Impacting Jamaica

Sadiki Harris is Jamaican, but the marketing ace didn’t always want to be. Media representation and poor examples made him ashamed. That was until a trip to the island taught him different. A big part of Sadiki’s work with Black Thrive, an organization focusing on black mental health, is who he is, a Jamaican.​Impacting Jamaica’s Sinai Fleary began a conversation with Sadiki about his work with Bl...

Sadiki Harris is responsible for ensuring Lambeth’s black communities engage with mental health projects that Black Thrive provide. Sadiki joined Black Thrive after meeting Jacqui Dyer at a mental health conference in 2016.Initially he joined as a volunteer, but now he is a key and valuable part of the team – changing the “look” and “feel” of the mental health industry. Between 2010 and 2014, he w...

The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) is the Government of Jamaica’s arm in the fight to give the nation’s children, the very best start possible, with the recognition that stage is critical to the island’s development. The head of that arm is its chairman, Trisha Williams-Singh, who has overseen year-on-year growth in the number of institutions certified by her organization, but there is much work...

The University of the West Indies (UWI) continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development, residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region. At the forefront of its benevolence is the AFUWI (The American Foundation for the University of the West Indies), a fundraising arm, under the executive directorship of AnnMarie Grant.“We need...

Today, Tuesday, March 22, is World Water Day; and to observe the day, Impacting Jamaica links with the Managing Director of the Water Resources Authority, Mr. Peter Clarke.“Jamaica is not a water scarce country,” he declares, noting that “we do have quite a lot of water and a lot of water reserves.” Mr. Thomas notes however that there are issues relating to distribution and access to the commodity...

Human resource and leadership consultant Natassia Wright feels more companies in Jamaica should invest in training and mentorship programmes for their teams.“It’s unfortunate that in our society here in Jamaica, I find that you have many companies that don’t see the value in developing people,” she says. She notes that each individual is a leader and points to the importance of having a positive m...

Natassia Wright has overcome the fiery pangs of poverty and the tragic loss of both parents by age 17 to become an inspirational UN Peace Ambassador, Governor-General Awardee, and cofounder of Mind Food International, which now hires over 30 employees.“I was a dreamer as a child so even though things were happening to me my imagination never left me,” declared Natassia. “When I was young, I would...

Everything is on track for the phased execution of Jamaica’s National Identification System (NIDS).The Andrew Holness-led administration has even appointed a minister to take charge of the system, Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, Floyd Green. He said the system is highly protected; and that it is one of the best in terms of security ever to be implemented in Jamaica....

“Mom was a teacher and dad worked in agriculture,” shares Minister Without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister Floyd Green. Green, who is an attorney, credits his rural upbringing and country values of respect for your elders, principles of kindness and having ‘good manners’, as core to who he is today. Passionate about serving, he was involved in many school activities, and discovered h...

Last year, when Chris Strikes, a Jamaican Canadian Toronto-based filmmaker and award-winning music video creator, read about the “patty wars” that took place in Toronto in 1985, he thought the story was absurd. Then he decided to research the story and found that it did happen in February — 37 years ago — when federal food inspectors deemed Jamaican beef patties did not match the technical definit...

Even throughout the pandemic over the last two years, real estate was one of the most vibrant sectors in the Jamaican economy. All over the island, construction of homes of all types - single family dwellings, high rise apartments, housing schemes - continue apace. But before you shell out your money to make a purchase, there are some things you should know - especially Jamaicans abroad who have n...

For members of the Meadowbrook High School Alumni Association, giving back comes as easy as A-B-C, 1-2-3, Doh Ray-Me!“We want to reach back, to give back, while making it better for those now at the school, the institution that gave us so much when we were there as students,” offered three presidents – Nadine Moulton; SharoAnn Chisholm and Wayne Swaby – as if speaking with one voice. Their shared...

The National Baking Company boss is getting ready to make one of the firm’s largest investments in its history. Butch Hendrickson says he wants to see a better attitude in business and other sectors as Jamaica emerges from the damaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1994 he has headed the National Baking Company, a successful business producing quality bread, buns, crackers and other bake...

The Manchester Beliefs, Values and Attitudes programme has been launched by Custos Garfield Green, to foster positive values and attitudes and a sense of social responsibility among citizens in the parish. The aim is to restore core values and principles that make communities thrive and promote civic pride in the society. Custos Green and his team, including Anieta Bailey, Public Relations Officer...

Hailing from Jamaican parents, British-born Nathaniel Peat, is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur as well as a business coach and TEDx speaker. A pilot by profession, Nathaniel decided to become an entrepreneur and has since been acknowledged for his work on the Black Power List and Financial Times List. In 2015, Nathaniel was the only UK entrepreneur to be selected by Virgin United to attend a we...

From very humble beginnings in rural Jamaica, Carolyn McLean moved to the United States for a better life for herself and her family. The untimely loss of a younger brother some eight years ago was painful, and as faith would have it, that adversity would bring with it, an opportunity to give back to her community and country, in memory of her dearly departed brother, Wayne O. Johnson, in whose ho...

Born and raised in the UK to Jamaican parents, Mbeke Waseme grew up wanting to be an air hostess, but was encouraged by her parents to be more realistic in choosing her vocation in life, so she became a teacher. Traveling, living, and teaching in many different countries, Mbeke has inspected, analyzed, and made recommendations within the education system in many different countries.“If we get educ...

The D&G Foundation has been at the centre of several initiatives that, for want of a better phrase, are ‘Impacting Jamaica’.One such is the way the organization has partnered with the St Monica’s Home for the Abandoned Elderly. Listen as Impacting Jamaica host, Shelly-Ann Harris speaks with Hermine Briscoe, Manager of St Monica’s. Hear her story of the tangible impact the D&G Foundation ha...

'Music was my mother and father,' shares comedian, filmmaker, recording artiste and notable branch manager at one of the largest financial institutions in Jamaica, Don Reid. The Boom Shot artiste shares his inspirational journey of overcoming significant odds, such as being given away by his mother at two years old. He insists that the formula for success is hard work and an acceptance tha...

The Heart Institute of the Caribbean (HIC) is on a massive drive to fight heart disease in Jamaica and the rest of the region. Located in Kingston, the institution, under the leadership of the highly respected and highly qualified Dr Ernest Madu, has engineered initiatives to make cardiovascular care affordable to all. He explained that many locals, including young doctors, have been trained by th...

The lives of some 7,500 students and their families across Jamaica are being impacted by Red Stripe’s No Mind Left Behind project. The goal of the project is to “foster academic excellence and personal development for youth, specifically focusing on young people, ages three to eighteen,” said Red Stripe’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Dianne Ashton-Smith. The beer company, through its Desnoes & G...

Located in the tough neighbourhood of South St. Andrew, Rose Town has faced its share of challenges for decades such as poverty, unemployment and violent crime. Today, good things are happening in the community. One such is a construction internship programme for young men and women, funded by the Phillip and Christine Gore Family Foundation. The foundation is partnering with the Rose Town Foundat...

The Jeffrey Town Education Association based in Toronto, Canada, is making its mark in the St Mary community. Patrick Buchanan, the president and one of the founders of the association, notes that both students and teachers at the all-age school and residents of the community get support from the body. On September 6, 1998, a fire destroyed the Jeffrey Town All-Age School. The institution, which w...

The Sagicor Foundation is continuing to pump millions of dollars into Jamaica’s early childhood education sector. It has just spent in excess of $20 million to upgrade three schools in St Catherine, St James and Westmoreland, massively transforming the learning environment of hundreds of children between three and five years old.“It is a growing family,” said Sagicor executive Michelle-Ann Lettman...

After the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Jamaica in March 2020, Montego Bay High School past students went into overdrive to support their beloved institution. Chapters across North America and Jamaica came together and pool resources to acquire tablets and laptops and other supplies for students. They also ran development courses such as time management, sexuality and mental health. Presi...