Done by: Danielle Mullings
Video – Places to Go in St. Elizabeth
Caribbean Sports with European Heritage
Written by Danielle Mullings
From the ‘point of contact’ in 1492, European cultural institutions have impacted Caribbean society and culture. The remains of colonization by major powers like the Dutch, British, Spanish and French continue to impact today’s Caribbean society. Today their impact continues mainly through trade, education and mass media.
Sports is a cornerstone of our day to day lives that has evolved from European origins. Sports from Europe include horse racing, cricket, football, tennis, rugby and netball. Slaves would have been introduced to and adopted these sports from Europeans during pre-independence but it is still predominant with the Caribbean society in post-independence. The majority of these sports are taught to Caribbean children from a very young age during physical education classes or socializing with friends. Many communities in Jamaica have the “Sunday ball game” in which the males of the community come together to play football. Additionally one can not downplay the popularity of horse racing and betting. Jamaica has built its own racing track called Caymanas and now has a solid industry in horse rearing in rural parishes like St. Elizabeth. Sports may also be popular in the Caribbean as there are more opportunities for scholarships, medalling, and earning money from the European sports internationally. These European sports also allow Caribbean people to participate in international events like the World Cup and the Olympics.
Written by Danielle Mullings
TVJ Climate Change Feature
Written by Danielle Mullings
Climate change has become a more pressing concern in the Caribbean and communities across Jamaica. One of our local television stations, TVJ has produced four features shedding light on the situation and the community response.
The features speak on the reality of climate change in the Caribbean evidenced by the coastal erosion of Hellshire and Hurricane Maria as well as the plans of community members in Manchester to use artificial reefs to decrease coastal erosion. The videos are below:
Environmental Arts Day
Jamaica Diaspora Leadership Summit
Representatives of the Jamaican Diaspora Leadership in the United States of America (USA) will be holding a three-day Leadership Summit, in Morrow, Georgia, to focus on the development of the organisation’s US-based leadership and strengthen its remit to Jamaica. The event will take place at the Morrow Center in Morrow, Georgia, November 16-18.
“The main purpose of the Summit will be to formulate a cohesive Jamaican Diaspora Development Plan, which will rationalise the work of the Diaspora network across the USA,” said Wayne Golding, Southeast Diaspora Advisory Board Representative, who worked in concert with the two other Advisory Board Members, Dr. Rupert Francis (West/Mid-West) and Mrs. Akelia Lawrence-Maitland (Northeast), to design the underlying principles for the summit. “Therefore, our objective is to stimulate our USA-based network to become a structured entity, with focused leadership and a structured plan, to enhance our contributions to Jamaica,” Mr. Golding outlined. He also indicated that, “the Summit’s “Purpose Document” will focus on strengthening the organisation in the Diaspora, to mitigate fragmentation and bring together diverse leadership to implement a plan for growth and development.”
Dr. Rupert Francis noted, “after months of discussion, the leaders from the three Diaspora Advisory Groups in the USA accept that we were operating as individual responders and focusing on development in Jamaica, rather than consolidating our USA-based operations, to enable everyone to appreciate what we aim to achieve collectively, based on measurable, timed objectives.”
“I, therefore, welcome this summit,” Dr. Francis declared, “It will be a context in which our current and emerging leaders can meet and arrive at a consensus about the elements and timing of our plans, to better serve our mutual objectives.” He pointed out that the Atlanta Jamaica Association’s (AJA) Cultural and Education Fund is the official non-profit partner for the summit; and the organisation has the support of The Jamaica National Group, a legacy partner of the biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference and presenting sponsor for the summit.
Chief Executive Officer of The Jamaica National Group, Honourable Earl Jarrett,
commended the work of the Jamaican Diaspora network across the USA and pointed
out that, “strategic partnerships and alliances are critical going forward, hence, the need for individual Jamaican Diaspora groups to determine their respective missions, build capacity, and formulate an effective network to deliver specific projects.”
“We, therefore, look forward to the November summit, to be held in Morrow, Georgia; and encourage those of Jamaican heritage residing in the United States to participate,” Mr. Jarrett stated.
Individuals and entities wishing to participate are asked to visit https://jdusaleadershipsummit.eventbrite.com or email info@jdneusa.org
Lauren Le Franc Merging Coffee And Technology
Girls Who Know JA
Turtle Hatching
Scotiabank To Sell Nine Operations In Caribbean
Scotiabank announced an agreement to sell its banking operations in nine non-core markets in the Caribbean to Trinidad-based Republic Financial Holdings Limited.
The countries included Anguilla, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, according to a Scotiabank release.
Republic Financial indicated that it will spend a total of US$123 million for the acquisition.
“The purchase price represents a US$25 million consideration for the total shareholding of Scotiabank Anguilla Limited, and a premium of US$98 million over net asset value for operations in the remaining eight countries,” stated Republic Financial, adding that the purchase price does not include any amounts required to capitalize the businesses.
“These transactions are not financially material to Scotiabank,” said the bank in the release geared at its Canada investors.
The agreement is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Already Prime Minister, Gaston Browne of Antigua & Barbuda has expressed disappointment at the planned deal.
The deal should increase Scotiabank’s common equity tier 1 capital ratio by some 10 basis points upon closing. Tier one common capital ratio is a measurement of a bank’s core equity capital compared with its total risk-weighted assets that signifies its financial strength. Tier 1 common capital excludes any preferred shares or non-controlling interests.
“Due to increasing regulatory complexity and the need for continued investment in technology to support our regulatory requirements, we made the decision to focus the Bank’s efforts on those markets with significant scale in which we can make the greatest difference for our customers,” said Ignacio Deschamps, group head, international banking at Scotiabank in the release.
“Scotiabank is committed to the Caribbean as demonstrated by the Bank’s ongoing investment in products, services and processes to provide an enhanced banking experience to customers across the region,” he added.
Republic Financial is a leading financial group based in Trinidad & Tobago with operations across the Caribbean and Ghana. As part of the proposed deal, Scotiabank employees in the nine countries will join the Republic Group.
Scotiabank’s global banking and markets division acted as exclusive financial advisor to Scotiabank on the transaction. Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP acted as Scotiabank’s legal advisor.
Scotiabank, based in Canada, operates a chain of banks in 50 countries with more than 25 million customers.
Tell Your MP
NIR – December 7, 2018
While everyone was tracking the arrival of Buju Banton’s plane, an important economic indicator was released by the Bank of Jamaica – the Net International Reserve number.
As at the end November 2018, reserves stood at US$2.899 Billion. While that number is still significant, it represents the fourth consecutive decline in reserves. That is the first time this has happened since the period October 2014 – January 2015, when the reserves were about US$1 Billion less.
The NIR retreated by 0.9% as compared to last month, while being 7% smaller than at the same time last year. Jamaica is still much better than two years ago, however, having 13% more reserves.
So far for the calendar year 2018, the NIR has lost 9% of its value.
Follow diGJamaica’s economic indicators for weekly and monthly updates as they occur.
Tourism Arrivals Gains Holding
New data released from the Jamaica Tourist Board revealed that Long Stay Arrivals were up 3.3% versus October 2017 to reach a new all-time high for the month of 162,552. That is considerable growth given that just 2 years ago, Jamaica was receiving only 135,467 visitors for the month of October.
These visitors tend to stay up to 8 days and more than 75% were headed for the resort areas of Montego Bay, Negril or Ocho Rios.
On the cruise side, there was good news of sorts as the unfortunate devastation that was the 2017 Hurricane Season which led to the biggest October in history in 2017, only fell in 2018 by 18.7%. This indicates that Jamaica’s cruise ship product has proven itself viable, despite announced pullouts by major cruise lines. Although 2018 is running 2% behind 2017, it is still 10% above 2016’s arrivals.
Unfortunately for the month, with cruise ship arrivals falling so sharply, overall tourist arrivals from all sources fell 7.5% versus October 2017. However, year to date, total number of tourists from all sources is up 2% over 2017. Expect November to also fall short of last year’s windfall arrivals.
Keep linked in to diGJamaica’s economic indicators for the latest weekly and monthly indicators.
Falmouth rebounding as preferred cruise port
Windfall – Hurricanes blow 68 cruise ships into Falmouth port
Cooper’s Hill Primary Students Learn Innovative Agriculture Techniques
“Farming can be very creative,” said Aika Nakakomi, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) volunteer, as she scooped up a handful of compost and sifted it in a plastic barrel cut vertically in half.
Creativity began just there, with innovative use of a plastic barrel which, she informed is among other recyclable materials namely plastic containers, bottles, and tyres.
Beside Nakakomi, a group of boys and girls, students of Cooper’s Hill Primary School in Portland, were digging up soil, preparing their school’s kitchen garden to be planted with saplings. The overcast skies and intermittent drizzle were not a deterrent, and all of the students were eager to get their hands dirty in the loamy soil.
“They (the students) love touching the soil,” said Nakakomi, who is assigned to the Portland 4H Clubs, that she was striving to inculcate farming in as many children as possible.
The school, established in 1910, is housed in a wooden structure sits in what could be one of most pristine locales of Jamaica surrounded by lush green mountains. Everything about the surroundings is refreshing.
The road is a different story, though. driving on which requires some serious off-roading expertise negotiating bends, corners, debris, rocks, occasional goats and roosters running scared and jumping for cover adventure uber unlimited.
The school administrators and students are making the best of the given resources and still manage to smile through the daily challenges.
“We are striving to teach gardening,” said Keisha King-Valentine, acting principal of Cooper’s Hill Primary School, and class teacher for Grade 4. “We encourage children to participate pro-actively, and since Miss Nakakomi has started visiting the school, we have learnt new techniques and especially making compost.”
Nakakomi is using the Takakura Method, to make the compost.
“This method,developed by Koji Takakura, is a composting technique used to turn leaves and food scraps into a nutrient-rich soil additive.
“The method uses two fermented solutions, containing micro organisms that are cultured from locally available materials, and a fermenting bed to create seed compost,” Nakakomi said. “Organic waste (food scraps) is mixed with the seed compost and left to break down in a ventilated container.”
Enjoying The Experience
Cooper’s Hill Primary School is one of the 12 schools that Nakakomi visits regularly to teach farming techniques in Portland. The students are enjoying the experience and are proud of the results, as they see the plants bearing vegetables growing in the kitchen garden that they planted and are nurturing.
“We have excelled in the past,” King-Valentine said, saying that the school has won awards from 4H.
Nakakomi is pleased with the outcomes, especially by gauging enthusiasm levels of the students. “They love to go outside,” she said as a group of students moved around the beds to dig cavities to transplant pak choi, tomato, and lettuce their assignment for the day.
“It would be good that children, especially boys, take up farming,” she said. “There are so many opportunities in farming, they are surrounded by land and the countryside here is ideal for farming.”
She is hopeful that the enthusiasm of these children stays with for a lifetime.
King-Valentine seconds Nakakomi. “We are trying to encourage the students to look at agriculture as a career option; we would love to have self-sufficiency in food and at the same time, open their minds to explore opportunities in different aspects of agriculture.”
Right now, she said, they are trying to see how to keep the neighbourhood fowls wandering into the school yard where they pick on the saplings. “We need a perimeter fence,” she said.
She is thankful for the kitchen garden, produce from which is used by the school cook shop, and the food waste goes back into making compost.
Innovative Methodologies
Apart from creativity in farming, King-Valentine said that the teachers are using innovative ways for imparting education. Since the school does not have access to Internet and with only one computer to be shared among the 50 students, the teachers download instructional and educational videos when they go home, and play them back.
“We have challenges in reading levels,” King-Valentine said, adding that the video tutorials are one of the methodologies to reinforce what is being taught in class. “We also have created a Whatsapp group among teachers and parents to keep them updated and informed.”
Outside, students were finishing transplanting, some lining, in front of a faucet to wash their hands and gardening tools as Nakakomi finished sifting through the compost and set it aside.
“It was a great experience,” she said. “Every time they (the students) come to the kitchen garden, they learn something new, and though it was raining, they completed the transplant exercise.”
Nakakomi, who has been in Jamaica for almost two years, is at the end of her tenure as a JICA volunteer, said she loves her work and admires what the students and the teachers in what they are doing. “I wish I did not have to go back (to Japan), and work with these children more.”
Also, she is hopeful that grow enthusiasm of these children would be on the crescendo, and go beyond their school’s kitchen garden to becoming a viable career option.
King-Valentine is upbeat and optimistic too about the outcomes and the legacy that Nakakomi is creating and will leave behind.
As for the road to Cooper’s Hill Primary School, it is, as we speak, and perhaps looking at the brighter side of life, it has all the key ingredients postcard perfect backdrop, a lush, green valley, a great locale for advertising all-terrain vehicles.
Of course, the path to progress is riddled with challenges they say, this is one we could very well do without.
amitabh.sharma@gleanerjm.com
How Many Of These 12 Things Did You Know?
Jamaica is a land full of history and all sorts of interesting things to learn and know. Here are just a dozen of these things:
1. This town clock’s tower was paid for by one of Jamaica’s German settlers and he designed it to look like a German (Prussian)soldier’s helmet.
Lucea.
2. Who said “I would rather die in yonder gallows than be a slave another day” ?
Sam Sharpe.
3. Where in Jamaica had piped water before New York City did?
Falmouth. A 20 foot water wheel was installed in 1799 on lands at Martha Brae, which was turned by the current of the stream and emptied about 100 gallons of water per revolution into a wooden trough approximately 20 feet elevation. A six-inch main carried the water for about a mile into a large tank in the town square of Falmouth. The town square is still called “Water Square” as a result.
4. What is the tea made from Love Bush good for?
Colic, asthma and “mirasmi.”
5. Who declared that he would ascend to heaven on December 31st and descend back to Jamaica on January 3rd?
Alexander Bedward.
6. You can burn these leaves to keep away duppy.
Croton. (aka Rosemary)
7. What animals, now died out, were brought to Jamaica in the 18th century to carry sugar?
Camels.
8. Why would you place a broom upside down behind a door in your house?
To make an unwanted guest go away
9. Solas Market became Jubilee Market. What was its name before that?
There are currently 4 main markets in Kingston : Jubilee, Queens, Redemption Ground and Coronation. Solas market was previously known as Chiggerfoot Market. Chiggers used to be a common complaint amongst slaves who rarely wore shoes. After emancipation, the term chiggerfoot eventually came to be applied to poor people. Several markets had this name, both in and outside of Kingston
10. What is the heart of a soursop said to cure?
Bed wetting.
11. The first commercially marketed oral contraceptive pills were derived from a species of this popular staple of the Jamaican
diet.
Yam
12. What do salt, limes, garlic cloves, a pair of scissors and wangla have in common ?
They can be used as guzu to guard against evil.
Inflation Unchanged For November 2018
The inflation rate for the month of November 2018, registered 0.0% – or completely unchanged. This is remarkably, the second unchanged reading of the year (with May being the first) and even more notably, only the second time in at least the last 9 years that STATIN has recorded an unchanged inflation rate for a month.
Inflation rate for the year to date now stands at 3.54% and diGJamaica projects that inflation will come in below 2017’s 5.25%.
The inflation rate for the fiscal year to date (April 2018 to March 2019) is now 4.21%, but with the prices of oil falling it is too early to tell if this will exceed last fiscal year’s inflation rate of 3.68%, although it is looking likely.
Point to point inflation (November 2017 to November 2018) is 4.08% versus last year’s figure of 4.97%.
STATIN’s official press release offered some insight into the flat inflation rate:
“This movement was influenced by a 0.3 per cent increase in the index for the division ‘Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages’. This was as a result of higher prices for vegetables, starchy foods and fruits.
5 Things to Know About Ms Universe Jamaica 2018
Following in the footsteps of Kaci Fennel and Davina Bennett, this year’s Ms. Universe Jamaica is Emily Sara-Claire Maddison.
Here are five things to know:
- Emily is just 19 years old. She is a recent graduate from Campion College in Kingston Jamaica. Maddison notes that her youth allows her the opportunity to face each situation as a challenge as she rarely knows what to expect.
- She plans to study psychology as she is fascinated by how the mind works.
- Emily works with Girls Who Know Jamaica through which she advocates for sexual and reproductive health rights of our young girls.
- She enjoys reading Manga and eating spicy food. Maddison is interested in following a healthy lifestyle and does yoga.
- She also loves the outdoors, especially the beach, and often visits one of her favorite spots, Strawberry Fields Beach, with friends.
Emily just placed in the top 20 finalists out of 94 contestants in the Miss Universe competition 2018.
No Unfair Advantages With Plastic Ban – Senator Samuda
Government Senator Matthew Samuda says there will be no unfair advantages for manufacturers and distributors under the impending January 1, 2019, single-use plastic ban.
He was speaking at a ‘Consumer Talk’ on the ban, hosted by the National Consumers’ League, in association with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), at the Bureau of Standards recently.
“The plastic ban will be implemented through a ministerial order under the Trade Act of Jamaica. There won’t be unfair advantages for any business group in Jamaica, whether large or small,” he emphasised.
He said that under the Trade Act, plastic bags 24×24 inches, plastic drinking straws, and imported expanded polystyrene would not be allowed for manufacture, distribution and importation by any Jamaican company.
“What the ministerial order will allow the Government to do is reinforce the ban within the business community, rather than target individuals,” he said.
Senator Samuda pointed out that breaches of the plastic ban could result in fines of up to $2 million or imprisonment for a maximum of two years, as outlined in sections 11 and 13 of the Trade Act.
He noted that no tax incentives or concessions would be administered by the Government under the plastic ban.
In 2016, Senator Samuda tabled a motion to ban a range of plastic and expanded polystyrene products. On September 18, minister with responsibility for the environment, Daryl Vaz, announced a ban on single-use plastic effective January 1, 2019. Plastic items under the ban include plastic ‘scandal’ bags 24×24 inches, plastic drinking straws and the importation of expanded polystyrene products.
Management Of HWT Transport Centre Transferred To Transport Authority
The Management of the Half Way Tree Transport Centre in St Andrew has been transferred from the Port Authority Management Services Limited, a subsidiary of the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), to the Transport Authority.
The Port Authority Management Services Limited have been moved to the Transport Authority since the change took effect on September 1, 2018. Moving forward, the PAJ
This is an interesting turn of events as the PAJ was originally incorporated in 2007 with sole purpose of managing the Transport Centre Operations. The PAJ was appointed as the implementing agency for the construction of the centre and to be responsible for its management. In late 2016, it was agreed that the PAJ would be removed and the ownership would be transferred to the Transport Authority.
These changes were disclosed in a Ministry Paper from cabinet that was recently tabled in Parliament.
Outreach Outlet
Fuel Prices – How Much Of It Is Taxes?
Hopefully you are enjoying the lowest gas prices since March 15, 2018.
This is in part due to the lowest crude oil prices since July 16, 2017.
However, we know that Petrojam uses the Weekly Gulf Coast Reference Prices. This week’s USGC Ref Prices would be the lowest since June 23, 2017.
So why aren’t our prices the lowest since mid 2017? Simple answer is, taxes.
The last Revenue Measures brought taxes to their current levels:
In fact, comparing the last time diGJamaica broke down Petrojam prices was March 2012. Let us look at them:
As we can see here, the ex-refinery price for 87 gasoline today December 20, 2018 is actually $3.87 less than it was 6 years ago! However, taxes on the fuel have increased from J$25.43/litre to J$48.88 – a 92% increase.
For 90 gasoline, the increase in taxes is 91% and for auto diesel the increase is 97%.
What was the Gulf Reference Price in March 2012 you ask? US$3.12! More than twice the current price.
What about the crude oil price? The price of crude oil was over US$106 per barrel.
Additionally, taxes on fuels have been the main driver for Revenue Measures in our drive to move from direct to indirect taxation. Taxation on fuels has been projected to add J$23.6Bln to the Consolidated Fund since the 2015/16 fiscal year budget. (1)
So yes, oil prices are going down, and so are gulf reference prices. The prices at the pumps, however, aren’t returning to the good old days anytime soon.