Black Immigrant Daily News

Early 2020, Norman Davis (not his real name), a ground transportation operator in the tourism sector, was enjoying a game of dominoes at his favourite watering hole along the north coast when news broke about concerns relative to Jamaican students in Wuhan, China, where it emerged that the coronavirus had been detected.

His immediate reaction was an expression of hope that the Jamaican Government would move speedily to get the Jamaican students home safely.

At the time, Davis did not foresee the danger that the virus would eventually pose to his livelihood.

And why would he when Jamaica welcomed approximately 4.3 million visitors in 2019, comprising of 2.7 million stopover arrivals and 1.6 million cruise passengers, whose combined spending contributed US$3.64 billion to the destination’s earnings,.

Influenced by the favourable outlook of the sector, the seasoned ground transport operator who has permission to park at a hotel, and also transported cruise ship passengers from the Ocho Rios Pier in St Ann to various attractions, had then recently secured a loan to purchase a newer and more spacious bus.

His troubles started when the rapid global spread of the respiratory disease was affecting millions of persons, killing significant numbers, including in Jamaica, leading to a shutdown of the sector from which he had eked out a living for years.

Davis recounted that although he managed to receive a moratorium from the bank for the loan on his bus, he was still saddled with a myriad of other bills, and had to begin to frequently withdraw from his little savings.

He gave thanks to the Government for the provision of a $25 billion stimulus package to mitigate against the negative impact of COVID-19 on the local economy, which was announced in the House of Representatives by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr Nigel Clarke.

Clarke described the package as the “largest fiscal stimulus in Jamaica’s history”.

He then said: “Pumping $25 billion into the economy at a time of uncertainty like this helps to support economic activity in Jamaica.”

Davis said he was appreciative of that initiative, although he did not specify the extent to which he benefitted.

He said after the choppy waters of the COVID pandemic, he could not contain his joy when Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that on June 15, 2020, the national borders would be reopened to non-nationals, that is, visitors.

The Government then implemented new, controlled re-entry protocols, based on a risk assessment of the countries from which persons were seeking to enter Jamaica, and their travel routes into the island.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett (left) and then Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) President, Clifton Reader, on a visit to a COVID-19 vaccination blitz site for tourism workers in Montego Bay, St James during the more active stage of the virus locally.

Davis was further elated by the establishment of Resilient Corridors, which encompassed the majority of the island’s main tourism regions, and provided an opportunity for visitors to enjoy more of the country’s unique offerings, as many coronavirus-compliant attractions, located along the corridors, were authorised for visits by the health authorities.

“I operate a 20-seater bus, but because of the social distance restrictions, some of the time a just five persons mi have in the big bus, but mi glad fi eat a little food. It did better than none at all. Mi could cover some bills,” Davis told Loop News.

He said at one stage he tried to “run the road” with his bus, but was unsuccessful, as there were “more sellers than buyers”.

The sector began to pick up rapidly and as at October of this year, the destination welcomed over two million stopover arrivals for 2022, on the back of strong marketing by the Ministry of Tourism, led by Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett.

“It is truly gratifying to see our arrivals numbers returning to growth in recent months,” said Bartlett in New York recently.

“Having posted our best summer ever on record in 2022, and with arrivals now pacing well through fall, it is a clear demonstration that Jamaica’s tourism sector is indeed resilient, and has a lasting appeal among consumers.

“While we are a small nation compared to many others in the world, our naturally beautiful landscape, unique culture and variety of attractions and accommodations keep Jamaica at the top of travellers’ preferred places to visit.”

Director of Tourism, Donovan White, chimed in: “We are extremely pleased to be among the destinations leading the world in tourism recovery.

“Since reopening in June 2020, we have been making a strong marketing push to ensure that Jamaica remains top of mind among our traditional and emerging source markets. Reaching this new milestone for 2022 is a testament to the success of our efforts and excellent relationships with our travel industry partners.”

At the end of 2022, Jamaica is projecting that it will welcome over three million stopover arrivals and secure total earnings from tourism of over US$3.7 billion.

The destination is also expected to return to 2019 pre-COVID arrival levels in 2023, and remains on track to welcome five million visitors annually by 2025.

To further support the tourism sector’s recovery, Bartlett, White and a team of high-level tourism officials visited for the New York media launch of the Jamaica Tourist Board’s (JTB) new “Come Back” global marketing campaign.

The team travelled to England on Saturday, November 5, to participate in the annual World Travel Market (WTM) London, which showcased the offerings from the biggest travel destinations, accommodation suppliers, airlines and tour operators.

The occasion was also leveraged in relation to the London media launch of the JTB’s “Come Back” marketing campaign.

Tourism Strategist Delano Seiveright, who was a member of the team, argued that the tourism ministry continues relentlessly on its mission to not only reach, but surpass, the arrival and earnings of the pre-COVID era.

Davis, who noted that he has never seen the kind of devastation of the industry that was caused by COVID in his nearly 30 years in the industry, expressed appreciation of the work of the Ministry of Tourism and other stakeholders to realise the kind of recovery that is now being witnessed.

“We give thanks for the return of tourists on both cruise and to hotels. Right now mi life back on track. Is just last week mi get mi US dollar ‘pardner’ draw. Naw tell you how much though,” he quipped.

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Software developer Sadikie Williams has the desire to help Jamaicans raise money for their various socio-economic needs and entrepreneurial ventures and has developed a crowdfunding platform for us and the wider Caribbean.

Currently, only individuals who have a social security number can start a campaign on crowdfunding platforms like GoFundme, which presents a challenge since it means that only US citizens can start campaigns on that site.

But, Williams, on seeing the many needs unearthed by the pandemic, decided to use his training and his own funds to develop the online platform – Real Helping Hands LLC – which allows Caribbean people to tap into the multi-million-dollar crowdfunding industry.

The former customs officer now based in New Jersey, “wants to help as many individuals and charities as possible to raise funds online for their needs.”

“The needs are plenty and people need a proper platform that is transparent and convenient for them to be able to raise funds and raise the maximum that is possible,” Williams told Loop News.

“My inspiration [to develop the platform] came from the need for helping persons, especially in Jamaica where I am from. When I looked at the news, especially during the pandemic, I saw a number of needs. One particular situation that stood out to me was a picture of a young boy looking out through a window at other kids using tablets for online school and he didn’t have a tablet,” Williams shared.

The caption of the picture suggested that only ‘the privileged’ students would have access to online schooling, he said adding that the sad reality resonated with him.

“So, as a software developer, I decided to look through the landscape of technology in the Caribbean and Jamaica in particular and I saw that there were no crowdfunding platforms for Jamaica and the Caribbean to raise funds on and another problem is that…the banks charge of roughly US$40 to wire money from an overseas account to Jamaica,” he said.

Real Helping Hands has so far raised over US$150,000 in campaign funds with over 250 campaigns now going on the platform.

Another challenge Williams noted was donors being blocked by traditional remittance agencies due to the prevalence of scamming and other illicit activities.

“For someone from like a charity, when they see you coming there a number of times to send money, reds flags go up and the person eventually gets blocked,” he said.

The needs he observed propelled him to find an easier and more cost-effective means for the Caribbean, Williams said.

Real Helping Hands, registered in 2020 in New Jersey, therefore allows users to raise funds online without the noted constraints.

With eight employees and Empress Golding as the local country director, Real Helping Hands has so far raised over US$150,000 in campaign funds with over 250 campaigns now going on the platform.

The platform also sees an average of 6000 visitors “in any given month,” Williams said.

The company takes a 9.5 per cent transaction fee on each donation.

“For example, if the person is donating $100 they would pay $109.50 and out of that $9.50, we pay an average $4 to credit card processing company,” he explained.

Of note, the platform was used to assist entertainer Tiger – born Norman Washington Jackson – to raise funds for his medical expenses, among several other instances.

“We deem ourselves as something built by Jamaicans or Caribbean people for us, Caribbean people,” Williams said.

With the global crowdfunding market valued at US$13.64 billion in 2021, and forecast to double by 2028, according to Statista.com, Williams is aiming to “capture the entire Caribbean market – the English-speaking Caribbean and Latin America and the French-speaking Caribbean – because this region is untapped and we want to be the go-to platform within the region.”

Noting that the Statisca.com data does not speak to the Caribbean market, which has a combined population of over 655 million, Williams sees the region as ripe for the picking.

“This is a huge market…our target market is individuals, charities, non-profits and start-up companies that are looking to raise funds via donations…[and] there is no cap, they can raise any amount, as long as it is for a legal and legitimate cause,” the developer, who has worked for several other big-tech companies, said.

For Golding, the platform represents “a central space that focuses on Jamaica and the Caribbean, at large, so we are not lost on all the other platforms.”

“Crowdfunding is a multi-million-dollar industry and because of the socio-economic needs of Jamaicans, I think it is so important that we focus on that industry for the development and support of our Jamaicans,” she said.

She also shared Williams’ view of entrepreneurs using the platform to raise seed money.

Emprezz Golding, local country director of Real Helping Hands

“There is no shame in using this method to raise funds for your school, church or your individual needs. Call your family and tell them you want to start a business and use this platform for them to invest in it and support you,” she urged.

To ensure that only legitimate causes are shared on the website, the Real Helping Hands team vets all campaigns and does its fact-checking before approving campaigns for the website.

In addition, “Each campaign has a review section on it. So, if a scammer puts out a campaign and they manage to convince us that their campaign is legitimate, once we receive more than two negative reviews, we pause the campaign to do further checks before the funds raised are paid out,” Williams explained.

The online community, therefore, helps to police each campaign and if any cases of fraud are identified then the funds are returned to the donors, he said.

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His Excellency Peter Chia-yen Chen, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, recently handed over a cheque for US$80,000.00 to Hon. Alva Baptiste, Minister for External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation & Diaspora Affairs, to finance the “Eastern Caribbean Solar Challenge: Race to the Sun” Initiative.

 The official handover of an initial US$80,000.00 of the total sum of US$200,000.00 was done on Thursday, November 3, 2022, at the Ministry of External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation & Diaspora Affairs, at Baywalk Mall, Rodney Bay. T

his amount will go towards promoting the use of solar power in Saint Lucia’s public sector.

Launched in 2021 by Saint Lucia and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the “Eastern Caribbean Solar Challenge: Race to the Sun” is a bold and exciting new renewable energy initiative that aims to engage governments, the private sector, development partners, impact financiers, and households in a united effort to increase the diffusion of solar energy across the region by the end of 2023, in the first instance.

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The current revised target is 6.5 MW of new solar through small and medium distributed solar installations across the OECS by 2025.

 Speaking at the handover ceremony, Ambassador Chen said Taiwan recognizes the joint initiative of the Caribbean Nationally Determined Contribution Finance Initiative (NDCFI) by the OECS and the Government of Saint Lucia, and the Race to the Sun Initiative.

He said Taiwan is pleased to support such initiatives.

“Taiwan is firmly committed to combatting climate change and doing its best to assist our diplomatic allies in attaining the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 set by the Paris Agreement,” Ambassador Chen said.

Ambassador Chen added that: “We are willing to make contributions to the Race to the Sun Initiative, and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has agreed to sponsor US$200,000.00 to the Race to the Sun Initiative. On Monday (November 7), US$80,000.00 will be used exclusively in Saint Lucia to promote solar power, especially in the public sector.”

Ambassador Chen thanked Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre, Hon. Alva Baptiste, and Hon. Shawn Edward, Minister for Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, and other Government officials for supporting Taiwan’s participation at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

“With Taiwan’s professional, pragmatic and constructive participation in the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement and associate mechanisms, I believe Taiwan can contribute even more to Saint Lucia, to the Caribbean Region, and to the world,” Ambassador Chen said.

In his remarks, Hon. Alva Baptiste said the Government of Saint Lucia will continue to interact with the Government of Taiwan because both countries are focused on common objectives of humanity.

“I am very appreciative (and) my staff and my Ministry, the Government of the Philip J. Pierre administration that I belong to, actually recognize true friendship, and we’re highly appreciated of contributions toward the sustainable development of this country,” Hon. Baptiste stated.

He added that: “Climate change continues its decimating march across the moral, social, economic and environmental fabric of our countries. The unfortunate thing is that we have been graduated from receiving concessionary financing because they say we are middle-income countries. So we face erosion of trade preferences, we face decline in official development assistance, and now climate change. The net effect is to create massive problems in our respective economies.”

Hon. Baptiste explained that given the harsh conditions that are placed on Saint Lucia and other small islands developing states in relation to climate change, any genuine assistance from friendly countries are welcome. He noted that Taiwan has been at the forefront of that development assistance.

 Meanwhile, Chamberlain Emmanuel, Head of the Environmental Sustainability Cluster, OECS, noted that the developing small island states have long recognized their inherent vulnerabilities as it relates to climate change.

Recent events have included the effects of the pandemic, geopolitical instability and other issues have exacerbated these challenges, he added.

“Our region, like the rest of the planet, is in dire need of energy and climate solution that provide multiple benefits to help underpin our long–term sustainable development strategies and contribute to our near-term recovery efforts,” said Emmanuel.

Emmanuel said a significant part of the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) is spent on imported fossil fuel, with the resulting high and variable cost of energy being a major hurdle for competitiveness, particularly in the tourism and manufacturing sectors, thereby stymieing overall economic growth and development.

“Achieving an increased level of energy independence, diversification of our energy sources, and reduction of energy prices will further provide a positive domino effect that will ultimately improve the overall quality of life in our region and support our resilience goals,” Emmanuel said.

Emmanuel said that to date, the region has only developed a fraction of its indigenous energy resources, adding that the transition should include healthy balance and use of mature and proven technologies, and modern and innovative approaches that will redound to ease in implementation, affordability, social acceptance, and quick returns on investment.

“Solar energy fits the bill for all these criteria, and our geographic location makes the use of solar energy technology an obvious choice for all Members of the OECS,” Emmanuel stated, as he thanked Taiwan for its assistance.

“Furthermore, solar energy has the potential for widest application and adoption across sectors and at various levels of society. It can help meet the growing demand of energy while diversifying the energy generation mix to facilitate development.”

SOURCE: Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) 

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The National Drug Council (NDC) has launched its second annual Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds (HBHM) virtual campaign for the month of November.

“Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds was developed from a need to reach our youngest citizens with important information about how to develop healthy habits,” explains Delisa Hernandez, NDC’s prevention and education officer.

“In order to ensure that we could reach as many children and families as possible, the entire month-long calendar is available free of cost on the NDC website to teachers, parents, caregivers, youth-serving organisations, and even young people themselves,” she adds.

The daily activities offer participants information that helps to promote healthy nutrition, movement, mindfulness, and awareness. By doing these activities daily, children and families help to develop healthier habits.

“What struck me about this virtual campaign is the fact that it is an important precursor to drug prevention education programmes,” notes Sabrina Turner, Minister for Health and Wellness.

“In teaching children how their bodies are supposed to function you are also equipping them with the information to better understand how drugs and alcohol impair those very functions. Making this connection is necessary in helping them to see the harm that these substances cause the human body,” she adds.

Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds is the first in a series of building blocks that tackle drug prevention education and programming more holistically.

“Our aim at the NDC is to ensure that our prevention messages reach the intended audiences,” explains Brenda Watson, Acting Director of the NDC.

“As younger and younger children are exposed to harmful messages, it is important that we do our part in helping to equip schools, families, and communities with fun, factual, relevant and accessible tools to help build drug prevention knowledge and resilience from a young age,” says Watson.

The 2022 HBHM Campaign will also feature a cookbook competition. Participants are encouraged to submit, healthy recipes for consideration.

“Cooking and eating together provide such important opportunities for bonding as a family,” Hernandez adds. “By encouraging not only children but the families to participate in this challenge we are hoping to encourage that bonding, creativity, and perhaps even spark new family traditions that last long after this year’s campaign is done.”

There will be prizes for winning recipes and all recipes will be featured in the virtual HBHM Cookbook, which will be released by the National Drug Council early 2023.

For more information on Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds, or to register for the campaign, log on to www.ndc.ky.

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Following an appeal from Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts for more corporate support for the country’s national teams, JAMECO Equipment Company Limited (JAMECO), a subsidiary of the Stewart’s Automotive Group, has stepped up to the plate.

The company on Tuesday sponsored a 27-seater King Long bus, valued at $7.3 million and branded in the national colours, to the JFF. It was handed over at the Jaguar Land Rover Showroom on Arthur Wint Drive in Kingston.

“The JFF had lost their last bus, and they didn’t have anything to transport the teams. We became aware of their appeal to corporate Jamaica to support the teams, and we had a vehicle here that we thought would suit their needs,” said JAMECO General Manager Brian Pengelley.

Through this arrangement with the JFF, JAMECO has become the official transportation sponsor of Jamaica’s national football teams.

For a year, JFF will provide a driver and fuel, while the bus will be fully insured and maintained by JAMECO with an option to renew.

Pengelley is hopeful that the company’s gesture will inspire others to come on board.

“We are hoping that the rest of corporate Jamaica will see that we are jumping in to support and will bring to the party whatever they can. For us, it’s a matter of nationalism and playing our part in building Jamaica and its sporting fraternity,” he said.

Newly appointed JFF General Secretary Dennis Chung expressed his gratitude for the donation.

“The JFF is grateful to Stewart’s for the donation of the bus, which they have also graciously fully wrapped in the JFF colours,” he said.

He added: “This will get a far way in assisting the various national football teams as transportation is one of the most important ingredients in developing a successful football programme. Immediately, this provides assistance to the senior women’s team, which has two matches against Paraguay on the 10th and 13th of November, as they prepare for their historic second consecutive qualification for the World Cup next year.”

This recent backing by Stewarts Automotive Group is the latest manifestation of its support for the JFF.

Since 1998, when Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz historically qualified for the FIFA World Cup in France, the group has been providing transportation and financial support to the JFF. In 2012, under a sponsorship valued at $30 million, Stewart’s Automotive supplied the JFF with two vehicles.

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