Cash in on Jamaica

Jamaica Observer column for published 18 February, 2019

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

During the bad old seventies when many were fleeing Jamaica, I noticed that upper income folks were not moving.  Rather, they were installing more sophisticated security features, bought more dogs and built guardhouses at their gates.  I remember the late Cecil Charlton saying to security mogul Kenny Benjamin, “Kenny, I need you to sell me some of them ‘tump-a-tail’ dogs!”, his description of the popular Dobermans.  Clearly, these well-heeled Jamaicans saw the value of remaining here.

Happiness at NHT Groundbreaking - Longville Park 

One lady who had sold out and migrated in a rush returned in the early nineties to see her old house listed for lease at a premium. “God really has a sense of humour,” she told me after she signed the lease and moved in.

The Jamaica Observer reported on January 31, “Fitch Ratings Agency, today upgraded the Government of Jamaica's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer and Local Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to 'B+' from 'B', and revised the outlook to “stable” from “positive”. The agency also upgraded the country ceiling to 'BB-'from 'B'. This is Jamaica's highest rating in over 10 years, said the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.”

Now, with growing interest in Jamaica, everyone whether of small, medium or large means, should be looking at investment options.  Many have been paying into NHT for years, not realizing the increased benefits being offered by them.  Here is information from the NHT website:

“Loan limits have been increased for the following groups:

Non-Homeowners: A non-homeowner is a contributor who does NOT have any legal or undisputed right to ownership of a residential property. 

If you do not own a house and have never accessed a benefit from the NHT, you may access financing up to the loan ceiling. The current loan celling is $5.5m.

Homeowners: An eligible contributor who is already a homeowner but has never received an NHT loan, can get up to $2.5 million to extend, repair and improve his premises or help buy another property. It can also be used to purchase and install a solar panel system and provide hurricane shutters.

Persons buying residential lots: An eligible contributor can now get up to $2.5 million to buy a residential lot being sold on the open market or being sold by the NHT. Two persons may co-apply for the new maximum limit of $5 million.”

Patrick Hylton

In this galloping real estate market, there are excellent opportunities for those with combined incomes: “Under this policy, two applicants can combine their incomes to access loans from the NHT of up to $11 million (i.e. $5.5 million each). If one applicant cannot afford to borrow his maximum individual loan of $5.5 million but the other person is able to afford a higher amount, then the other person with the larger income may access up to $2.5 million over his own loan limit to facilitate the purchase/construction of a residential property.” 

NHT interest rates range from two percent to six percent, with rebates for persons with disabilities. Interest rates for mortgages from commercial banks are competitive, and these can be combined with an NHT loan. I entreat young professionals to invest in that first piece of real estate in a solid location.  This has been my refrain for years; a former employee expressed his gratitude for my advice, because he had invested in a small studio, the rental from which he was able to use to fund post graduate education overseas. 

As has been reported by Bloomberg, Jamaica’s Stock Market recorded the strongest growth in the world in 2018.  I can hear the voice of the late investment guru Sushil Jain saying, “Make sure you invest in the stock market. Don’t you want to have Don Wehby and Patrick Hylton working for you?” Now there is the social stock market which gives social enterprises the opportunity to access funding from the public.  Congratulations to my friends at Deaf Can! Coffee Company, among the first listings, whose products and services are exceptional.

Don Wehby

Because we wanted to become engaged with the clients we have served over the years, we bought a few of their shares on the stock market, and watched as they multiplied and increased in value. In reading their annual reports, we noted that they had significant holdings in real estate, and in our own small way decided to take a few steps, which have also been rewarding.

Whenever you are wondering how Jamaica is doing, take a look at the business programmes and business sections of our newspapers.  You will see that while some of us are continually stuck on cable TV, others are planning their way ahead, and overseas investors are seeing great possibilities here.  The French company Total is set to become a big player in Jamaica’s petrol market as they are purchasing the Epping facilities.  There are some 5,000 hotel rooms to be added to our stock. 

With the arrival of the ‘SeaWalk’ articulated pier, and a sizeable investment in a Port Royal Cruise port, residents of that area, Harbour View, Bull Bay and Rockfort should be getting together to plan cultural and tour packages.  Our Rockfort Mineral Spa is said to be one of the best in the world and surfing is a big attraction in Bull Bay. A ferry ride over to the Kingston Waterfront will bring them to historical sights in the city.

Have you been down to the Kingston Waterfront recently? It is bustling with new restaurants and clubs.  People are not rushing home from their downtown workplaces anymore; instead they are cooling out at the pier, their cars lining most of the length of Ocean Boulevard. 

The folks who had invested years ago in Ocean Towers apartments are now seeing their property appreciate.  Meanwhile, uptown, apartment buildings are appearing everywhere, and getting higher as we maximise the use of landspace in our in-demand metropolis.  Among them is the planned ‘Residences at the Terra Nova’, condos that will offer luxury accommodations and services.

EPOC Co-Chairman Keith Duncan

A recent release from our Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC) co-chaired by BOJ Governor Brian Wynter and JMMB President Keith Duncan, noted, “The EPOC met on January 15, 2019 and reviewed the latest available results for the period ending September 2018. Based on the preliminary results for performance to date through the end of November 2018, the GOJ is on track to meet the targets for the Quantitative Performance Criteria (QPCs) and indicative targets (ITs) for the IMF Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) as at end-December 2018. As a result of the overall strong performance, the GOJ has met all eight (8) macro-fiscal structural benchmarks for the November 2016 to November 2018 period. The GOJ has also met the fourteen (14) structural benchmarks for public sector transformation, public bodies and public service reform through end-November 2018.”

Good people, we can spend our time gossiping and bickering over tribalist pettiness, or we can focus our energy on making the best of this positive environment for economic growth.  Record your goals, study your options and step up for yourself, your family and your country.

Patsy Ricketts' Healing 'Jah Ova Evil' Project

The legendary Patsy Rickets receives CCRP 2017 Living Legacy Award from
Most Hon Prof Sir Kenneth Hall and yours truly, Executive Chair and Founder of CCRP.
(Looking back, that was not a great way to hide the cast on my broken arm!)
 

When 24-year-old singer Alty ‘Jah-Ova-Evil’ Nunes died from an aneurysm in February 2011, his mother, the legendary NDTC leading dancer Patsy Ricketts and his siblings decided to carry on his legacy, expanding his ‘Jah Ova Evil’ JOE social enterprise project in Vineyard Town.

As noted by Digicel Foundation Project Officer for Community Development, Miguel ‘Steppa’ Williams, “Jah Over Evil has been involved in creative productions formally for the past 10 years ... Now the group does numerous creative arts development interventions with youth in communities across Kingston and the wider Jamaica. Their most recent partnership with Youth Crime Watch Jamaica, NIA and USAID solidified their social enterprise as a viable option for vulnerable spaces.”

With recent assistance from the Digicel Jamaica Foundation towards training, employment and life skills development, the company which has a music studio and screen-printing facilities now benefits 25 directly and 200 young people indirectly. 

Well done, Patsy Ricketts. As the Bible says, you have ‘turned your tears into dancing’ for the good of your community, in tribute to your dear son. 

When Buju stirred Jamaica's Olympic spirit

Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column published 28 January 2019
by Jean Lowrie-Chin

It's not an easy road
Many see the glamour and the glitter
And think it's a bed of rose
Who feels it knows
Lord help me sustain these blows.

At a JAAA meeting in 1995 chaired by then President Adrian Wallace of blessed memory, they proposed that Buju’s ‘Not An Easy Road’ would be a perfect music video to rally support for Jamaica’s Team preparing for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and were approaching several companies to co-sponsor it.  

I remember going home, giving the song a good listen, and convincing my client that they should take up the whole sponsorship. This was agreed and it was my pleasure to visit the studio where Buju did his recordings, and to meet this courteous and brilliant lyricist.

And so, as Buju sang these words, we saw a fine athlete, now Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn MP, going through the paces. Jamaicans quickly caught the Olympic spirit, and we were wild with joy when Deon Hemmings brought home the Gold.

After a startling incident in Florida, Buju has served his time and will return to the stage in triumph. I have relatives abroad who have booked their tickets to be here for March 16. I hear there is not a hotel room to be had that weekend. Buju is back, and we wish him every blessing in this new chapter of his eventful life.

Former Prime Ministers unite for Jamaica

Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column published 28 January 2019

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

Former PM Bruce Golding - Jamaica Observer photo

I have to thank Dr Lucien Jones for linking me to an excellent  Jamaica Observer report headlined “Unity of Purpose” by Karena Bennett. How wonderful when politicians on opposing sides go into retirement and now congratulate each other on their past initiatives. Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding pointed out at a JSE conference last week that we have to go “beyond the bounds of legislation” to establish “a culture of integrity”. He noted, “I’m talking about a situation where something might not be illegal, but it is just plain wrong and the society accepts that it is wrong.”

Mr Golding harked back to P.J. Patterson’s Values & Attitudes programme that was branded as political and fizzled in 2003, remarking to much applause, “I've heard Prime Minister [Andrew] Holness make a number of statements that are almost indistinguishable from what PJ had put forward 25 years ago, and I'm just wondering whether the former prime ministers shouldn't make ourselves ready to lend support to get the discussion going.”

Former PM P.J. Patterson

The Observer reporter recalled a speech made by former PM Patterson to a Rotary Club in Hanover last year where he acknowledged Bruce Golding’s previous call: “As Bruce said, every pronouncement that is made, however it is articulated, comes out with the central things. We need to change our patterns of behaviour. It is time we move from talking about it, now that we seem to be saying the same thing, to acting on it,” Patterson reasoned.

“The message to go forth from this conference [is] that there is a suggestion that the political leaders should seek to invoke the help and support of those of us who have retired. We are prepared to get on board and put this thing at a level where the whole nation accepts. This is not an orange or green business, this is a matter of where we are as a nation,” he said.

Former PM Portia Simpson Miller - JIS photo

Former PM Edward Seaga - Observer photo

This proposed programme is being seen as the “last contribution to the national effort” by our four retired prime ministers: Bruce Golding, P.J. Patterson, Edward Seaga and Portia Simpson Miller.

At a Kingston Lay Magistrates event hosted by Custos Steadman Fuller, Mr Patterson suggested an Anti-Crime Commission, similar in composition to the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ). Having served the ECJ and its predecessor the Electoral Advisory Committee, and seen how the opposing parties argued every last detail of the Representation of the People Act to give Jamaica a gold standard electoral system, I believe that this model should be given a try.

Jamaica is worth the effort

Observer column for MON 28 JAN 2019

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

CCRP Directors and distinguished volunteers at a meeting last year to discuss Elderly Protection Legislation.
Seated: Arlene Harrison-Henry, Public Defender and Attorney-at-Law Gloria Langrin
Standing: Board Members Avrill Crawford, Jean Lowrie-Chin (Executive Chair), Vilma McDonald,
Ambassador Aloun Assamba and Dennis Jones

Volunteerism is alive and well in Jamaica, and the kind folks who are stepping up for others are positively inspiring. The Business & Professional Women’s (BPW) Club of St. Andrew have been supporting the Elsie Bemand Home for Girls for decades and at a recent meeting, members spoke like proud parents when they related the academic performance of the students.  For back-to-school, they have ensured that the children have uniforms, books and proper nutrition to optimize their performance. 

Attorney-at-law Gloria Langrin announced at the meeting that she had been researching legislation for protection of the elderly and had data from Australia, Canada, India and Northern Ireland which can assist the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP) in their quest to have similar legislation in Jamaica.  There were just about a dozen members at the BPW meeting, planning these initiatives under the leadership of President Dr Mearle Barrett. I was reminded of that famous quote by the late anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”

Meeting earlier this month with Shona Heron and Norma Taylor

When we survey the beauty of our land, the blessings of our fertile soil and the innate goodness of our people, we know that Jamaica is worth every bead of sweat that we break. As we journeyed to Ocho Rios and Montego Bay earlier this month, the sights buoyed our spirits on our mission to establish chapters of CCRP which advocates for the welfare of seniors. 

Pixley Irons 

Enthusiastic volunteers Norma Taylor and Shona Heron in Montego Bay have stepped forward to lead the over 200 members in Western Jamaica, and Vana Taylor and Pixley Irons will lead the over 100 in Northeast Jamaica.

There is a great deal of focus on our children, as there should be, but not enough on our elderly, too many of whom are being abused mentally, physically and financially. Shona Heron related to us the heartrending story of her late elderly relative who had suffered from dementia.  She visited her regularly and noticed that she had marks on her legs.  One day Shona entered the house unannounced, only to find the caregiver beating the poor woman. We have heard too many horror stories like this. Thank goodness for the efforts of concerned Jamaicans on behalf of the elderly.

Spain Gourmet Food and Wine Fair

Don Williams shares his expertise on Spanish Wines at a wine-tasting session

It was great to catch up with Don Williams, Managing Director of CS Citi-Scape and Victoria Garcia, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Spain at their recent Gourmet Food Fair, celebrating the country’s exquisite wines and food products. Don conducted wine-tasting sessions and recommended delicious pairings. A graduate of St. Catherine High School and of Spanish universities, Don continues to support his school and his country. 

‘Passion, purpose and laser-like focus’ for 2019

Jamaica Observer column published January 7, 2019

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

I am sharing this message from my friend Claudia Gordon: “Happy New Year!! I'm stepping into 2019 armed with passion, purpose, and laser-like focus. My promise to myself is to starve distractions and feed focus... to continually ask myself if what I am doing today is getting me closer to where I want to be tomorrow. Friend, it's going to be a great year. Let's go.”

Claudia Gordon Esq

To understand better why her greeting resonates, meet Claudia Johnson Esq: Jamaican-born and the first deaf black woman attorney-at-law in the USA. She served in the Barack Obama White House as head of their division for disabled persons and now she is a legal counsel at Sprint.

Claudia has never allowed being deaf to stand in her way. I first heard Claudia speak about her experience of going deaf as a primary school student in Cascade, St Mary. She recalls a deaf-mute in her district who was bullied and she said her late mother was resolute that she would not suffer the same fate. Thus, they migrated to the US where she could have teaching assistance in school and ascended the academic ladder to law school.

Claudia's company is energising; her passion for life and for the special needs community is contagious. As Maya Angelou noted: “Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.” This new year seek the company of the positive people.

The Cover of Dr Floyd Morris' inspiring Autobiography

As I read Dr Floyd Morris's autobiography, By Faith, Not by Sight, I see the parallels in their lives. Morris is also St Mary born and was a bright student at St Mary High School when he suddenly started to go blind. His marks and mental state plummeted and he left school without one subject. When he dropped out of school blind he went into poultry farming to earn a living, configuring the coop so he would not step on the chickens.

Do we understand the power of radio for the blind? Young Floyd was a dedicated listener and one day heard an interview on Dorraine Samuels' programme about the Jamaica School for the Blind. He called her and she encouraged him to relocate to Kingston so he could attend the school. “By faith, not by sight,” he sat the General Certificate of Education (GCE) exams with the assistance of his friends Gary Allen (CEO of the Gleaner-RJR Communications Group) and journalist Patrick Harley. In 2017 he earned his PhD from The University of the West Indies.

The first blind Jamaican senator and state minister, Floyd Morris is no tribalist. He speaks fondly of his schoolmates who were followers of “Uncle Eddie” while he admired “Joshua”. This thread of positivity and unity continues through his book, which is infused with the rich history of post-Independence Jamaica.

Hon Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender,
Entertainment & Sports lauds the Reggae Gilz

Girl Power

As we recall the kudos heaped on our Reggae Girlz by the Government we can use their example to strengthen our resolve for the new year. I had seen the excitement building for our national women's football team in posts by Cedella Marley tagged #strikehard. She gave unstinting support to the team and we are forever grateful to her, the team's management and coaching staff, as well as all players.

Of note, striker Khadija Shaw was named Footballer of the Year (above global male counterparts) by the UK's Guardian newspaper. She lost three brothers to gang-related violence, but soldiered on to score nine goals in 11 appearances. Now the Girlz have made history and are heading to the World Cup in France this June. 

Unsung heroes

Presentation to GK Male Household Worker of the Year Michael
Brown by MP Most Hon Juliet Holness and GK CEO Don
Wehby. Emcee Fae Ellington lauds the winner.

We tend to forget that we have champions literally in our own backyards, and so when GraceKennedy named Michael Brown as 2018 Male Household Worker of the Year, Jamaica was abuzz with the bravery of the 53-year-old who kept going at his job even after he lost a hand.

Rosemarie Forrester, Female Household Worker of the Year, advised her fellow workers, “You have to be just honest, work hard, and never give in.”

Guest speaker at the awards function, Member of Parliament Juliet Holness lauded Jamaica's household workers and called for them to be given the compensation and respect they deserve. She said they were veritable “magicians” in our homes.

GraceKennedy CEO Don Wehby noted that the company's household workers awards, named in honour of the late Dr Heather Little-White, celebrate Jamaica's unsung heroes.

Faith and national priorities

Dr Lucien Jones

Dr Lucien Jones' Internet ministry is a great boost for our faith in these trying times. In his post 'A Mother and a Nation Cries: A Good God answers in Jesus Christ', he mourns with the parents of a brilliant young doctor who lost her life in a crash in the US and the thousands of grieving families in Jamaica bereaved by violence and indiscipline on our roads.

He comments on the call of Political Ombudsman Donna Parchment-Brown for less political vitriol on social media, noting that some of us have elevated our political favourites to almost messianic proportions. This, he believes, has contributed to disunity and violence, “the sad story writ large of a people who once feared 'Massa God' and 'Puppa Jesus', but now have 'grown up' and fear neither God nor man”.

I was relieved that Opposition Leader Peter Phillips accepted the invitation of Prime Minister Andrew Holness for a meeting to address issues of national security last week. I believe it is possible to uphold the human rights of suspects, even as we protect the right of ordinary citizens to go about our business in safety — so I had hoped that the states of emergency would have been extended. We pray for the members of our security forces who face great danger as they work to protect us.

Plastic ban and dengue

The plastic ban and dengue outbreak are issues generating a great deal of political heat. Politicians thrive on headlines, but instead of the constant harping, why not use the opportunity to engage your constituents? MPs and councillors who reach out to citizens to educate them on the danger of plastics to our environment and the importance of addressing mosquito breeding sites will make themselves positively memorable.

Private Sector Calls for a Review of Decision Against State of Emergency

PRESS RELEASE 

from JMEA, PSOJ and JCC

For Immediate Release December 12, 2018 

 

The private sector and the people of Jamaica are aware of the ferocious impact of crime, violence and corruption on the Jamaican people and economy. It is based on this stark reality that we seek to address the impasse that now faces our Government and Opposition on the State of Emergency. 

It is the view of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), The Private Sector 

Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) that the State of Emergency as one of the anti-crime initiatives has been effective in reducing the level of crime in 

the areas implemented; for example, in St. James where there has been a 72% reduction in murder  and 63% reduction in shootings. 

We note the concerns regarding the treatment of detainees and the broader human rights issues. 

However, at the same time, we recognize that crime is one of the biggest infringements on the very rights we are trying to protect. So, as we seek to protect the lives and rights of all our citizens, it is important that we assess the initiatives that are put in place to ensure that we reap the desired results and explore ways to balance the scale between competing rights.

As such, the JMEA, PSOJ and JCC are calling for an urgent meeting with the leadership of both the Government and the Opposition, with a view to address concerns and review the issues surrounding the decision, prior to the dates of expiration of the State of Emergency. 

Contact: 

Victoria Cole 

Marketing & Public Relations - JMEA

85A Duke Street, Kingston 

Tel: 922- 8880-3 | 564-3069

Fax: 922-9205 Email: victoria@jmea.org

Jamaica's leaders step up for our students

Dr Henley Morgan is greeted by an appreciative student. At left is Hon Steadman Fuller, Custos of Kingston and Co-Founder-Chairman the Kingston & St. Andrew Development Foundation. He is also Chairman of
 Kingston Bookshop Ltd, major sponsors of the KSA Foundation

Observer column published 5 NOV 2018

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

We were given a reality check on the nation’s children last week, and so we welcome the upcoming interaction of Jamaica’s leaders with students. The room vibrated with positivity at the Jamaica Conference Centre for the recent launch of the Kingston & St. Andrew Foundation Student Motivational Programme. Main speaker Dr. Henley Morgan announced that he held a record as a student at Ardenne High School, but as the audience started to applaud, he held up his hand to stop them.

“I broke the record as the student who had the most repeats in several forms at Ardenne High School,” he said to the startled gathering.  He said that his despondent father visited the Principal, Mrs. Olson, and asked her, “Please tell me what is wrong with this boy’s brain.” She responded, “There is nothing wrong with his brain, Reverend Morgan, the problem is with his mind.”

This was a turning point in Dr. Morgan’s life. He embraced the challenge to align brain and mind, transitioning from being a failing student to one of academic excellence – as he noted, “with more degrees than a thermometer.” 

Dr. Morgan’s Principal was, indeed, a perceptive educator – one who took the time to study her student. This is the insight and compassion demanded of those who take up a foundational profession that can make or break a child, a family and, indeed, a nation.

Dr. Henley Morgan, a Fortune 500 management consultant who moved his business into the heart of Trench Town, turned over $700 million last year to bolster its local economy. “You can achieve without selling your soul,” he advised.

The Co-founder and Chairman of the Kingston & St. Andrew Development Foundation, Kingston Custos Steadman Fuller, reminded us of the responsibility we have to our children. “The real objectives of the Programme are to get outstanding citizens to start a conversation with our young people,” he noted. “We have abandoned our young people and they have been put into a category as rude and uncouth, under educated and without a future, but we fail to understand those descriptions are about our own children.”

Political Ombudsman Hon Donna Parchment-Brown (left) and
MP Antony Hylton (right) are among the participants in the Programme

He challenged us to “take responsibility to see that our students are given all the opportunities to develop themselves as leaders, ready to replace us in the management of our country and businesses.”

Custos Fuller himself is a fine example of leadership and philanthropy.  Though his company, Kingston Bookshop Limited, he has sponsored the creation and operation of the Kingston & St. Andrew Development Foundation. He shared a sober truth: “I believe that our generation is afraid of the fact that we’ll have to make the transition and hand over to our young people in a short time; not when they are old as us.”

Custos Fuller, a trained teacher, opined, “I know Minister of Education has been doing a fine job in the development of education,” he said, “but for Jamaica to achieve its 2030 Vision we will need to build about 50 smart schools and to upgrade most of the present school structures and come up with new and technologically smart methods of teaching.”

Students listen in rapt attention

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, 40 motivational speakers have agreed to visit high schools in Kingston and St. Andrew before the end of the year.  They include Prime Minister Andrew Holness, former Prime Ministers Portia Simpson Miller, Bruce Golding and PJ Patterson, Lady Patricia Allen, Custodes Fuller and Dr Patricia Dunwell, Chief Justice Brian Sykes, Ministers of Government MP Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, Senator Kamina Johnson-Smith, MP Fayval Williams, MP Ruel Reid, MP Floyd Green and Opposition MP Anthony Hylton, Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson and other leaders in business, education and civil society.

Director for Education Services in the Ministry's Region One, Dr. Kasan Troupe, urged the students to seize the opportunities which education offered them.  She quoted motivational speaker Les Brown, “Don’t let your dreams die with you.” She reflected on the challenges she faced as the child of a single mother living in the inner city, and her decision that she would aspire to the highest goals. “Programme yourself for success,” she urged.

It is said that young people are deeply motivated by their peers and so we felt excitement in the room when Fabian Morris, President of the National Secondary Schools Student Council stepped up to address his fellow students. He challenged them to “Imagine a Jamaica, where the average youth is fully self-aware that he/she is not just here to exist but rather to make a positive difference in this world.”

He said: “Sir Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica, more often than not reminds us that there is nothing wrong with Jamaica that cannot be fixed with what is right with Jamaica. Colleagues, we have a great task ahead of us today, and that is to ensure that we become intentional about welcoming and motivating ourselves, whilst striving to live an empowered life.”

He then offered these four guidelines – worthy of being posted above every home study desk:

1.     Resist the urge to entertain negative self-talk. What you tell yourself every day you will believe and live out.

2.     Assess your circle of friends, because, who you truly are is manifested by the people we call friends

3.     Guard your mind, remember, if you feed your mind an unhealthy diet, you are destined to become sick maybe not physically but mentally. Read an uplifting book, listen to a motivational podcast, use kind words to affirm your worth. “I am bold, I am smart, I am loved, I am becoming better every day.”

4.     Lastly, let’s be open to celebrating ourselves and not comparing ourselves with others. Let’s vow to never allow comparison to rob us of our uniqueness.

Fontana Pharmacy - 50 years and growing

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (third left) and his wife, Most Hon Juliet Holnes MP (fourth left), with executives of Fontana Pharmacy in Mandeville (from left), Ann Chang; Co-Founder, Bobby Chang (second left); Kevin Chang; and Ray Thierren, at the launch of Fontana Pharmacy’s 50th anniversary celebrations on January 17. Mr. Holness was the keynote speaker.

Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson - JIS 

Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column published 10 September 2018

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

We were shopping around in vain for household items at an older store in Savanna-la-mar some years ago, when someone suggested that we check out the then newly opened Fontana Pharmacy, one of several branches of Jamaica’s largest pharmacy chain.  There we were greeted with a well-stocked store and helpful staff. What a bold move in a relatively small town.

Created in 1968 in Mandeville by Bobby and the late Angela Chang, their children Kevin and Anne responded to keen succession planning. Eighty-six-year-old Bobby continues as a Board Director in retirement, while Anne's husband Ray Therrien has joined the Board. The strong trio, Kevin, Ann and Ray have made  Fontana a household word and one of the most popular Jamaican shopping sites online.  

They will mark their 50^thAnniversary with the opening of a 35,000 square foot super store at the Waterloo-West Kings House intersection which it is reported “will feature a state-of-the-art pharmacy, one-stop beauty hub, extensive baby and children’s selections, wide-ranging house and home décor collection, full business centre, photo lab, bill payment and courier services.”

Jamaicans should be heartened by such developments which will create 80 new jobs in addition to the scores employed in the construction of the complex. Clearly we have solid investment opportunities, so we hope fellow citizens both here and in the diaspora will come on board and enjoy the benefits to themselves and to the country.