Immediate Past President of the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA), O’Neil Grant, who was awarded the Order of Distinction, Officer Class (OD), on National Heroes Day (October 16), deems it an honour to be recognised by his country. Mr. Grant acknowledges that representing public-sector workers is no easy feat but contends that “it is never expected that such an honour...

For National Badge of Honour recipient Claudette Genas, the humanitarian she is today is as a result of the community she has around her and the type of mentorship she received during her upbringing. Hailing from the community of Roehampton in St. James, Mrs. Genas says she had a “supportive community”, particularly the church, which would go as far as...

The Bible verse ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ not only holds the most significance for Beulett Carol Hunter but reflects the approach she has taken in more than four decades of working in Youth Development and Education. For her service, she was presented with the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service for advancing Uniformed Youth...

One hundred and fifty-eight years ago, Baptist Deacon, Paul Bogle, led a march from Stony Gut to the Morant Bay courthouse in St. Thomas, to protest the living conditions of the people. Just before those events of October 11, 1865, the National Hero had taken on the more than 40km journey by foot from Stony Gut to Spanish Town to...

Looking back, it was a stroke of luck, perhaps fate, that Kristoff James came upon the large tent mounted in an open area in his Rose Gardens community, as he made his way to a nearby shop to purchase items. His interest was piqued, and upon enquiry, he found that the tent was set up by representatives of Project STAR...

When Natalie Thompson received her national award at King’s House on National Heroes Day, Monday, October 16, she saw it as a win, not just for herself but the local film and television industry, with which her name is synonymous. Ms. Thompson has contributed to the industry’s development for some 50 years and for that she was conferred with the...

Approximately 50,000 residents in marginalised communities islandwide have benefitted from free healthcare under the auspices of the HELP Jamaica Medical Mission (HELPJaMM). The Mission is a United States-based non-profit medical organisation. It aims to provide free quality healthcare in Jamaica and New Jersey, USA. The organisation was founded in 2010 by Jamaican-born physician, Dr. Robert Clarke, a clinical instructor at...

One hundred and fifty early childhood practitioners now have a chance to improve their skills in delivering effective learning programmes, free of cost. This follows the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund’s donation of $8 million to the United Way of Jamaica (UWJ), a not-for-profit organisation focused on improving the quality of early childhood education. Chief Executive Officer...

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Jamaica, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, Ian Stein, says positive steps are being taken to address mental health issues in Jamaica. Speaking during a recent National Youth Mental Health Summit, hosted by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) at the AC Hotel by Marriott Kingston, Mr. Stein pointed...