Impacting Jamaica

Professor Denise Eldemire Shearer has continued to show an immense propensity for hard work on behalf the elderly. She feels that many of those in their golden years still have important contributions to make to the society.On this World Senior Citizens Day – Saturday, August 21, 2021 – the Jamaican society should celebrate its seniors and at the same time examine challenges facing this group; and how to fix them.She notes that the over 80-age cohort is the fastest growing segment of the Jamaican population; there are more than 1,000 centenarians across Jamaica; and 92 per cent of older people in Jamaica are not bedridden.Eldemire Shearer, who is patron of the National Council for Senior Citizens, Director of the World Health Organisation Collaborative Centre on Ageing and the Elderly, and Chairperson of the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons, speaks with Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill about the importance of senior citizens to society.

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The Guardsman Group is transforming security and other services in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean region. The Group is stepping up the game by using the latest in technology to serve its wide customer base. Corporate social responsibility is also a top agenda item for the Group, according to its General Manager for Sales, Marketing and Customer Service, Ms Roxan Wais-Shirley. The focus is on the nation’s children, especially through education. And a University is in the making!Ms. Wais-Shirley and Director of Corporate Communications Mr. George Overton sat down to discuss some of the Group’s various achievements with Impacting Jamaica host Keisha Hill.

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Paul Barnett is involved in organizing almost every 'welcome' or 'thank you' event that is held for Jamaican diplomats starting or ending their tenure in Canada.His hospitality is steeped in the examples set by his parents who, on many occasions, had the founders of Ardenne High School, Reverend George and Nellie Olson, at their home as guests.As a child, he listened to their conversations and eventually became a very involved student at Ardenne High. He says the school gave him a second chance at life, literally.His love for the institution has fuelled his efforts to give back to his alma mater -- something he has been doing for 40 years. Paul Barnett, president of the Toronto Chapter of the Ardenne Alumni Association, the longest-serving president, tells Impacting Jamaica host Neil Armstrong about the importance of giving back or "paying it forward". He also discusses plans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the alumni association.

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The outstanding performance by track and field athletes at the recently concluded Olympic Games is the latest demonstration of the indomitable spirit of the Jamaican people, according to Leighton Beckles, communication officer at Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ).Beckles says this can-do spirit, as well as our ability to "tun our hand and mek fashion" has been a hallmark of Jamaicans in various fields of pursuit since Independence in 1962. At the organisational level, the revenue official reports that TAJ has invested heavily in technological infrastructure to provide a customer-centric service."More specifically, for the Diaspora, we have gone even further to allow persons from anywhere in the world to pay their property taxes and meet their obligations here at home," Beckles tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.However, Beckles worries that the Jamaican cultural identity is being gradually eroded by Westernised influences. In addition, he has issued a call to arms for Jamaicans to arrest the rising level of crime and violence.

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The ability of the people of Jamaica to distinguish themselves in various endeavours is the most significant achievement for the island nation since gaining Independence in 1962, according to Simone Murdock, Corporate Services and Client Experience Manager at Kingston Wharves Limited.Noting that she lived overseas for 10 years, Murdock says the personality of the Jamaican people attracts others, causing many people to want to be affiliated with the country. This is demonstrated in the island’s tourism product, she points out.Murdock says the 75-year-old Kingston Wharves Limited, as the leading port and logistics service provider in the Caribbean, contributes to Jamaica’s development. She points out that having the seventh-largest natural harbour in the world Jamaica has become a global trans-shipment hub in the world.In identifying the area of greatest disappointment as a nation, Murdock points to “opportunities not optimised.”“We know we have the potential as a nation, so we need to move from knowing the potential to maximising and materialising that potential into real deliverables for our people,” she tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.

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Senior civil servant Andrew Wynter cites being, a “powerhouse” in Track and Field, as one of Jamaica’s most significant achievements since gaining Independence in 1962.He attributes this accomplishment largely to the contribution of the GC Foster College of Physical Education that has produced a cadre of high-calibre coaches who are integrated into the school system. In addition, other tertiary institutions have introduced sporting education programmes.Wynter, who is the CEO of the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), also points to the transformation of his organisation from a unit in the Jamaica Constabulary Force to a customer-centric operation, utilising technology as a major plus since 1962.However, he bemoans the lack of respect for each other and the country, which is showing up in the high incidence of crime and violence.“As we learn to respect our country, respect our self, and our institution, then, as a country, we will see more development because that will help us to appreciate what we have,” the PICA CEO tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.Wynter says a process of resocialisation is needed starting at the early childhood education level.

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Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) head Marlene Street Forrest scores the nation high for its ability to maintain a stable democracy since gaining Independence in 1962. She says this political stability has set the stage for socio-economic growth, continuity, and relations with the international community.“It really is to me the bedrock of how our country continues to grow and develop,” Street Forrest tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.She notes that an outflow of the political stability is financial maturity as evidenced by a great stock exchange, a banking sector and a model exchange framework that shows transparency and integrity.However, Street Forrest is disappointed by the decline in moral values and attitudes, which leads to high levels of crime and violence. She says arresting the moral decline has to start with resocialisation in the family.

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Have boys been victims of a flawed transition to independence in Jamaica? Is that why there are more women doing well in country's education system? Anthropologist and Senior University of the West Indies lecturer Dr. Herbert Gayle has a powerful view.He has high marks for Jamaica’s advancement in education since the attainment of Independence. He highlights the achievements of women in this area, which he attributes largely to the positive messaging about women’s place in society that became prevalent under the Michael Manley administration in the 1970s.However, Dr. Gayle posits that the uneven development of the educational status of females, vis-à-vis males has produced a very poor social structure, with high levels of violence being an inevitable outcome.“At the current rate, a lot of women are going to have a MA and no M-A-N; and a lot of men will have dollars, but no sense,” he tells Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley.

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Diaspora representative and local entrepreneur Dr. Karren Dunkley applauds successive administrations for the “tremendous accomplishment” in infrastructural development, as evidenced by the road network, since the island nation gained Independence in 1962.Pointing to the building of the interstate highway system in the United States, Dr. Dunkley says this accomplishment will facilitate economic growth across Jamaica. She is in favour of the establishment of a ministry that coordinates infrastructural needs in the health, education and water sectors.Dr. Dunkley, who represents the Jamaican Diaspora in northeast United States, says the wider community is interested in pooling its financial, and knowledge assets to accelerate development on the island.At the same time, she shares with Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley her disappointment with the weak governance structure in the Jamaican society as evidenced by, the high levels of corruption, garrison politics and cronyism. She is calling on civil society to demand a strong governance structure.

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President and CEO of Scotiabank Jamaica Ms. Audrey Tugwell Henry rates the “maturity and depth of the Jamaican financial sector and market” as one of the most significant achievements of the small island nation since gaining Independence in 1962. She highlights the country’s good mix of financial institutions in the form of local, regional and international commercial banks, building societies, credit unions, finance companies, insurance companies and investment houses.“The strength and chief hallmark of our sector is that we are highly regulated,” Tugwell Henry explains to Impacting Jamaica host Byron Buckley. “We have allowed the Jamaican consumers and businesses to play seamlessly in a global space,” she adds, pointing to the array of tools available to conduct commercial and financial transactions.Tugwell Henry, a career banker, points to the urgent need for sustained human capital development. This is evident, she says, in low matriculation to post-secondary institutions, inadequate numbers of people trained in higher-order skills, and high levels of crime – of which hamper the sustained high level of GDP growth. She advocates the forging of a strong public-private partnership to ramp up the nation’s human capital.

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