Impacting Jamaica

Twelve communities across Jamaica are getting outstanding support from a United States-funded initiative to reduce crime and violence.Positive Pathways is already having an impact among young people, parents and caregivers in ‘hotspot’ areas. The programme runs for five years, ending in 2025.The initiatives under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded unique project are wide-ranging, designed with the involvement of participating communities, the government and dozens of leaders from multiple sectors.Speaking about the financial literacy component, USAID’s Paul Teeple said: “For parents to be able to support their families, they need to be able to earn more and to manage the money they have in a more productive way.”In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with Keisha Hill, Mr. Teeple outlined details of Positive Pathways, its various components and what’s coming next.

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Kadene Vidol does not scoff at what people do for a living. Everyone has a goal and must do everything possible to achieve.When she was faced with financial problems and couldn’t continue to pay her university fees, she headed to the market – the Charles Gordon Market in Montego Bay, St James, as a vendor.“When I started the business I said to myself I need this money to pay for my tuition and my other expenses, so this must work,” recalled the 26-year-old. She later graduated from the University of Technology, Jamaica, with a first class honours degree.Kadene said that she learnt the value of hard work and pig-headed determination and discipline from her mother. She was also anchored around strong Christian principles, and firmly believes those who can help others must do so.“I want to help others out there who are struggling,” declared the highly confident and focused Kadene.In this inspiring episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Keisha Hill, she talks about growing up in Sandy Bay, Hanover, and some of her future goals.

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Glen Christian is one of Jamaica’s most outstanding businessmen, heading the Cari-Med Group. Throughout his business successes, he often recalls his roots as a proud graduate of the Mico University College, the country’s oldest teacher training institution.Now, the veteran entrepreneur is taking on possibly his biggest project to date – developing a centre for the training of teachers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), along with his beloved Mico, to benefit the entire country.“We are not moving ahead because our education system needs to be revamped,” declared the Clarendon-born businessman, who notes that up to 70 per cent of Jamaica’s labour force is not certified.“If we are going to move the economy into a growth sustainable position that we can compete, we must have trained people,” he emphasized.But can Christian pull off this mammoth undertaking estimated to cost US$50 million? Find out more in this instalment of Impacting Jamaica with host Luke Douglas.

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Laughter is your vaccine and social distance from negative energy are the timely nuggets of wisdom shared by beloved comedian, actor and entertainer Ian ‘Ity’ Ellis.He emphasized the importance of remaining positive along life’s journey. “Bask in the moment. Surround yourself with persons who have positive spirits…if they are not, say far,” said the noted comedian.The talented Jamaican, who is in the process of working on his own sitcom, is encouraging everyone to count always their blessings.Ellis is also producing a fascinating online programme that has no script. It is completely about improvisation, he tells host Shelly-Ann Harris in this episode of Impacting Jamaica.

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York Castle High School is “embedded in the community” of Brown’s Town in St Ann, said Milton Brady, the managing director of the York Castle Foundation. “York Castle is not a school. It is a community,” declared Irwin Clare, Snr, Trustee of the York Castle High School Alumni Association, New York Chapter.The two emphasized the importance of the school to the community, and its role in shaping well-rounded students for the global space. “We have learned to be resourceful. We don’t have big donors but we get big things done,” Brady beamed.Added Clare, “We trail-blaze. We do not wait for things to happen. We engender their doing.” Dwight Clarke, president of the association, emphasized community focus agenda of the St Ann school started in 1875. “Community is big for us,” he restated.For members of the alumni association, New York Chapter, they continue to be guided by the motto; nothing is achieved without great effort. Little wonder then, that their alumni dot boardrooms across the United Sates, thereby affording the present student population an opportunity at a secondary level education that will allow them to be productive highly citizens.In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Aubrey Campbell, the executive team of Brady, Clare and Clarke talk about the passion for their school, the work of past students and plans for the future.

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Christine Gore is making a difference in the lives of thousands of Jamaica’s youngest and most vulnerable.She walked away from her highly successful law practice in 2004 to focus on giving back to her country. Mrs. Gore and her husband use the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation as the primary vehicle to take on philanthropy full time.“I have no regrets about doing it,” declared Mrs. Gore, who added that she and her husband, a prominent housing developer, are passionate about Jamaica, its development and the welfare of its people.As a successful attorney-at-law and happily married, Christine Gore seemingly had the kind of life most Jamaicans could only dream of. However, that was not enough. Instead, she focused on supporting early childhood education, sports development, and skills training for mainly young people in inner-city communities. What drives this woman to selflessly dedicate her time and money to improving the lives of young children and at-risk youth in our society? Find out in this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Luke Douglas.

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Red Stripe is helping beer lovers, bartenders and bar operators to better appreciate, serve and enjoy the beverage. Through its Beer Love Academy, the company is aiming to raise the standard and improve the careers of professionals in the industry through skills development.According to Red Stripe’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Dianne Ashton-Smith, the programme is about building beer connoisseurs.“It is about helping people to understand what makes a beer; how beer came about, the importance of it, how to serve and how to pour,” she explained.Ashton-Smith added, “It is also about strengthening their skills in customer service, responsible consumption and the sale of alcohol, and so it’s a broad scale.”All graduates from the programme are dubbed Certified Beer Advisors with a range of skills covering customer service, responsible serving, bar skills, product knowledge and employability (soft) skills.In this episode of Impacting Jamaica with host Shelly-Ann Harris, the Red Stripe Corporate Affairs Manager talks about the importance of the Beer Love Academy.

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Professor Brendan Bain caught the interest of many in 2021 when he spoke to the early beginnings of HIV/AIDS in Jamaica and compared it with the early beginnings of the COVID-19 virus, now a pandemic. He also urged the public not to discriminate against those with the disease. The professor said: “Whereas I have learnt to respect the viruses that caused these diseases, I try not to be so afraid of them that it causes me to scorn or avoid persons who are infected either with HIV or in this case with COVID-19.”In this repeat episode with host of Impacting Jamaica Shelly-Ann Harris, Professor Bain also spoke about ‘Man Up Jamaica’, a programme that promotes healthy and strong life among men.

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The story of businesswoman Audrey Hinchcliffe inspired listeners during 2021. She shared this in her book, The Will To Overcome, and in a podcast interview with Impacting Jamaica.Mrs. Hinchcliffe was also at the forefront of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, writing a riveting series for The Gleaner newspaper in Kingston, Jamaica. Many look to her and her business, Manpower & Maintenance Services, to provide sanitization support throughout the pandemic.The businesswoman has been urging Jamaicans “to go take the damn vaccine” as the Government continues its massive campaign to get people to take the jab. The vaccination rate is still just over 20 per cent, very small when compared with other countries in the Caribbean.In our looking back, we repeat this episode with businesswoman Audrey Hinchcliffe.

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Jamaicans abroad were excited with news of the launch of a radio station with them at the centre – The Bridge 99FM. That was in July.In November, the Caribbean Global Network-owned station launched into Canada with a series of simulcasts with G98.7FM."This is the very first time that three commercial stations from Canada, New York and Jamaica are simulcasting, all in the name of connecting Jamaica with the US/Canadian Diaspora,” said the network’s boss Bobby Clarke.“It is hugely significant as it allows listeners/viewers in these markets to be connected through a virtual media super highway that will benefit them culturally," he added.Clarke said he would continue to work to strengthen connections with the diaspora. He sees Jamaicans as the strongest promoters of the country abroad.We repeat this 2021 episode with Clarke and Impacting Jamaica host Shelly-Ann Harris.

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