Dis n’ Dat 

Wednesday,  October 5, 2005

New names in Cricket Hall of Fame

Sports journalist Tony Becca, is among an impressive line-up of cricketing luminaries, who were inducted into the Cricket Hall of Fame in Hartford, Connecticut last weekend. 

Becca, who recently retired as Sports Editor of the Gleaner, is regarded internationally as one of the most knowledgeable scribes of the game.

The 2005 list of inductees includes Andy Roberts, Antigua and West Indies fast bowler; Indian leg-spinner Bhagwat Chandrasekhar; administrators Carlyle Miller of New York and the late Alvin ‘Al’ Watson of Hartford and Florida (posthumously) into the organization.

Established in 1981, the Cricket Hall of Fame of Hartford has recognized some of the biggest names to ever play the sport including Sir Garfield Sobers,Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Frank Worrell, Sir Conrad Hunte and Sunil Gavaskar.

Michael Holding of Jamaica and West Indies and Greg Chappel (Australia) were among last year’s inductees.

International rescue

With the help of international experts, Jamaica’s disaster agency has mounted a river rescue in the raging Rio Cobre, said The Observer.

On the second day of the ODPEM’s Swift Water/Flood Rescue simulation and training exercise at Dam Head, St Catherine, divers, firefighters and emergency volunteers struggled through the murky river, either being ‘saved’ or being ‘heroes’.

Led by the American-based Special Rescue Services (SRS), an organisation specialising in training rescue personnel in cases of natural emergency, seasoned disaster divers rehearsed their response in the event of a real emergency.

Ivan donation in the Big Apple

A little more than a year after Hurricane Ivan hit, Jamaica along with five other CARICOM member states were presented with cheques totaling more than US$11,000 to repair damage caused by the hurricane in September 2004.

The cheques represent part proceeds from a Caribbean hurricane benefit concert staged at the Riverside Interdenominational Church of New York City (Upper Manhattan) last November featuring performances by Byron Lee and The Dragonnaires, and Slinger “Mighty Sparrow” Francisco.

The presentation ceremony, which was held at the church, was attended by Senior Minister, Reverend Dr James Forbes, members of the Riverside Church community and representatives of the New York Caribbean Consular Corp including Consul General to New York, Dr Basil K Bryan Vice Consul of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Renee M Pinder; Counsellor with the Permanent Mission of Grenada to the United Nations, Allen M McGuire, and John Weaver of Church World Services representing Cuba and Haiti.

In noting the work of the Million Men Marchers, Island Radio, the Social Justice Commission and the Riverside Church community, which organized the benefit concert, Dr. Forbes said, “their efforts are a testimony to the spirit of volunteerism and support at its best.”

“Long after the TV cameras have moved on, you continue to reach out and keep your focus on a devastated area. We appreciate you mobilizing the Riverside Church community. The entire event has been an example of how even on an international level, we can work together to respond to human needs. It is the church being the church when we respond to those who are in special need,” the Reverend Dr. Forbes further observed.

Responding on behalf of the government and people of Jamaica, Dr Bryan called the occasion “special” as it marked the one-year anniversary of one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit the Caribbean region in decades.

“Today is very special in that even in our hour of need we are not forgotten. There are many people even today, one year after that hurricane who are still in need and even now, we have Jamaicans and others from the Caribbean region who have been devastated along with their American brothers and sisters and people from different countries with what happened - Hurricane Katrina - in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region of the USA,” Dr Bryan said.

He praised the church community for “doing the Lord’s work” and noted that the reconstruction work was an ongoing process.

Charity launches Alzheimers project

An outreach programme for those suffering with Alzheimer’s disease was recently launched by the Alliance on Ageing (Jamaica), a non-profit organisation for people of 35 years and older.

Jamaica remembered in New York City

Churches in New York City put their support behind Jamaica’s Homecoming with special services of worship on Sunday, 2 October.

The move was in response to an appeal from members of the New York City Committee for Jamaica Homecoming 2005/HANDS Across Jamaica For Righteousness, headed by Consul General, Dr. Basil K. Bryan, who is the group’s honorary chairman.

Churches in Brooklyn, Bronx, Queen’s and Manhattan devoted special aspects of their work to the national cause. “We have left Jamaica but we have not left the love of Jamaica”, said Bishop Dr Cecil G. Riley, Senior Pastor of the Freedom Hall Church of Brooklyn and a member of the NYC committee.

“Let us not only pray but let us do, thereby providing some hope. It’s about time we take our country back, so let us all get involved,” he added.

Donations from the services will be forwarded to the national secretariat in Kingston, to fund islandwide activities to mark National Homecoming Week from October 15 to 22.

Jamaica Homecoming 2005 is an eight-day national celebration of family and community involving nationals across the globe, who are being encouraged to return to the island and help in the process of rebuilding and renewal.

Language project takes European award

‘Valuing Caribbean Languages’ a project aimed at bringing awareness and understanding of Jamaican patois and other Caribbean languages to mainstream United Kingdom, has received the European Award for Languages.

It was among a number of other language projects in Europe to receive the prestigious honour, which is awarded by the National Centre for Languages.

According to chief judge Brian Page, the winning projects were “truly inspiring,” both in their ambition and the value they placed on languages. “These are among the best language projects in Europe and set the standard to which others can aspire,” he stated.

Developed by Jamaica 2K, a Wolverhampton-based community development organization, the aim of the project is ultimately to ensure that speakers of Jamaican patois and other Caribbean languages in the UK receive the services and support they need.

Among its primary objectives are: to clarify the range and diversity of Caribbean languages spoken; address the difficulties faced by speakers of Jamaican patois and other Caribbean languages in the UK; set up a training programme for teachers and others to understand the relationship between Jamaican and standard English; and to pilot and get accreditation for a Jamaican language and culture programme that would prepare potential applicants for a Diploma in Public Services Interpreting (DPSI).

“Basically, we offer interpreting for the health, legal and education systems and to do that you need a qualification”, said Project Coordinator Liz Millman.

She informs that, “we are actively working to provide that qualification and we are working with the University of the West Indies (UWI) Professor Hubert Devenish of the Jamaican Language Unit is supporting us to develop how this course will run and the training of the persons to run the course”.

Jamaica 2K Chairman, Stephen Brooks said the project emerged out of concern that many Jamaicans, especially students, were being penalised because of a lack of understanding of the Jamaican patois and hopes that the project would address this issue.

“For many Jamaicans, English is a second language. Jamaican should be recognised as a language so students and others can get the right services instead of being penalised,” he stated.

Natalie Fagan, a teacher with the project, said that the Jamaican language and culture course was important as a lot of Jamaican children were considered aggressive because of a lack of understanding of Jamaican cultural norms and mannerism.

The project benefits from the expertise of professionals from the Institute of Linguists; City College Birmingham; the Association of Jamaican Teachers UK; the UWI; and patois speakers in the UK, among other groups and organization.

Lifelong learning encouraged

“Keep upgrading yourself to keep up with changing economies and look at each qualification as a means to an end,” Robert Gregory, Chief Executive Officer of the HEART Trust/NTA implored a gathering of Youth Leaders at the Annual Leaders Conference of the Police Youth Club (PYC), which was held at the Jamaica Conference Centre. Addressing the conference on the theme ‘Choosing a career in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME)’, Mr. Gregory charged the young leaders to take on the armour of lifelong learning as they ventured onto their various career paths.

Coffee specialists treat

The second staging of the much anticipated Coffee Festival on 1 October was a great success. Director General of the Coffee Industry Board (CIB), Graham Dunkley said. The festival was the major local event for the CIB and it was primarily designed to show the various products of coffee.

“The talented professionals at Caribbean Events Group have created an event which is fun and family friendly. It’s the major promotion for the CIB and we expect all the licencees and brands to present the coffee in new and exciting ways for the consumer’s enjoyment,” he said.

The event, was held at Devon House, and featured displays from all the major coffee brands on the market, giving consumers exciting and creative ways of using the product.

Youngsters pass through IT course

The first 60 participants in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/ Microsoft Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programme in Westmoreland, will be presented with certificates and prizes this week.

Funded mainly by the UNDP and Microsoft at a cost of $1.4 million, the training programme was introduced primarily to provide IT training for 240 “at risk” young persons across Westmoreland, to enable them to improve their education, increase their income-generating capacity and enhance their ability to contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities.

The training course lasted for approximately six weeks and the participants were taught basic computer skills, web site designing and other skills.

Co-ordinator of the project, Keith Wedderburn, said that young persons between 17 and 25 years of age were trained free of cost and are required to give back to the association or their community by volunteering in selected projects.

“These students are not required to pay for their training, what we have done instead, is to encourage them to get involved in volunteer work. We have sold the idea of volunteerism to them and they have welcomed this, and so they were active participants in the recent International Beach Clean-up Day in Bluefields. In another few days another beach clean-up is expected to be carried out in another section of the parish and these students will form the greater percentage of the workforce,” Mr. Wedderburn said.

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