FREE | PAGES: 14 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com SIGN UP FOR OUR EPAPER @ epaper.jamaica-gleaner.com/na TRANS-CONTINENTAL ECONOCARIBE 147-46 176 STREET, JAMAICA, NEW YORK 11434 TEL: 718-244-7447, 718-341-2900 • BARRELS • CRATES • CARTONS • FURNITURE • APPLIANCES • BUILDING SUPPLIES • MEDICAL SUPPLIES • CARS KINGSTON, MONTEGO BAY, PORT OF SPAIN - TRINIDAD, GUYANA & OTHER ISLANDS WE SHIP DIRECTLY TO: SPECIALIZING IN RETURNING RESIDENTS Braata Singers performing at the gala at the Greentree Country Club on May 2. CONTRIBUTED ‘A MODEL FOR THE WORLD’ Sashana Small/ Staff Reporter JAMAICA’S GOAL to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 has been bolstered by its recent certification from the World Health Organization (WHO) for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis (EMTCT). n Jamaica ends HIV and syphilis transmission from mother P8: Spirit of Jamaica captures Washington in Passport DC P5: Amb. Marks hails founders of the 74-year-old West Indies Social Club P6: Luke Forbes, Denise Hunt head cast of McBee US première > P4 to child MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2024 | VOL 2046
Flagged on flight - Over 200 Indians ordered home amid security concerns about some passengers on chartered carrier Some of the more than 200 Indians who arrived in Jamaica on a charter flight from Dubai told immigration officials that they had travelled to the island for a five-day tour, but checks of their itineraries revealed coverage for only one day. Gleaner immigration sources confirmed on the weekend that anomalies were initially picked up with travel arrangements for some of the group of mostly men while the flight was already airborne. On arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) in Kingston on Thursday, immigration officers discovered that there were also issues with the travel documents for some of the men. “For the purpose of the visit they said they were staying five days to tour the island but they had an itinerary for one day,” disclosed one immigration official who spoke with The Gleaner on condition of anonymity. The group was subsequently refused entry but allowed to remain in the island at the ROK Hotel in downtown Kingston for a few days on humanitarian grounds while arrangements for repatriation were being finalised. The Ministry of National Security has indicated that expenses are to be covered by operators of the airline company. They were scheduled to leave the island Tuesday, but up to press time last Monday night remained in the departure lounge at NMIA. Further, Gleaner sources confirmed that the group was transiting through the country, with some of its travellers reportedly destined for Nicaragua in the hopes of participating in a major housing development project in the Central American country. Others were to leave for Canada, sources said. The Gleaner has learnt that the police are investigating a possible human smuggling operation. The flight, carrying 253 Indians, German crew members, at least one French citizen, a national of Uzbekistan and a Russian landed in Jamaica on charter flight XG201 which transited through Cairo International Airport in Egypt from Dubai. The USC GmbH carrier on which they arrived is registered in Germany and operated by USC Aero, a company founded in 2020 by airline professionals. The Ministry of National Security, in a statement, said the flight arrived in Jamaica legally, having received the requisite approvals for operation from the JCAA. Hotels face tourism decline, massive financial reduction from water crisis Accommodation stakeholders in Negril, which spans Westmoreland and Hanover, have declared that having spent over $200 million on water storage since March they will not be able to withstand the potential financial fallout from reduced guest bookings if the resort town’s ongoing water woes are not swiftly resolved. Addressing a press conference at the Couples Swept Away Resort in Negril on Monday, Karen Lanigan, the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association’s (JHTA) Negril Chapter chairman, pointed to a survey conducted by her organisation which outlined that future bookings for hotels and resorts have been adversely affected by the water crisis. “The JHTA did a survey with accommodation providers, in which we asked, ‘Has the water crisis affected your future bookings?’ and 71 percent of the hoteliers said yes and 29 per cent said no. We asked, ‘Has the water crisis affected your business financially?’ and 100 per cent of our hoteliers said yes,” Lanigan outlined. “Since March, Negril hoteliers have spent over J$200 million on trucking water, and this is about 50 per cent more than what water usually costs them. It is a huge expense for the hotels of Negril, and it is a significant expense for a problem for which solutions were determined years ago,” Lanigan continued. “Twenty years ago we started talking about how we could get more water to Negril, and we are still here talking about it, and there has been no specific action happening at this time.” Lanigan recommended that the planned development of a major water project in Negril, which was previously announced by Minister with responsibility for Water Matthew Samuda in April this year, must begin before the start of the upcoming winter tourist season. “We cannot go through another winter season in the Negril area with no water. The financial implications are really serious for the businesses and the community of Negril, so what we are asking is to look at the plans that have been put in place and fastforward them,” said Lanigan. THE MONTHLY GLEANER | MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 2 WE WELCOME the Government’s commissioning of what Edmund Bartlett has described as a “multidimensional impact assessment” of Jamaica’s tourism sector, in preparation for the industry’s planned construction of 20,000 new hotel rooms over the next decade. HOPEFULLY, THIS study will not narrowly advance the interests of the tourism industry. It must be a robust analysis of tourism’s current and future economic, social and environmental footprint and what, in the context of global warming and climate change, will be the island saturation point for the industry’s expansion. Neither should this study stand on its own. It should fit within a broader matrix for pushing Jamaica up the production and productivity supply chain, so as to extricate itself from the low value-added, low-growth and low-wage environment in which it has been trapped for over four decades. In other words, this study must be an integral part of an industrial policy that, among other things, establishes strong and competitive linkages between tourism and the rest of the economy. There is little doubt about tourism’s importance to Jamaica’s economy – it directly accounts for around 13 per cent of gross domestic product – or of its resilience. After its collapse during the COVID19 pandemic, tourism arrivals have rebounded to the pre-pandemic level. An estimated 4.3 million tourists came to Jamaica in 2023-24. Sixty-nine per cent were stopover visitors. The industry directly employs more than 100,000 people, or over 10 per cent of the employed labour force. That figure, according to Mr Bartlett, rises to over 350,000 when tourism’s impact across the economy is taken into the account. CONTRIBUTION TO ECONOMY Of equal, or even greater, significance is tourism’s financial contribution to the economy. In the last fiscal year, according to the minister, it grossed US$4.38 billion, an increase of 9.6 per cent on the amount for 2022-23. And Mr Bartlett said that 40 per cent ( US$1.752 billion, or over J$271 billion) of that income remained in Jamaica, meaning 40 cents out of every dollar earned by tourism is spent in the domestic economy or stays in Jamaican bank accounts (as opposed to the portion that goes to foreign goods and service providers) to keep the industry going. The external costs include those associated with bringing tourists to the island, such as paying for airline tickets; marketing and advertising expenditures; the amortisation of foreign capital employed in developing the tourism infrastructure; repatriated profits; and the money spent on imports for the industry, including food and drink. Some people will be surprised at that reported level of retention, which is higher than many of Jamaica’s Caribbean peers, although it lags behind global competitors with stronger industrial and agricultural bases. While tourism’s gross earnings, US$4.38 billion, makes it Jamaica’s biggest earner of foreign exchange, Mr Bartlett’s estimate of a 40 per cent (US$1.75 billion) domestic retention places second, after remittances, as the sector with respect to direct circulation in the local economy. According to central bank data, Jamaicans abroad last year sent home US$3.1 billion, or 46 per cent more than tourism’s domestic retention. However, the gross take from tourism was over 130 per cent more than the island earned from its merchandise exports, although the domestically retained portion was 92 per cent the value of all the island’s visible exports. CLOSING THE GAP However, Jamaica’s imports of US$7.7 billion worth of visible imports is more than four times its merchandise exports. Tourism plays a major role in closing the gap. A significant chunk of those imports, though, are consumed by the tourists in much of the food they eat, the beds they sleep in, the vehicles which transport them – and even souvenirs they purchase. According to Mr Bartlett, the industry has an annual demand for J$365 billion (US$2.34 billion) worth of visible goods. Some of what is now imported could, presumably, be offset with domestic production. That requires increased production and improved linkages between tourism and the rest of the economy. Or, as Mr Bartlett said: “We have to invest more on the supply side, so that the 40 cents (on the dollar) that stays here can become 50 or 60, because the less we import is the more we retain.” There are low-hanging fruits that Jamaica could pick with relative ease, starting with food. The island’s food import bill is US$1.4 billion, a large portion of which goes to feeding tourists. Experts say that between a fifth and a quarter of the imported food could be substituted with domestic production, saving between US$280 million and US$350 million. Some of that money could be invested in modernising agriculture and agroprocessing, or diverted to other areas of production. But these things will not happen on a wish. And they ought not to be left to a slow evolution. Partnerships between the Government, the private sector and other key sectors and institutions, including those involved in education and innovation, will help to hasten the creation of the necessary environment. Which makes studies like the one announced by Mr Bartlett important. So, too, is the need to remove the shroud of indecency from the concept of an industrial policy. Tourism and production [EDITORIAL] [NEWS BRIEF] Braata’s 15th anniversary Crystal Gala was held at Greentree Country Club. The honourees, pictured from left: Tamar Greene, Richard David, Rev. PierreAndre Duvert, Vinette Guthrie-Matthews and Karlene Largie. Not pictured: I. Daneek Miller. CONTRIBUTED
THE MONTHLY GLEANER | MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 3 NEW YORK, NY: PRESIDENT OF the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and chairman of CARICOM, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, has again called on the world community to help the people of Haiti. Addressing an awards function put on by The American Foundation of The University of the West Indies (AFUWI), in Manhattan, New York on Thursday, April 18, Ali noted that the Caribbean cannot ignore the realities of the people of Haiti. “They have suffered for too long, and too little has been done by too many of us,” he said. “Only recently I looked at the shocking reality of resources being allocated, and justifiable so, to the people of Ukraine. But the question is, where is the urgency for the people of Haiti?” Ali lamented. “In our region we’ve always had the moral standing to be on the right side of history, and we must never allow any circumstance, or change in conditions to change the way we approach situations, regionally and globally,” he said. Turning to The University of the West Indies, which honoured him on Thursday night, President Ali said Vice Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and his team must be complimented. He said too often people quote reports that are extra regional, when those very studies and reports are available at The University of the West Indies. “I believe we must value more who we are and value more what we produce and utilise more what we own, The University of the West Indies,” the Guyana president declared. He said it was in light of this that as the government of Guyana aims to build a world-class education and health-care system, it decided to incorporate The University of the West Indies Medical School with the first level-five hospital that will be built. Ali also lauded the regional university for leading the charge in the area of reparatory justice. He thanked the Centre for Reparation Research at The University of the West Indies led by Professor Beckles, which has been conducting research into the legacies of the transatlantic trade in Africans and European colonialism, in the hopes of bringing transformational justice. He said the work of The UWI has led to a number of apologies. “But apologies must be natural and we must move from that to full reparatory justice,” Dr. Ali maintained. “It is The University of the West Indies that must lead us. We must show that we have the indigenous academic firepower to battle this and win this for ourselves. We cannot rely on external consultants to do this for us.” He thanked The University of the West Indies for their initiative under the GOAL scholarship programme where over the past three years, “we have over 345 programmes from 19 universities. More that 30,000 students are on this programme in just three and a half years, 75 per cent of whom are women,” he said. He said, “in the past three years, 2229 graduates came from The University of the West Indies programme. This includes 119 graduate programmes, and currently there are 659 students enrolled for The University of the West Indies programmes. This is testimony to partnership,” Ali said. RANKED NUMBER ONE The Guyana president observed further that the CARICOM“region should find innovative ways in which we can help The University of the West Indies by incentivising studying at that institution. This could be done through the taxation system; support to the corporate sector; write-offs and bringing in more of the education fund as deductibles. These are things that I think could help to stimulate more entry into The University of the West Indies and more support for West Indian students,” Ali concluded. In his remarks, Vice Chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles expressed pride that The University of the West Indies was ranked the number-one university in the Caribbean, and has also maintained its status in the top-one-per-cent of the 2000 universities in Latin America and the Caribbean. He said The UWI was also in the top-three per cent of the finest universities in the world. Despite its ranking, however, Professor Beckles said The UWI was not an elite university. “Rather it is an institution for the public good, a university that is focused on uplifting the poor and dispossessed. It stands behind all of those who have been disfranchised; it is committed to justice and equality for all and it is in every sense an ethical enterprise.” Professor Beckles congratulated the awardees, as well as Executive Director of The AFUWI Ann Marie Grant who raises funds through the gala annually to assist needy students. The event also honoured seven distinguished personalities who have made their mark in various fields, from governance and technology to law, business development, and community service. They include Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali as the ninth president of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the current chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); Don Christian, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP with a remarkable 35-year career in technology, aerospace, and defence; attorney-at-law Darren Skinner, a partner at the Washington, D.C. office of Arnold & Porter; Antony Mark Desnoes Hart, executive chairman of the Montego Bay-based Caribbean Producers Jamaica Ltd; Michele ChowTai, managing director of business development at Fairview Capital Partners; and Reverend Patrick Perrin, who, from Jamaica to New York, has dedicated his life to guiding youths towards a brighter future. Lester Hinds/Gleaner Writer NEW YORK: STANLEY CAMPBELL, who boasts Jamaican heritage, has tossed his hat into the ring to contest the United States senate seat currently held by Republican Rick Scott. Campbell, whose father is Jamaican, is among nine candidates running in the Democratic Party’s primary on August 20, this year. Campbell says he made the decision to run as he believes he is the best candidate to take on Senator Rick Scott and beat him. “I bring a wealth of experience to this race and I know that I will be able to beat the current sitting Republican senator,” he said. He credits the influence of his father and the Jamaican culture for his decision to give back to his community. “The Jamaica culture has been instilled in me by my father and other family members who believe that making a difference in your community is essential,” said Campbell. He noted that he is no stranger to Jamaica, having visited the country on several occasions and spent time with relatives in Jamaica on extended periods. Campbell said that, although he was not born in Jamaica, the country still had a tremendous impact on him and on his upbringing. The entrepreneur and owner of three golf courses in Florida and North Carolina, Campbell has loaned his campaign $1 million to kick-start his run. According to his bio, he received his education from the Miami-Dade public school system, and furthered his studies at Florida A&M University (FAMU). At just 19 years old, and while at FAMU, he created the data reduction algorithm and aero analysis for the Voyager 2 spacecraft, which is the only spacecraft to visit Uranus and Neptune. The probe is now in interstellar space, the region outside the heliopause, or the bubble of energetic particles and magnetic fields from the sun. Upon graduation, he embarked on a distinguished military career by becoming a US Navy pilot and test pilot, later assuming command over the navy’s primary Airborne Communications Platform TACAMO. His expertise in mathematics and physics, combined with this wealth of experience, ultimately resulted in his appointment to NASA’s Executive Advisory Board during the George H.W. Bush administration. His accomplishments in the realm of cybersecurity, highlighted by his tenure at the Defence Intelligence Agency and his pivotal contributions to the TSA’s Passenger Screening and Security initiative, underscore his adeptness in bolstering national security protocols. Furthermore, his portfolio boasts 14 patents in Artificial Intelligence, reflecting his dedication to leveraging innovative technologies for enhancing and safeguarding lives. Today, he runs a global healthcare technology company that is directly responsible for preventing $120 million in Medicare fraud penalties daily, and over half a trillion dollars to date. He and his wife, Cheryl Campbell, assistant secretary of administration for the US Department of Health and Human Services, currently reside in Palm City, Florida, at Martin Downs Golf Country Club, which they purchased and redeveloped in 2021. They have been married for 35 years and are the proud parents of three adult sons. AFUWI gala honours Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Don Christian receives The Caribbean Luminary Award presented to him by Arlene Isaacs-Lowe at the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies annual gala in Manhattan. Executive chairman of the Montego Bay based Caribbean Producers Jamaica Ltd Antony Mark Desnoes Hart accepts the Chancellor’s award for excellence in business leadership and community engagement from Executive Director of AFUWI Ann Marie Grant. PHOTOS BY DERRICK SCOTT President of Guyana Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali accepts the Legacy Award from Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies Professor Hilary Beckles at the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies annual gala in Manhattan on Thursday April 18. Candidate with J’can ties in the runnings for US Senate seat Campbell CONTRIBUTED local, regional luminaries
THE MONTHLY GLEANER | MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 4 For expert advice on LOVE, MONEY, HAPPINESS & HEALTH. Removes Voodoo & Evil Spells Guarantees Results In 24 Hours..!! 718.600.6626 MISS FAITH PSYCHIC ENERGY READER & ADVISOR Offering advice on all aspects of life… HAPPINESS - EVIL INFLUENCES – FINANCES CALL TODAY. TOMORROW MIGHT BE TOO LATE. 856.254.7148 PSYCHIC ALYSSA Aubrey Campbell/ Gleaner Writer NEW YORK, NY: MEMBERS OF the Organization for International Development (OID) will travel to continental Africa next month for its second ‘Mission of Mercy 2024’. The charitable unit of healthcare professionals and volunteers will visit Zambia, in southern Africa, from June 14 – 28, providing healthcare services in ophthalmology and dentistry in a major collaboration with the Nursing School, University of Rusangu. THE TRIP comes exactly six months after the first mission in January, which took the team to the parishes of St Thomas and Trelawny, Jamaica, where some 1,400 patients with varying degrees of medical and dental challenges were seen and treated by the medics. At the organisation’s annual Spring Luncheon Fundraiser at the Greentree Country Club, New Rochelle, NY, on April 21, President Michelle James thanked the scores of contributors and volunteers for their more than three decades of unswerving support that has ensured the enviable levels of sustainability for the projects and programmes in communities in Jamaica, the Caribbean region, and beyond. She acknowledged the 2024 Class of Honorees - Normadelle Rose – Community Service Award; Dr Sunil Stephenson – Humanitarian Service Award; Cordella Bonnick Cautheri – Volunteer Service Award; and Dr Daniel Goldstein – Humanitarian Service Award - for their many years of outstanding, inspiring and dedicated service to the OID’s mission, started in 1990 in the Bronx, NY, by Roy Streete, a decorated career dental surgeon. The highlight of the seasonal luncheon fundraiser was the presentation of a cheque in the amount of US$70,000 by Sabrina HoSang Jordan, CEO of Caribbean Food Delight/Royal Caribbean Bakery and chair of the Vincent HoSang Family Foundation, towards the purchase of a mobile mammogram unit – ‘MammoVan’ – at a cost of US$300,000. The contribution pushed the OID’s total collected so far to just past the halfway mark. When operational, the programme will offer breast cancer screening service to Jamaicans in many underserved communities. Additionally, funds for one of the six OID-administered scholarships, in the amount of US$1,600, named in honour of OID member Denise McLaughlin, was presented to Norma Jarrett, president of the Ole Farmers Association/ USA-NE and tenable at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education, Jamaica. OID mission heads to Africa TWO THANK YOUs. Honorees Dr. Sunil Stephenson (left), UWI/Mona, for Humanitarian Service and Normadelle Rose (right), manager/RJRGleaner/NA, for Community Service; display their ‘thank you’ tokens presented at the OID Spring Luncheon Fundraiser at the Greentree Country Club, new Rochelle, NY, on Sunday, April 21. CONTRIBUTED Sashana Small/Staff Reporter JAMAICA’S GOAL to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 has been bolstered by its recent certification from the World Health Organization (WHO) for the elimination of motherto-child transmission of HIV and syphilis (EMTCT). It is an achievement that Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton has declared a victory in the fight against HIV, stating that it is the outcome of concerted national action. “Jamaica’s success on the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis signals an enduring commitment to the sustainable development goals of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all people of all ages,” he said. More than two decades ago, Jamaica embarked on this mission through its Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Programme. It now joins Belize and St Vincent and the Grenadines as the latest territories to attain this milestone. Speaking at a ceremony held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel to recognise the achievement yesterday, Tufton noted that the validation from WHO is an indication of the “extraordinary progress” being made in Jamaica’s maternal healthcare. “Jamaica’s public health system is moving increasingly towards higher service delivery. Among the important provisions have been access to antenatal care, increasing HIV testing and counselling among pregnant women through the expansion of healthcare provider initiatives and continued care management of syphilis exposed infants,” he said. MANAGEMENT OF SYPHILIS He added that the management of syphilis in pregnant women has continued to improve with access to diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Olga Isaza, UNICEF representative to Jamaica, lauded the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in these three Caribbean territories as a crucial step in guaranteeing children’s right to health. However, she said many children in the Latin America Caribbean (LAC) region are being left behind in the progress to end AIDS, noting that antiretroviral treatment for children and young adolescents falls below the global average of 57 per cent. “In 2022, only 39 per cent of children between 0 and 14 years living with HIV in the LAC region received antiretroviral therapy. Compare this to about 70 per cent for those who are 15 years and above,” she said. “We need to work harder to increase the coverage for diagnosis and treatment for all and especially for children.” She challenged these countries to encourage and rally other governments to prioritise adequate and sustained investment in healthcare to improve quality primary healthcare services and make them sustainable. Christine Stegling, deputy executive director; policy, advocacy and knowledge director UNAIDS and assistant secretary general of the United Nations, similarly lauded the governments of Jamaica, Belize and St Vincent and the Grenadines for exercising“powerful political choice”in attaining this achievement and called on other countries to emulate. A MODEL FOR THE WORLD “What has happened in this region is a model for the world, and I want to emphasise this because it only happens with political will and determination that we get to the point that we are today. It represents years of efforts that healthcare providers and communities of people living with HIV working together to ensure health systems have strong maternal, neonatal and child health programmes,” she said, noting that Cuba was the first country in the world to achieve this milestone in 2015. In 2010, countries of the Americas committed to the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis and endorsed the regional strategy. This was updated in 2016 under the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Plan of Action for the Prevention and Control of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections. To meet elimination targets, countries focused on strengthening prevention and treatment services within primary healthcare and in maternal and child health, updating guidelines, ensuring the effective screening of pregnant women, monitoring cases and following-up with HIV and syphilis-exposed infants. Globally, a total of 17 countries have eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, with 11 of those countries in the LAC region. Meanwhile, Director of PAHO, Jarbas Barbosa, congratulated the countries, noting that it is a “testament of years and dedication and hard work”. He also hailed front line healthcare workers as the catalyst for this change. “I encourage countries to leverage this EMTCT achievement and the experience to tackle other diseases including the more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions for which elimination is possible,” he said. Tufton in the meantime acknowledged that there is “no room for complacency”, sharing that the work continues. “As the public health system heightened its progress in client centred care, HIV prevention, care and treatment must and will remain a priority,” he said. “When we elevate the health status of the most vulnerable, we advance the health of the entire nation and indeed I dare say the region and the Americas.” sashana.small@gleanerjm.com ‘A MODEL FOR THE WORLD’ Dr. Christopher Tufton (right), minister of Health and Wellness, exchanges a word while receiving a certificate from Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), while Rhonda Sealey-Thomas), assistant director of PAHO/WHO. The certification marked Jamaica’s achievement in elimination mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. The presentation took place at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston. RUDOLPH BROWN/ PHOTOGRAPHER Jamaica ends HIV and syphilis transmission from mother to child
THE MONTHLY GLEANER | MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 5 JAMAICA’S AMBASSADOR to the United States Audrey Marks has hailed the founders of the 74-year-old West Indies Social Club (WISC) of Hartford Connecticut as visionaries who have over the years created a unifying and enduring spirit of the Caribbean diaspora. “Since 1950, when the WISC was formed by a group of farmworkers from the Caribbean, the club has cultivated a culture of togetherness and demonstrated the collective power of our diaspora,” she said. Addressing the 74th annual anniversary gala of the WISC on April 20 at the organisation’s headquarters along main street in Hartford, Marks hails founders of the Ambassador Audrey Marks, along with Associate Professor Africana Studies and History at Yale University Fiona Vernal, views a pectoral exhibition on the history of West Indies Social Club of Hartford, Connecticut on display at the organisation’s headquarters along main street in Hartford. The exhibition will be a part of the club’s museum to be located at its complex, which will be opened in October and will display various items of history in the building of the West Indian community in Hartford. PHOTOS BY DERRICK SCOTT Ambassador Audrey Marks greets 101-year-old Jamaican Kenneth Bennett Snr, the only surviving foundation member of the West Indian Social Club of Hartford, Connecticut, at its 74th anniversary gala, on April 20 at the club’s main street complex in Hartford. Please see CLUB, 5 74-year-old West Indies Social Club
Ambassador Marks told the over 400 attendees that the occasion was timely. “This 74th anniversary Gala and Awards Banquet is an inspiring moment in time. It is a tangible display of dedication and commitment.This year’s theme of ‘Ignite Unity’ is very important. It underpins the notion that there is strength in numbers, which is embodied in the mottos of several West Indian nations, including Jamaica’s ‘Out of many one people’,” she said. The Jamaican ambassador used the opportunity to “invite all Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica … to come home to the 10th Jamaica Biennial Diaspora Conference, which also emphasises the potency of unity, under the theme ‘United for Jamaica’s Transformation: Fostering Peace, Productivity, and Youth Empowerment’. “I am inviting you to come, see, and participate in the significant strides we are making as a country, from the expansion of our airports, highways, access to more skill training for our youths, to the dramatic improvement in our macro-economic framework. “We are being hailed as a turnaround story by the leading global financial institutions in what we have achieved in cutting our national debt from 149 per cent of debt to GDP to now 74 per cent, more than half, so we can now start investing in our infrastructure, schools, health services, security, housing, etc. ‘big tings a gwaan’! ESTABLISH MUSEUM She emphasised that “the conference is the place to meet with the Government of Jamaica and have an input in the future of the country and to make use of opportunities that are now available to do business or to return for retirement. I look forward to seeing many of you in Jamaica in June,” Ambassador Marks said. She thanked the president of the club, Beverly Redd, and the WISC executive, for upholding the vision and continuing in the footsteps of the founding fathers by fostering a “home away from home” for West Indians in the diaspora. Redd announced the establishment of a museum to be located at the WISC omplex, which will be opened in October and will display various items of history in the building of the West Indian community in Hartford. “Our history is an amazing story because we have been igniting unity within Hartford for 74 years of our existence consistently. The West Indies Social Club was born between the 1940s and ‘50s, in an era which was indicative of social injustice and inequalities. In the US, the West Indian migrants were granted the opportunity to work in the agricultural sector of the United States under the British West Indies Temporary Alien Labour programme, as farm workers in Connecticut’s tobacco industry. She pointed out that, as a result of the trials and tribulations that they encountered under the programme, the founding fathers came together in what was a very oppressive society by putting aside their differences and building stronger connections for survival. Hence the formation of the WISC. “They came together, they bridged the gaps and built collective strength that transcended the boundaries, and, to do this, they had to focus,” Redd declared. THE MONTHLY GLEANER | MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 6 NOTICE PURSUANT TO SECTION 82 OF THE REGISTRATION OF TITLES ACT (RTA) WHEREAS the applicant(s) in the above stated application has/have declared that the following duplicate Certificate of Titles has been lost, I HEREBY GIVE NOTIVE that I intend to cancel the said Certificate of Title and issue a new one in duplicate fourteen days after the last publication of this advertisement. Volume: 1054 Folio: 93 Place: Part of Greenvale Parish: Manchester Registered proprietor(s): Inez Mortibell Smith The following transactions lodged with this application will be registered pursuant to Section 81 of the RTA: Application to be Registered on Transmission 2530051 L. Dunbar Deputy Registrar of Titles LOST TITLE APPLICATION No: 2530052 OFFICE OF TITLES Former president of the New Jersey-based Help Jamaica Medical Mission Dr Rudolph Willis receives an award from the president of the West Indian Social Club of Hartford Beverley Redd, for outstanding service to healthcare. At right is Marcia Anderson-Esson. PHOTO BY DERRICK SCOTT NEW YORK: LUKE FORBES, star of Amazon Prime’s popular comedy series Harlem, and Denise Hunt, best known for her scene stealing role in the hit film, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, will head the cast of the American Première presentation of Alwin Bully’s Caribbean drama. McBee. on Sunday, June 23 at The Jamaica Performing Arts Centre (JPAC) in Jamaica, Queens. The performance will begin at 7 p.m., and will be preceded by a Caribbean Cuisine reception from 5:30 p.m. The play will be presented as a onenight-only staged reading production in tribute to its late playwright, Dominica-born Alwin Bully, and as part of the celebration of New York’s annual Caribbean American Heritage Month festivities, held across the city each June. Broadway World Award-winner David Heron serves as producer and director of the project. Set on an unnamed Caribbean island in the recent past, McBee follows the story of respected husband and wife, politicians Allan and Alice McBee. On his way home on general election night following his party’s victory at the polls, McBee encounters three mysterious Rastafarians who share with him a stunning prophecy, that he is destined to become prime minister of the island nation. When he delivers the news to his ambitious spouse, she immediately begins to envision a future for them well beyond McBee’s wildest dreams, and begins to craft the bloody plan to make it all a reality. But in a world where nothing is quite what it seems, the choices that the McBees make may come at a price far too high to pay for themselves and their country. Forbes and Hunt ,who take on the pivotal roles of Allan and Alice McBee, bring to the project extensive lists of credits that span the worlds of stage, film, television and Broadway. Forbes, who has Jamaican roots, can now be seen in the role of Michael in the comedy series, Harlem. His other screen appearances include television series Crown Heights, Chicago P. D. and S.W.A.T. and the Emmy Award-winning, This Is Us. He also appeared opposite Channing Tatum in the hit feature, Dog. He made his Broadway début in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, which featured Academy Award-winner Al Pacino in the leading role. He has appeared in The Winter’s Tale at The Public’s Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, the world première production of Marley-The Musical at Baltimore Centre Stage and The Whipping Man at the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey. The Jamaica-born Hunt is an actress, model and television host who memorably appeared opposite Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett and Taye Diggs in How Stella Got Her Groove Back. She was also the original host of Television Jamaica’s groundbreaking music competition programme Rising Stars, and hosted the network’s longestrunning entertainment series, ERThe Entertainment Report for several years before migrating to the United States. Her stage credits include popular Jamaican theatrical productions such as the world première of Heron’s awardwinning courtroom drama Against His Will and Jambiz International’s Dirty Diana. She has also toured regionally in the USA in the Broadway comedy Cheaters and throughout the United Kingdom in Heron’s comedy drama, Love and Marriage and New York City. FULL CIRCLE MOMENT Producer-director Heron expressed his delight to again be working with both actors with whom he said he has had a long professional relationship. “Luke and I met as actors in the world première production of Kwame Kwei Armah’s Marley- The Musical at Baltimore Centerstage several years ago,” he said, “And we have been interested in collaborating on something else for a while now. So I relish this opportunity to welcome him to McBee and to see him add yet another terrific performance to his resume. Denise and I go back over 20 years since she appeared in my play Against His Will, and we toured together afterwards in Cheaters in the USA and in the UK touring production of Love and Marriage and New York City. She had stepped away from acting for a while, but I’ve been trying to get her to come back. This titanic role is yet another step in that direction and will be a reminder to audiences of why we have all missed her so much.” In a remarkable full circle moment, upon contacting Hunt regarding the role of Alice McBee, Heron learned that she had in fact played Shakespeare’s Lady Macbethn - to excellent reviews - as a teenager in a high school production of Macbeth for Jamaica’s National Schools Drama Festival in St Andrdrew. “I shook my head when I heard that, because I approached her for McBee without knowing that she had played the Lady M role in Shakespeare’s original play at her alma mater, Queen’s School in Jamaica. This to me is a case of something that’s simply meant to be.” Additional casting for McBee will be announced shortly. Tickets for the American Première Staged Reading production were available as of Friday, May 3 at mcbeetheplay.eventbrite. com. The Jamaica Performing Arts Centre is located at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica NY, 11432. Luke Forbes, Denise Hunt head cast of McBee US première From left; David Heron as ‘Tony Welsh’, Tony Award nominee John Andrew Morrison as ‘Claude Massop’ and Luke Forbes as ‘Tek Life’ in the world première production of Marley The Musical. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS Denise Hunt CLUB Continued from, 5
Neil Armstrong/Gleaner Writer TORONTO: ALTHOUGH SHE has been working in her new position since January 9, D Karen Flynn, was formally invested as the Terrance & Karyn Holm Endowed Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing this week. At the investiture, which was held on April 30, Dean Eileen Collins, UIC College of Nursing, said the occasion celebrated three extraordinary nurse faculty formally seated in some of the most prestigious roles the college has to offer. The others were Shannon Halloway as the Heung Soo & Mi Ja Kim Endowed Faculty Scholar, and Janna Stephens as Nursing Collegiate Professor. Dr Robert Barish, vice chancellor for health afairs of the university, said an investiture is a revered academic tradition, the act of bestowing a select few who distinguish themselves as leaders to positions of prestige and honour. “Endowed faculty positions are crucial sources of support to sustain a tradition of excellence for many years into the future. They don’t only elevate the faculty who are named to those positions, they also reflect the excellence of the college and the university. They bring greater visibility to the institution and allow us to attract more of the best and brightest talent. This in turn attracts like-minded philanthropy which ultimately benefits our students and the communities that we serve. So, it’s a virtuous cycle and it’s a virtuous circle which of course is the best kind,”he said and also thanked the donors, Dr Karyn Holm and Dr Mi Ja Kim. Dr Flynn has created a body of work focused on nursing and health care history in the context of black feminist and diaspora studies. Her award-winning book, Moving Beyond Borders: Black Canadian and Caribbean women in the African Canadian Diaspora, delves into the experiences of 35 postwar-era nurses in Canada. She also co-led with fellow UIC nursing professor Gwyneth Franck, the Mapping Care project, a travelling exhibit and website highlighting the historic and current contributions of black nurses in Chicago. She is also working with grant funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities to help build an archive of East St Louis residents experiences during the pandemic. Dr Flynn also serves as director of the Midwest Nursing History Research Center housed in the College of Nursing. She was previously associate professor in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. IMMEASURABLE SUPPORT In the preamble to introducing Dr Flynn, Dr Collins thanked the donor Dr Karyn Holm, who was present, and her late husband, Terrance, for making the donation to create the professorship. “The existence of the professorship allowed the college to recruit a preeminent scholar of nursing history, Dr Karen Flynn.” “Dr Flynn has said how happy she is that this position will allow her to focus her scholarship not just on publications, but also on exhibits, oral histories, and other types of engagements with communities of nursing. There is no doubt about how deserving she is of this honour.” Referencing lines from Patti LaBelle’s song, When You’ve Been Blessed, Dr Flynn said it reflected aspects of her own life and the fundamental belief that when you have been blessed you must pass it on. She encourages her students to do the same. “Today, I stand before you a product of a large village and tribe that transcends Jamaica where I was born, Canada where I spent my formative years – most of my life – and the United States where I now live, work, and laugh. I’m here because at every step of this journey people have supported me in immeasurable ways.” Dr Flynn thanked Dr Holm and her late husband, Terrance, for funding the endowed chair because they recognised the importance of nurses, past and present. “Despite constituting the majority of healthcare workers globally, until recently, nursing has not been deemed worthy of historical analysis.” “I am honoured to be the endowed chair and I take seriously the task entrusted to me to continue documenting and making visible nursing contributions and accomplishments,” she said before thanking her predecessor Gwyneth Franck. She described her as an “authentic ally”– someone who gives something such as power, resources, or position to help black women along and give them real access to leadership. She said Dr Franck looked at the research centre and recognised that it lacked diversity reflective of the nursing population and sought to take steps to rectify this gap. She invited Flynn to be a co-principal investigator on the groundbreaking Chicago Black Nurses History Project. Flynn said she was raised by a Godfearing great-grandmother in an extended family who ensured that she believed in a higher power, but also taught her to stand up for herself. “As a young girl in this rural community in Jamaica, I honed my reading and presentation skills at the Maryland Branch Sabbath School in my district where being able to read superseded my gender and my age because I was very young.” She thanked some of her teachers from Jamaica and in Canada –who were online – and professors at the University of Windsor and York University. Also attending the investiture were Dr Flynn’s partner, Will, and their son, Marshall, her mother, Vivienne, siblings, in-laws, in person and virtually. In total, there were 81 people cheering her on; 57 attended virtually and 24 were in person at the ceremony. THE MONTHLY GLEANER | MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS MISSED 7 J’can scholar named among outstanding faculty members at investiture From left; Janna Stephens, Nursing Collegiate Professor; Karen Flynn, Terrance & Kary Holm Endowed Professor; and Shannon Halloway, Heung Soo & Mi Ja Kim Endowed Faculty Scholar at their investiture at the University of Illionois Chicago College of Nursing on April 30. CONTRIBUTED
8 THE MONTHLY GLEANER | MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | ADVERTISEMENT
9 THE MONTHLY GLEANER | MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 8 WASHINGTON DC: THE SPIRIT of Jamaica left an indelible imprint on Washington DC’s highly touted Passport DC ‘Around the World Embassy Tour’ 2024, with the Jamaican embassy opening its doors last Saturday, May 4, to throngs of visitors to the US capital city. Saturday’s inclement weather was no match for the excitement of those who made the Jamaica stop in DC, eager for a sample of delectable bites of Jamaican cuisine and culture. Neither were the long lines that at times spilled out onto the streets, snaking from the embassy around the block into Connecticut Avenue, Passport DC Around the World Embassy Tour is part of an annual Washington, DC, tradition taking participants “around the world” for a variety of food, art, dance, fashion, music, innovations, and manufactured goods from different countries. With people gathering as early as an hour before the embassy doors opened, a warm and upbeat atmosphere welcomed visitors eager to explore the rich heritage and flavours of the island paradise. The event proved a resounding success, undoubtedly leaving a lasting impression on the more than 2,000 visitors who stopped in for the Jamaican adventure. One of the highlights of the evening was the exquisite culinary tour that served up authentic,tantalising Jamaican delicacies: mouthwatering jerk chicken and patties, skilfully prepared by the talented chefs from DC’s Jerk@Nite. Rum punch cocktails, refreshing juices, and delicious snacks compliments of Grace Foods and Appleton Rum added a special touch to the savoury treats on offer. The embassy of Jamaica, Jamaica Tourist Board, and EMD Sales partnered to deliver delightful momentary escapes to the white sand beaches of Jamaica. By way of immersive displays and captivating visuals, guests experienced the allure of the island’s crystal-clear waters, vibrant marine life, and stunning landscapes – one patron likening the adventure to being in Jamaica but skipping the need for passports, airports, and flying. The JTB-Embassy partnership gave visitors an opportunity to dream, to envision themselves basking in the warmth of the Jamaican sun and enjoying a truly unforgettable vacation. It was a pleasure to host such a diverse and enthusiastic group of visitors during the Passport DC ‘Around the World Embassy Tour,’”said deputy chief of mission at the embassy, Lishann Salmon. “Our goal was to transport our guests to Jamaica through an immersive cultural experience, showcasing our vibrant traditions, delicious cuisine, and the natural beauty of our island. We are thrilled to have been able to share the spirit of Jamaica with all who attended.” This year’s Jamaican attractions included Appleton Rum Tasting, Jamaican Rum Punch sampling, Jamaican Culture Corner, Coconuts and Sugar Cane, Jamaican Fashion Corner, Jamaican Art Corner, Jamaican cuisine, and Live Jamaican DJ music. “Events DC’s Around the World Embassy Tour and Passport DC attract nearly 30,000 attendees each year and allow the diplomatic community to highlight the very best of their home countries,” remarked Events DC President and CEO Angie M. Gates. “Washington, DC, is a worldclass destination for many reasons. With such a high concentration of embassies, locals and tourists have an unparalleled opportunity to experience a wide range of local, national, and international traditions from around the globe. I love that we can benefit from each other for inspiration and creativity in so many ways, art, cuisine, Spirit of Jamaica captures Washington in Passport DC Shawn Graves, travel adviser with Jamaica Tourist Board, interacts with visitors as they stop by the JTB display at the Jamaican embassy. Two members of staff at the Jamaican embassy, Melisa Baker and Georgette Smith, entertain visitors to the embassy’s display at Passport DC. DERRICK SCOTT PHOTOS Lyndon Taylor/Contributor NEW YORK, NY: COMING OUT of March – Women’s History Month – and skipping past April, women and especially mothers, will again be in the spotlight this month and for all the right reasons – Mother’s Day celebrations. In this issue we highlight some women who have made outstanding contributions to the community. Dr April Spencer, founder and chief operating surgeon of the Dr Spencer Global Breast Health and Wellness Center and co-host of UrbanMD TV @dr.aprilspencer, has not only shattered glass ceilings, but has paved the way for future generations of black women in medicine. With a career spanning over two decades in surgical oncology, Dr Spencer is dedicated to guiding her patients through their journey, advocating for women and early detection while empowering them to thrive beyond a cancer diagnosis with her mantra: Treat It, Beat It & Move On. She is a Chicago native who was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, earning her undergraduate degree in biology from Norfolk State University. She returned to Atlanta to attend the prestigious Morehouse School of Medicine, and earned her Doctor of Medicine degree. After matriculation, she remained at Morehouse to complete a general surgery residency. She completed both her Internship & General Surgery Residency at Grady Memorial Hospital, one of the busiest Level 1 trauma centres in the Southeast. Statistics show that 47.1 per cent of surgical oncologists are female. Of that number, 1.8 per cent are black and African American. The board-certified surgeon, ranked in the Top 10 in the State, provides 100 per cent breast services to women, men and adolescents. Dr Spencer is a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). She was recognised by her peers and awarded the ASCO National Diversity in Oncology Award in 2009. Recently, she launched a non-carcinogenic anti-ageing cosmetics and skincare line, along with the Just Breast Women’s Supplement. Her advice to young girls and women is a quote from the late, iconic freedom fighter and president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela: “You can never lose. You either win or you learn.” Dr April Spencer, paving the way for black women in medicine Dr April Spencer, founder – Global Breast Health & Wellness Center, GA. CONTRIBUTED ANER | MAY 9 - JUNE 8, 2024 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS s from cktails, snacks s and touch maica tnered entary aches ersive displays and captivating visuals, guests experienced the allure of the island’s crystal-clear waters, vibrant marine life, and stunning landscapes – one patron likening the adventure to being in Jamaica but skipping the need for passports, airports, and flying. The JTB-Embassy partnership gave visitors an opportunity to dream, to envision themselves basking in the warmth of the Jamaican sun and enjoying a truly unforgettable vacation. It was a pleasure to host such a diverse and enthusiastic group of visitors during the Passport DC ‘Around the World Embassy Tour,’”said deputy chief of mission at the embassy, Lishann Salmon. “Our goal was to transport our guests to Jamaica through an immersive cultural experience, showcasing our vibrant traditions, delicious cuisine, and the natural beauty of our island. We are thrilled to have been able to share the spirit of Jamaica with all who attended.” This year’s Jamaican attractions included Appleton Rum Tasting, Jamaican Rum Punch sampling, Jamaican Culture Corner, Coconuts and Sugar Cane, Jamaican Fashion Corner, Jamaican Art Corner, Jamaican cuisine, and Live Jamaican DJ music. “Events DC’s Around the World Embassy Tour and Passport DC attract nearly 30,000 attendees each year and allow the diplomatic community to highlight the very best of their home countries,” remarked Events DC President and CEO Angie M. Gates. “Washington, DC, is a worldclass destination for many reasons. With such a high concentration of embassies, locals and tourists have an unparalleled opportunity to experience a wide range of local, national, and international traditions from around the globe. I love that we can benefit from each other for inspiration and creativity in so many ways, art, cuisine, maica captures in Passport DC Shawn Graves, travel adviser with Jamaica Tourist Board, interacts with visitors as they stop by the JTB display at the Jamaican embassy. maican orgette o the rt DC. Lyndon Taylor/Contributor NEW YORK, NY: COMING OUT of March – Women’s History Month – and skipping past April, women and especially mothers, will again be in the spotlight this month and for all the right reasons – Mother’s Day celebrations. In this issue we highlight some women who have made outstanding contributions to the community. Dr April Spencer, founder and chief operating surgeon of the Dr Spencer Global Breast Health and Wellness Center and co-host of UrbanMD TV @dr.aprilspencer, has not only shattered glass ceilings, but has paved the way for future generations of black women in medicine. With a career spanning over two decades in surgical oncology, Dr Spencer is dedicated to guiding her patients through their journey, advocating for women and early detection while empowering them to thrive beyond a cancer diagnosis with her mantra: Treat It, Beat It & Move On. She is a Chicago native who was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, earning her undergraduate degree in biology from Norfolk State University. She returned to Atlanta to attend the prestigious Morehouse School of Medicine, and earned her Doctor of Medicine degree. After matriculation, she remained at Morehouse to complete a general surgery residency. She completed both her Internship & General Surgery Residency at Grady Memorial Hospital, one of the busiest Level 1 trauma centres in the Southeast. Statistics show that 47.1 per cent of surgical oncologists are female. Of that number, 1.8 per cent are black and African American. The board-certified surgeon, ranked in the Top 10 in the State, provides 100 per cent breast services to women, men and adolescents. Dr Spencer is a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). She was recognised by her peers and awarded the ASCO National Diversity in Oncology Award in 2009. Recently, she launched a non-carcinogenic anti-ageing cosmetics and skincare line, along with the Just Breast Women’s Supplement. Her advice to young girls and women is a quote from the late, iconic freedom fighter and president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela: “You can never lose. You either win or you learn.” Dr April Spencer, paving the way for black women in medicine Dr April Spencer, founder – Global Breast Health & Wellness Center, GA. CONTRIBUTED THE MONTHLY GLEANER | MAY 8 WASHINGTON DC: THE SPIRIT of Jamaica left an indelible imprint on Washington DC’s highly touted Passport DC ‘Around the World Embassy Tour’ 2024, with the Jamaican embassy opening its doors last Saturday, May 4, to throngs of visitors to the US capital city. Saturday’s inclement weather was no match for the excitement of those who made the Jamaica stop in DC, eager for a sample of delectable bites of Jamaican cuisine and culture. Neither were the long lines that at times spilled out onto the streets, snaking from the embassy around the block into Connecticut Avenue, Passport DC Around the World Embassy Tour is part of an annual Washington, DC, tradition taking participants “around the world” for a variety of food, art, dance, fashion, music, innovations, and manufactured goods from different countries. With people gathering as early as an hour before the embassy doors opened, a warm and upbeat atmosphere welcomed visitors eager to explore the rich heritage and flavours of the island paradise. The event proved a resounding success, undoubtedly leaving a lasting impression on the more than 2,000 visitors who stopped in for the Jamaican adventure. One of the highlights of the evening was the exquisite culinary tour that served up authentic,tantalising Jamaican delicacies: mouthwatering jerk chicken and patties, skilfully prepared by the talented chefs from DC’s Jerk@Nite. Rum punch cocktails, refreshing juices, and delicious snacks compliments of Grace Foods and Appleton Rum added a special touch to the savoury treats on offer. The embassy of Jamaica, Jamaica Tourist Board, and EMD Sales partnered to deliver delightful momentary escapes to the white sand beaches of Jamaica. By way of immersive Spirit of Jamai Washington in Shawn they st Two members of staff at the Jamaican embassy, Melisa Baker and Georgette Smith, entertain visitors to the embassy’s display at Passport DC. DERRICK SCOTT PHOTOS NEW YO COMI Month and e the sp right r In wome ing c Dr Apr surgeo and We @dr.ap ceiling eration With surgica guidin wome thrive Beat It Dr w
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