Documentary on Jamaican Immigrants in Canada to Air New Year’s Day

A documentary showcasing the Jamaican immigrant experience in Canada will be shown on January 1 on a Toronto television station.

Jamaican Proud’, produced and directed by Rick Davis of RWD Productions will air on OMNI Television, the premier multicultural station in Canada at 11:00 p.m. on New Year’s Day, as part of the station’s Signature Series Documentary Marathon.

It is a pilot episode which the producer is hoping will lead to a mini-series of six documentaries.

The documentary would highlight the accomplishments of Jamaican-born Canadians who came to Canada seeking a better life and made the most of what they had, but never forgot their roots and in so doing made two nations very proud, said Mr. Davis, who was born in Canada of Jamaican parentage.

“My parents and grandparents were all born in Jamaica and I felt the need to do something to help honour them and my heritage. Jamaican Proud is the result of this desire,” he told JIS News.

This first episode will feature educator, Dr. Mavis Burke, founder and first President of Women for PACE (Canada), an organization that has adopted some 145 basic schools in Jamaica since its inception in 1987.

Through PACE (Project for the Advancement of Childhood Education), millions of dollars have been sent to Jamaica over the years to repair, construct, or purchase materials and equipment for the adopted schools.

A practitioner with over 20 years experience in the film and video production field, Mr. Davis said after the airing of the pilot episode, OMNI Television would let him know if he is to go ahead with the remaining episodes.

Other Jamaicans being considered include Chief Executive Officer of AIC Ltd. and the National Commercial Bank, Michael Lee-Chin; Jamaica’s Ambassador of Culture, the Hon. Louise Bennett-Coverley; Acting Headmaster of St. George’s College, Dr. Fred Kennedy; Canada’s High Commissioner to the Dominican Republic, Ambassador Alvin Curling; and Chairman of C.I. Fund Management, Raymond Chang.

Production of the documentary began in March 2005 and took the crew to Jamaica where the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) provided assistance with footage.