Spanish-Jamaican Foundation gets Full nod of Government

The one year-old non-profit Spanish-Jamaican Foundation (SJF) has received the full nod of the Jamaican government, and Prime Minister Hon Bruce Golding has advised that his government is prepared to provide any assistance necessary to support the organisation.
The Foundation held its second meeting of its Advisory Board at the newly opened Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Hotel on Saturday (Dec 1). The Foundation’s Honourary President, Spanish Ambassador, Jesus Silva, told the Prime Minister and Board Members that the Foundation is partnering with the Spanish government to establish further linkages with the various Spanish companies now operating in Jamaica.
Ambassador Silva updated the Prime Minister on the projects already being implemented. These he said, include the Jamaica Heritage Trail, the establishment of the Real Madrid Football Academy in Jamaica and a programme for the integration of persons with disabilities into the Jamaican Labour force.
Mr Silva noted that the Spanish investors are united in their commitment to Jamaica’s tourism industry and to community development, in particular. He said it was this commitment that gave birth to the idea of the Jamaica National Heritage Trail. Working with the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, this project will promote heritage sites around the island and will help to raise awareness of Jamaica’s rich history while at the same time promoting income-generating opportunities within local communities.
The establishment of the Real Madrid Football Academy, Ambassador Silva said is aimed at enhancing the social integration of youth-at-risk. The programme will involve training of sporting and other activities aimed at transmitting positive values to its participants and to encourage socially-acceptable behaviour to help increase young people’s self-esteem, respect and social responsibility. The Academy will target young people between the ages of 7-12 years from the economically-depressed areas of Montego Bay and its environs.
The third project being undertaken by the SJF will see the Foundation working closely with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security as partners in advocating for increased employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in Jamaica. The SJF and the Ministry have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the objectives of improving the integration of persons with disabilities into the tourism-related labour force. The Foundation says it anticipates that this project will have a positive influence on the wider Jamaican society by creating a change of attitude of the public towards persons with disabilities.