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Westmoreland has been making steady strides in the area of culture, chalking up numerous awards, especially at the annual Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) Festival of the Performing Arts level and rated fifth among the parishes. The force behind this milestone achievement is Karen Knott Banhan, a daughter of the soil of Westmoreland. A teacher by profession, she is creative,...

Some members of Top Bellefield in Manchester were honored by the community's Youth Club, for promoting agriculture, education and general kindness, at a special awards function, held on December 26 at the New Testament Church of God in the area. Those honored were: Amy Tracey, Muriel Gordon, Lamice Simpson, the Bramwell family, Incilda Williamson, Jeffery Pomells, Clarence Simpson, and Jacqueline...

Residents of the Strathmore Gardens Children's Home in St. Catherine should be having a brighter Christmas this year through the efforts of the St. Catherine Parish Council and telecommunications company, LIME. On Thursday (December 23), staff of the Parish Council will deliver toys and other gifts to the home, which were garnered through a collection drive, while LIME will donate...

Children at the Walker's Place of Safety, Kingston, were treated to a day of fun-filled activities by the Office of the Children's Advocate (OCA), Wednesday (December 22). OCA team members rapped with the children, singing and reading to them, as well as handing out gifts and engaging in outdoor games. Public Education and Special Projects Manager at the OCA, Georgia...

A Penny Concert, dubbed 'Christmas Carols for Charity', aimed at raising funds to assist street children, will be held at the Bibleway Apostolic Church of God, 50 Grants Pen Road, Kingston, on December 23, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The event is being organised by the Students for Transformation (SFT), the youth arm of the National Transformation Programme, in collaboration with...

Jamaica's Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Audrey Marks, has lauded the Atlanta-based Integrity Children's Fund for its contribution to the education and development of at-risk children. Over the past eight years, the Fund has contributed $33.6 million or US$400,000 to three schools in Kingston and St. Andrew and one in St. James. "I am pleased to salute the...

School children and teachers from seven primary schools across London were treated to a traditional Jamaican Christmas, including traditional carols and mouth-watering food, when they participated in the Jamaican High Commission's annual Christmas programme on Friday (December 10). The children and teachers were officially welcomed by High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), His Excellency Anthony Johnson, who spoke briefly...

Their Excellencies Governor-General, the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, and Lady Allen brought Christmas cheer to the patients and staff of the Bustamante Hospital for Children on Monday (December 13) during a visit to the facility. Their Excellencies handed out gifts to the children and interacted with them and the hospital staff. Sir Patrick expressed pleasure at being able to...

The Social Development Commission (SDC) rewarded more than 80 individuals and organisations for service to various communities during the staging of its 'Spirit of Community' awards ceremony held at the Stella Maris Church Hall in Kingston on Thursday, December 9. A total of 73 individuals were awarded in the categories of safety and security, philanthropy, community service, community sports, and...

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Olivia Grange, has appealed to the European Union (EU) to review the provisions of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), to see how CARIFORUM countries can better benefit from assistance for the development and promotion of culture. The Minister was speaking with JIS News on December 9 following her address at the United Nations...

Approximately 300 youth volunteers drawn from schools and organisations across the parish of Portland, participated in a farm project at the Muirton Boys Home on Sunday (December 5) to mark International Volunteers Day. The event, which was organised by the National Centre for Youth Development, (NCYD), was the national project for Jamaica. Activities undertaken included the re-building of a pig...

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Olivia Grange, is in Brussels, Belgium, attending a conference celebrating the fifth anniversary of the signing of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The Convention provides the platform for the treatment of culture within the framework of world trade and international co-operation. Miss Grange, who...