are being refurbished and better equipment and motor vehicles are being provided for the police. However, they must be paid a fair wage in keeping with the demands we make of them. If we continue like this, we will lose some of our finest officers who would readily find employment in the global security industry.

We beg our leaders to have a conscience: cease the grandstanding in Parliament and at press conferences. This situation requires the urgent attention of both Government and Opposition – by their example we can come together and end this mindless violence.

MPs study Parliamentary Governance

Eleven JLP MPs, along with politicians from other countries, completed the Parliamentary Governance Programme at McGill University last week. Congratulations to them all, and kudos to Ann-Marie Vaz who scored straight 'A's. I hope PNP MPs will also take up this course; good governance is the only way forward.

Ian Forbes – St. Andrew Custos Designate

Dr Patricia Dunwell's term of office as Custos of St. Andrew will end shortly. Dr. Dunwell served with distinction, ensuring that Justices of the Peace attended development sessions and delivering inspiring addresses at myriad events. She balanced her duties as Custos and her professional life with grace and dignity. We are grateful to her for her national service, supported by her husband Stanley Dunwell.

In a letter to us JPs in St. Andrew, she announced that Ian Forbes, well known business leader who has been a driving force for years in the JAAA and a Trustee of Jamaica College, is our Custos Designate. We congratulate him and know we can enjoy the support also of his wife Lana Forbes. How can we give up on Jamaica? We still have good people here, willing to serve.

TEDx Mona – day of pride

Last Saturday, five brilliant Jamaicans spoke at the TEDx Mona event on the theme, 'Creating your own reality': Antoinette Aiken, founder of 'TONITERP'; Emprezz Golding, CEO of 'Talk Up Yout'; Dr Dingle Spence, Palliative Care Medical Doctor; Dr Diana Thorburn, Director of CAPRI and Maurice Wilson, Principal of GC Foster College. If you missed the live event, it will shortly be posted on YouTube. Make the time to enjoy and learn.

Jamaican to ski in Winter Olympics

Benjamin Alexander, British-born with a Jamaican father, will be the first skier ever to represent Jamaica in the Winter Olympics next month in China. Inspired by the film 'Cool Runnings', Alexander who started skiing in 2016 qualified last week for the Olympics by finishing seventh in the giant slalom at the Republic of Cabo Verde National Ski Championships.

According to Sky News, 'Two years ago the engineering graduate decided to make a plan to "get to Olympic standard piece by piece." He said that on his four-month visit to Jamaica in 2020, he learned to appreciate our 'cool factor'. He commented, "The biggest cheer at the Olympics is always for the host country, but the second biggest cheer is always for Jamaica."

Well, look at that: let us help Jamaica step up to our cool, 'one love' reputation.

 

Private Sector and Civil Society Groups Implore the Opposition to Support Extension of SOEs

MESSAGE FROM THE PSOJ - 24 November 2022

Dear Jean, On November 25th, 2022, the Senate will debate the extension of the States of Public Emergency (SOEs) until January 14, 2023, in the select parishes where SOEs were declared on November 15, 2023. This broad-based grouping of Private Sector and Civil Society supports the extension of the SOE and urges the Senate to pass the extension on the condition that the Government addresses outstanding key issues, critical in achieving full Opposition's support until January 14, 2023, in the select parishes where SOEs were declared on November 15, 2023. Murders have Declined Since SOEs Declared Since the declaration of the SOEs on November 15, we have seen murders decline significantly nationally, and in the parishes where the SOEs were declared nine days ago. Nationally, the data shows 63 murders being recorded the weeks before the declaration of the SOEs. Data shows that 12 murders were recorded in the first week of the declaration of SOEs. This is a significant decline. Since yesterday, within the parishes and specific zones where SOEs were declared murders have recorded a dip from 21 for the period November 7th-14th to 6 from November 15th-22nd. The data demonstrates that SOEs can help to save lives. Appeal for Extension of SOEs through the Christmas period until January 14, 2023 Jamaicans across the length and breadth of the country are living in a state of fear and anxiety and consider the crime situation a chronic crisis. While the use of SOEs to contain the current surge of crime and violence is not a long-term solution, it has demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing murders. We recommend that these emergency measures be employed over the Christmas period as a surge in criminal activity is the norm during this time as criminal elements look to rob, extort, and murder, to increase ill-gotten gains. JCF and JDF Recommend the SOEs  The leadership of the JCF and JDF recommend the extension of SOEs to mitigate the loss of lives. This temporary measure, we anticipate, will ease the constant bloodletting, and enable law-abiding citizens to enjoy the holiday season.  SOEs are an Interim Measure  We agree that SOEs should not be a routine measure in normal times but believe that the trend in recent months suggests that we need additional measures now to disrupt criminal networks as soon as possible in order to reduce violent crimes and murder.  Enhanced Security Measures  We are aware that the Enhanced Security Measures (ESM) have been outstanding from Q-1 of 2021 as signed off in the Crime Monitoring & Oversight Committee (CMOC) consensus agreement. We acknowledge that there has been progress, but this deliverable requires finalisation.  The Enhanced Security Measures will provide greater powers in the law to target, detain and neutralise known violence producers by providing strong intelligence to the Justice system.  Collaboration of GoJ and Opposition on the Drafting and Passage of the ESM  The Opposition leader has indicated in Parliament that he has proposed a framework for the ESM and the Prime Minister has indicated that these measures are being drafted.  We strongly recommend that the GoJ collaborates with the Opposition on drafting the ESM with a heightened sense of urgency to ensure that it has the smoothest possible passage through the lower and upper houses so the measures can be utilised in the shortest possible time frame. We recommend that the draft legislation is brought to the lower house before the expiry of the SOEs on January 14, 2023.  Political Maturity required  Jamaica is bleeding, and we are at a point of great frustration as citizens. We expect our Prime Minister to lead this process and engage the Opposition with humility and inclusiveness. We are hopeful that the Opposition will reciprocate.   We strongly encourage the GoJ to consider suggested changes made by the Opposition on the clauses of the Emergency Power Regulations once they don't reduce the effectiveness of the SOE.    The Private Sector and Civil Society encourage a unified approach to crime fighting, one that is without politicisation. The citizens of Jamaica deserve the right to life and to raise their families in a society that will allow them to do so without fear.   We must win the war.  The following groups are supporting this appeal:  The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ)  The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC)  Jamaica Manufacturers & Exporters Association (JMEA)  Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association (JHTA)  MSME Alliance  Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ)  The Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce & Industry   The Negril Chamber of Commerce  The Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce   The May Pen Chamber of Commerce  Jamaica Employers Federation (JEF)  Jamaica Union of Travellers Association (JUTA)  Dunn's River Craft Traders Market Association   Ocho Rios Craft Council   Jamaican Craft Traders & Producers Association     -END-

Riding out this fourth Covid wave

Observer column for published Monday 10 Jan 2022

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

Health Minister Dr Chris Tufton and Chief Medical Officer Dr Jacquiline Bisasor McKenzie did not mince words as they warned at last week's press briefing of the fourth wave of Covid, dominated by the highly contagious Omicron variant. Many of us are getting calls from family and friends who went abroad for the holidays that they must postpone their return as they have tested positive for Covid. Now these are not careless people. They have double-masked, worn face shields, remained in the homes of relatives. But somehow that sneaky Omicron found its way into their system.

This virus travels in an aerosol from the mouth or nose of infected persons. It sprays far and wide and its particles are so light that they linger in the air for a long time. Surgical masks offer minimal protection as there are gaps at the sides. Tying the strings makes an even bigger opening. It is recommended that you wear a cloth mask over the surgical mask for full protection, though the ideal is the N95 mask.

We love to sing in church, but this is now forbidden in some churches overseas; the aerosol travels further when released from singing, as well as loud talking and laughing. Covid is a total wet blanket, but if we want to come out of this crisis, we must Zoom and FaceTime the laughter.

We continue to have one of the lowest vaccination rates in the Caribbean: less than 25 percent. A JIS report by Alecia Smith quoted the Minister: "We need to continue to emphasise to Jamaicans that the persons who are most affected by COVID-19, irrespective of the strain, whether it's Delta or otherwise, are persons who are not vaccinated, and it is a sobering message to those who are not, that you are in increased danger and you should make every effort to get vaccinated."

Between last Thursday and Friday, Jamaica recorded 2,862 new cases and nine new deaths. The CMO said that in reviewing the deaths from Covid since March of last year, 98.5 percent of the 1,953 persons who passed away, were unvaccinated. Yes, you can get Covid even if you are vaccinated, but the symptoms will not be as severe as for those who are unvaccinated.

I have been one of those pushing for schools to be reopened but in the face of this massive surge which we believe will pass in three to four weeks, it may be best for the Ministry to take a break once again from face-to-face learning. It is very hard for children to stay safe when they are boarding crowded buses and using taxis. However, we are appealing to the many churches in the inner city to open their doors so children can get some level of supervision. The stories coming out of those places are frightening; we will have 10-year-old alcoholics and weed-heads in these communities if we are not careful.

As to the destruction of 900,000 doses of Covid vaccine at the NHF warehouse, we are hoping that this is a result of negligence rather than sabotage. We Jamaicans go 'the full hundred' of enjoyment at Christmas. This breach happened on Christmas Eve when the celebrations are at peak. It would be bad enough if the loss was caused by negligence, but utterly despicable it is proved to have been done purposely by anti-vax team members.

Young entrepreneurs shine

It is wonderful to see young entrepreneurs making their mark in Jamaica. Monique Powell of QuickCart (formerly QuickPlate) continues to widen her offerings and locations, while Larren Peart, creator of Blue Dot is making his way through his financial challenges.

Tyrone Wilson, CEO of iCreate, was understandably bullish about the digital training and media services company's prospects at its recent AGM. Having survived the downturn of the early stages of COVID, rationalized and reduced expenses, iCreate has again attracted significant investment and is forging ahead with its visionary Creative City project as well as the core business of training for the digital economy through iCreate Institute.

The iCreate Institute has trained some 4,000 individuals to date, and earned over J$150 million. We have a soft spot for the Institute which offered 500 CCRP members free training last year.

 

Farewell great Jamaicans

We said farewell last week to four amazing Jamaicans, and I confess that my heart is heavy as I reflect on these great individuals.

First came news that my mother's best friend, Mrs Josephine Lowe, a stalwart of the Women's Federation, passed away at 103-years-old. We have fond memories of her 100^th birthday party hosted by her son Dr Henry Lowe at Eden Gardens. She stood and danced as they played 'She's Royal' and kept us all in lively conversation. Her house was the centre of fund-raisers for the community, and she was honoured several times for her contribution to the Federation.

Then came news that Dr Glenda Simms, gender activist and former executive director of the Women's Bureau had passed away in Canada. Dr Simms was a renowned feminist; she was president of the Congress of Black Women of Canada and was appointed by the Canadian government as president of the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women.

On Saturday, we learned of the passing of the matriarch of the Chen family, Hyacinth Gloria Chen. We shared Mrs Chen's memories in this column some years ago: a single mother who was a bookkeeper at Frenchman's Cove and later opened a small shop in Port Antonio. She then married Vincent Chen who was a wonderful father to her son Michael Lee-Chin, and together they raised a large family. Mrs Chen's guidance influenced her children to aspire to higher learning and entrepreneurship. She was adored as a loving and wise grandmother and quietly reached out to help many. Her contribution to nation building is immeasurable. In her honour, Michael Lee-Chin named the Courtyard at the Royal Ontario Museum Crystal for his mother and later, the Hyacinth Chen School of Nursing at NCU. On meeting her, she immediately became to me as to many others our beloved 'Aunt G'.

Soon after hearing of Mrs Chen's passing, I received the news that my friend and steadfast Board Director of CCRP, Michael Fraser had suddenly passed away. Michael Fraser was the retired Vice President of Sagicor, and it was he who collaborated with them to introduce a health plan for the members of CCRP. This plan literally saved hundreds of lives. Michael gave generously of himself – he served on the board of the Jamaica Cancer Society, the Medical Foundation of Jamaica and supported numerous philanthropic activities. His son Richard says he takes comfort from one of Michael Fraser's regular sayings: "We are not here for a long time; we are here for a good time."

The tributes which have come in from the humble to the high, signal that the late James Moss-Solomon 'walked with kings, but never lost the common touch.' To hear Kadeem Petgrave and Yaneek Page speak of his guidance, to hear Don Wehby speak of his leadership, to hear the Prime Minister speak of his patriotism are testimony of an extraordinary man.

We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the families of these unforgettable Jamaicans. May their souls rest in peace.

Photo captions

 

Hyacinth Gloria Chen – portrait at NCU by Viv Logan

Michael Fraser

Tyrone Wilson