Welcome to Impacting Jamaica
SHARING THE LOVE: JIS FEATURE
Five-minute feature on acts of kindness by local or overseas based non-government individuals and organisations that have benefitted Jamaicans.
Written and produced by the Radio Department of the Jamaica Information Service
News for Week of July 23, 2023
We are here to inspire, motivate and uplift.
OCT-DEC 2022
Police force gets computers for case management
Training for and expansion of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Station Records and Case Management Systems will be enhanced technologically following the handover of computers valued at US$700,000.
The equipment was procured under the National Security Ministry’s Security Strengthening Project, funded by an Inter-American Development Bank loan.
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These were handed over during a ceremony at the National Police College of Jamaica in St. Catherine.
The investment will facilitate expanded training for recruits and current employees within the Force by incorporating the latest technology and methodologies.
Features of the enhanced systems include electronic logging of reports from citizens and providing a receipt via email.
Investigators will also be able to link previous case files to current ones.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang welcomed the investment while presenting the keynote address.
He said digitization allows police officers to “access information, communicate, collaborate and respond to the challenges of today’s complex crime landscape more effectively.”
“I wish to reiterate that our digital transformation and modernization efforts must be interconnected for them to make practical sense, be sustainable, and benefit the public,” said Dr. Chang.
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MAY-JUN 2022
FAO trains entrepreneurs in parts of Jamaica
Ninety-one Jamaican entrepreneurs have received skills training and business support through the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Inclusive and Resilient Agri-Food System in Rural and Peri-Urban Territories of Kingston Project.
The project targeted the Kingston Metropolitan Area's vulnerable groups, mainly women and youth.
The FAO implemented the initiative with Junior Achievement Jamaica and the Maia Foundation as service providers for entrepreneurship training and business plan development.
Country Representative of the FAO for Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Belize, Dr. Crispim Moreira, said the main areas covered were financial, management, marketing, and business planning training, consulting, and mentoring.
“The Maia Foundation provided on-site agricultural best practices for organic production of vegetables and fruits. The FAO provided financial support (seed money) for selected entrepreneurs and for the two ecovillages in Hannah Town and Denham Town. For the Junior Achievement Jamaica’s Cohort, five [of 50] business plans were selected and also funded by FAO with seed money,” he said.
The resource-building activities have assisted these small and micro-entrepreneurs in implementing agri-food businesses with a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient approach to improve income and protect livelihoods.
In a recent interview, Dr. Moreira said the capacity-building initiative aligns with the Government‘s aim of strengthening food security by increasing entrepreneurial capacity and agribusiness opportunities for farmers.
“A major anticipated outcome of this approach is that the transformation of vulnerable livelihoods into economically viable businesses will enhance the investment potential and financial support for businesses and the agri-food system in the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA),” he said.
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Noel Holmes in Hanover to become ‘baby friendly’
Noel Holmes Hospital in Lucea, Hanover, is making significant strides towards becoming an internationally certified Baby Friendly Hospital (BFH).
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The announcement was made by Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton, who toured the Type C facility with a team of senior medical officials from the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA).
A BFH aims to give every baby the best start by creating a healthcare environment promoting breastfeeding.
This is in keeping with the global campaign to prepare health systems and mobilize healthcare workers to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
The initiative is also part of Government’s thrust to provide a framework that enables mothers to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months (180 completed days), followed by complementary foods and continued breastfeeding for two years and beyond.
Speaking with journalists following the tour, Dr. Tufton said that a dedicated section of the hospital is being retrofitted to create a more conducive environment for maternal care.
“That really means… giving mothers a much more comfortable setting for them and their babies, like privacy for breastfeeding… changing around the room, giving easier access, more privacy screens, a comfortable setting with air conditioning and chairs,” Dr. Tufton noted.
He said the project also involves comprehensive training of hospital staff to ensure they can effectively cater to the needs of new mothers and their babies.
More than 120 staff members have already completed the training, and efforts are underway to train the remaining 70 to 80 personnel.
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Forests critical to clean, safe water supply
The Forestry Department plays a key role in safeguarding the country’s forests, which are vital in sustaining watersheds and ensuring access to clean, fresh water resources for human and ecological needs.
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Forests contribute to water regulation, soil conservation, water-quality maintenance, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and carbon sequestration, among other things.
Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Department and Conservator of Forests, Ainsley Morris, said the entity manages 117,000 hectares of forests across the island.
The Department’s work is guided by instruments such as the National Forest Management and Conservation Plan, the National Mangrove and Swamp Forest Management Plan, and the Clustered Forest Management Plan.
Morris spoke on the Draft Watershed Policy at the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation’s virtual town hall.
The Conservator of Forests informed that the Department had identified six forest cover categories in Jamaica – closed broadleaf forests, disturbed broadleaf forests, mangrove forests, and open dry forests.
He said that the parishes with the most forest cover are Portland, St. Catherine, St. Ann, and Trelawny, “which also coincides with the location of our largest forest reserves, such as the Blue Mountain and the recently declared Cockpit Country Protected Area.”
Focus on Productivity, Not Technology
By Dani Rodrik
CAMBRIDGE – Economists have long argued that productivity is the foundation of prosperity. The only way a country can increase its standard of living sustainably is to produce more goods and services with fewer resources. Since the Industrial Revolution, this has been achieved through innovation, which is why productivity has become synonymous, in the public imagination, with technological progress and research and development.
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Our intuition about how innovation promotes productivity is shaped by everyday experience in business. Firms that adopt new technologies tend to become more productive, allowing them to outcompete technological laggards. But a productive society is not the same as a productive firm.
