Education Minister Hails Leadercast Forum

Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, has hailed the Leadercast Kingston 2018 Forum for helping to mend the moral fabric of the country.

Speaking with JIS News during the event on Friday, May 4 at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston, the Minister described the initiative as a “novel idea”, as it brings to the fore what leadership is all about.

He called on all Jamaicans to be leaders in their community, to influence positive social change across the island.

“In order to turn around Jamaica at all levels, we want the kind of leadership that can pull away all those negative forces and channel them into positive energy,” the Minister said.

Leadercast is the world’s largest one-day leadership event, with more than 100,000 attendees participating at over 700 locations in 20 countries around the globe. It is designed for those seeking inspiration and improvement in leadership.

Approximately 170 entrepreneurs, students, church leaders and representatives from several corporate companies participated in the local staging of the event.

Meanwhile, Senator Reid said the Ministry will be re-engaging the National Values and Attitudes campaign in an effort to promote respect at all levels of society.

The campaign aims to promote good role models for children in school and the community, appoint values and attitude champions in schools and other organisations, as well as involve parents.

“If there is one value that there can be a consensus around youth as well as adults, it would be respect. Respect to each other, respect for life, respect for relationships – that would be a recipe to transform Jamaica’s social problems. We have to engage people in every community. If we were to achieve that in a macro way, Jamaica would improve both socially and economically,” the Minister said.

For her part, Organiser of Leadercast, Heneka Watkis-Porter, said the anticipated outcome is for participants to be equipped with the knowledge to improve their leadership skills.

“At the end of the day (persons) will leave knowing how to be better leaders,” she said.

The event featured presentations from several leaders in business, industry and entertainment. Some of the topics covered include The Power of Perseverance and Positive Thinking as a Leader, Breaking Barriers: How to Develop the Qualities to be a Trailblazer, and Overcoming Fear – Courage and Bravery in Leadership.