Students from the Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI) located in Montego Bay, donated two wheelchair ramps along with $120,000 to the Corinaldi Avenue Primary School in Montego Bay. The handing over ceremony took place at the school on Wednesday, November 30.
The donors are students enrolled in the project management course at the Vocational Training Development Institute, which is the tertiary arm of the HEART Trust/NTA and forms part of the self-development aspect of their course in order to attain their VTDI certification in project management at the end of their tenure.
The total cost of the project is $500,000, inclusive of two ramps and rails, however as they were unable to erect the rails with the contributions they received they decided to donate $120,000 to the school towards establishing the rails. Acting Principal Deon Stern-Anglin, said she was notified of the project by Patrice Ricketts, vice-chairman of the school board.
She readily accepted the opportunity as she expressed that in the past disabled students who used the stairs to access their classes would have to be moved to a class that is more accessible. She also stated that there was a problem when students were injured on school property, as they would have to lift them to safety but with the ramp it will be easier to take them to an ambulance.
The VTDI students said they saw the need for a wheelchair ramp as students who are wheelchair bound can only be lifted to a class or specific location.
HEALTH INSPECTOR
The acting principal said that the ramps will not only help the students but the school’s grades given by the health inspector.
“Whenever the health inspector comes, we get a ‘no grade’ because we don’t have a wheelchair ramp for the students. In an institution, you have to have these amenities in place for students who are not able to go up the stairs (because of their disability),” she said.
The project lasted approximately 7-10 weeks which included doing research, getting paperwork done and the construction of the ramps.
“They called me and we worked on Saturdays as they came with their contractors and did their necessary research. We actually wanted it somewhere else but the contractor said it couldn’t go there. But we are very grateful, happy and we appreciate it, anything to make our nation better, and we are ready to be on that mission, said Mrs. Anglin.
Looking ahead, the VTDI students said the school is sometimes used as an emergency shelter and on that basis both the school and the community will benefit.
Just over $1 billion has been budgeted for the Code Care programme, which is aimed at clearing the backlog of elective surgeries in hospitals.
Of the total, $80 million is to be spent on rehabilitating operating theatres in the public health system; $200 million for the private-public partnership; $223 million for equipment; $279 million for nursing missions, and $153 million for additional staff hours; $23 million for project management and $59 million for communications.
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton, provided the breakdown of the figures, while responding to questions in the House of Representatives on October 25.
Dr. Tufton said the programme is designed to reduce wait time for elective surgeries to less than 180 days and to increase the number of surgeries conducted over the same period by at least 80 percent, targeting about 2,000 surgeries over a 12-month period.
“It has five components. It has an operating theatre rehabilitation component, private-public partnership for use of private operating theatres, procurement of surgical equipment and supplies, staffing for increased surgeries, and a project management component as a special programme designed to reduce wait time,” he said.
The programme was announced during the Minister’s Sectoral Debate presentation in May.
Just over $1 billion has been budgeted for the Code Care programme, which is aimed at clearing the backlog of elective surgeries in hospitals.
Of the total, $80 million is to be spent on rehabilitating operating theatres in the public health system; $200 million for the private-public partnership; $223 million for equipment; $279 million for nursing missions, and $153 million for additional staff hours; $23 million for project management and $59 million for communications.
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton, provided the breakdown of the figures, while responding to questions in the House of Representatives on October 25.
Dr. Tufton said the programme is designed to reduce wait time for elective surgeries to less than 180 days and to increase the number of surgeries conducted over the same period by at least 80 percent, targeting about 2,000 surgeries over a 12-month period.
“It has five components. It has an operating theatre rehabilitation component, private-public partnership for use of private operating theatres, procurement of surgical equipment and supplies, staffing for increased surgeries, and a project management component as a special programme designed to reduce wait time,” he said.
The programme was announced during the Minister’s Sectoral Debate presentation in May.
Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of St. James, Vernon Ellis, is cautioning against a negative picture being painted of Montego Bay and its possible impact on tourism.
Speaking prior to last Saturday’s triple murder in Lilliput, he told parish councilors that information on crime must be put in perspective as “where we are in St. James now, even if we were having an increase in January 2022, we are significantly better off than where we were three, four years ago.”
He recalled that in January 2019, the parish had four murders “which was a first in 22 years” and that the annual figures have also been drifting downwards, “coming from 342 murders and we’re drifting down to 103, 127, 150, so we’re way off.”
SSP Ellis argued that “sometimes statistics frighten people” when a comparison is made. “What are we comparing it with? he asked, adding, “We’re comparing it with maybe one of our best years or one of our states of emergency best years.”
He said the aim was to have the murder rate down to zero but realistically it’s not going to be there given the numbers, but “I don’t want it to go out and when it go out now the tourists don’t want to come to Jamaica because they say Montego Bay, which is the tourist capital of the world or the pearl of the Caribbean, is having an increase.”
Urging that “We have to be kind of careful with the narrative,” SSP Ellis said he was seeing places like Canterbury being listed on Trip Advisor, a noted tourism online platform, among dangerous places when “in four years we’ve had zero incidents there.” And, he reiterated that “We will have to do something with the narrative that comes out of Montego Bay, considering the tourism product and what we have to deal with in MoBay.”
He cautioned against saying things like “we’re out of control; when you look at where were coming from; when you look at the gains and the benefit of the state of emergency, the added police assets, the transformation the force has put in place, and then you sell it as if it’s really the worsT place, just be careful with the narrative.”
FOR THE TEACHERS: Dr. Anthony Taylor (fourth left) Chairman of the Board of Management of the Irwin Primary School, St. James, makes a presentation of a cordless kettle to Kinsley Bailey, principal, which forms part of the donation of appliances and food stuff to start a breakfast feeding programme for teachers at the school. Messrs Taylor and Bailey are flanked by members of the teaching staff.
Barrington Flemming – Staff Reporter
It was a case of promise given, promised kept, as recently appointed Chairman of the Board of Management at the Irwin Primary School in St. James, Dr. Anthony Taylor, delivered on his promise to implement a breakfast programme for the 35 teachers at the institution.
Dr. Taylor and Vice chair of the board, Sophia Fletcher, made a joint donation of appliances and food supplies to include a microwave oven, cordless kettles, cups and $50, 000 to the project.
In giving the rationale for the introduction of the breakfast programme, Dr. Taylor said based on his observation and interaction with the teaching cohort it was necessary to have the programme in place.
“It is not that the teachers would not have what to fix breakfast at home but, sometimes they are constrained by time and so they rush to get to school not having eaten and, having this programme in place would allow them to enjoy a break to have something to strengthen their resolve as they seek to impart knowledge to our students.”
Dr. Taylor, speaking about the impact of COVID-19 on students, urged the teachers to look beyond just teaching of Mathematics and English, but to observe their students and to actively craft their lesson plans to effectively engage their children based on the setback in learning occasioned by the strictures of the COVID -19 pandemic.
Dr. Taylor also announced plans for the introduction of incentives for Teachers of the quarter and to also honour hard working ancillary staff who are vital to the institution, with a very special expression being planned for National Teacher’s Day.
For his part, Principal of Irwin Primary, Kinsley Bailey, in expressing thanks said it was a privilege and honor for the new board under the chairmanship of Dr. Taylor to bring this level of support to the institution.
“Gratitude is the word as we are grateful for this level of motivation and as a team we will achieve more. Action speaks louder than words and Mr. Chairman has supported his words with action. We must say Dr. Taylor is a man of action and we are indeed happy for the work which he and the board have begun to do here.
Members of the teaching cohort with representative from each grade level expressed thanks with Grade Six teacher Deverline James adding that Dr. Taylor had made a commitment and was exercising emotional intelligence to respond to the needs of the teaching staff in this way.
The teachers indicated that they were overwhelmed with the initial support which has been given by the newly installed Board of Management which has already begun to impact several aspects of school life in a positive way and expressed thanks to Dr. Taylor and Miss Fletcher.
The Chief Executive Officer of Jamaica’s Firearms Licensing Authority, Shane Dalling, has revealed that despite not being qualified to own a firearm, embattled Reggae crooner Jah Cure received a license to carry a firearm legally.
The CEO revealed that the singer is among 200 people with a criminal background who were granted firearm licenses. The Act that governs the authority prevents people with a criminal history from owning or carrying a licensed gun.
Dalling, in a report on Tuesday, said that the singer was denied a license in June 2015 because he did not meet the requirement to be “fit and proper.” At the time, Cure was recently released from prison after serving time for rape and robbery.
The CEO says that between 2014 and 2017, Jah Cure was among 200 people with criminal convictions who were granted firearm licenses. The backgrounds of some of the firearm holders showed that the applicants had prior convictions for murder, firearm offenses, and drug trafficking.
It appears that this information is now being brought up as the government tackles gun violence on the island.
Dalling also said that a “well-known don” (a gangster) received four gun permits while another deported convict, who served time in the United States for crimes, also received four gun permits.
The FLA boss singled out Jah Cure’s case where he said the singer received a denial for a license in June 2015, but 10 weeks later, his permit was signed and approved.
“What was curious was that the board was reversing decisions of the previous board. One board would deny the licence on the basis that the person wasn’t fit and proper and although the new board has no new application before it or no new information, approved the person on a willy-nilly basis,” Dalling claimed.
Cure’s gun license was eventually revoked. It’s unclear if any consequence was laid on those responsible for the errors in granting the 200 licenses.
In the meantime, Jah Cure is presently locked up in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where he is awaiting trial for stabbing a party promoter last year. The singer is awaiting his preliminary inquiry, which is set for later this month.
Parkinson in action at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre in Kingston.
Montego Bay based Jamar Parkinson and Daniil Moe have been chosen among Jamaica’s six representatives to the 2022 Pre- Qualifying Junior Davis Cup /Junior Billie Jean Cup tournament to be held at the Centro Nacional De Tenis, Santo Domingo , Dominican Republic from March 4-12.
Parkinson and Moe punched their tickets to the tournament, after finishing first and second respectively in the boys under 16 qualifying tournament at the Eric Bell Tennis Centre in Kingston played from February 11-13.
Parkinson who won all his matches in the tournament and is ranked as Jamaica’s number one in his age group defeated Moe in the final and will captain the boys team which also includes Kahj Clarke from Kingston. The girls’ team reads: Alyssa James, Savanna Taylor and Gabrielle Christian.
Shade Parkinson, Jamar’s sister missed out on a place on the team after placing fourth in the tournament.
Parkinson who will be 16 in July will be making his third trip to the Davis Cup Tournament after having represented Jamaica at age12 and 14.
Going for broke and still in search of an elusive second victory, Montego Bay United’s pursuit of glory in the Jamaica Premier League continues this weekend with a game against Arnett Gardens at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence.
In desperate search of a second win in the League, the young assembled MBU team faces familiar foes when they come face-to-face with Arnett Gardens and their veteran coach and former western stand-out Paul ‘Tegat’ Davis.
The last time Arnett Gardens and MBU clashed the ‘Junglists’ came away big 3-0 winners.
The Tucker-based MBU has managed just one win to date in the League and with that they sit 9th in the standings awaiting the blast of the opening whistle in Saturday’s contest set to get off at 3:15 p.m.
Montego Bay United (MBU) former two times winners of the title, before being demoted to the lower league through relegation, could move to within striking distance of their opponents should they manage to steal what would be a shocking victory. MBU goes into the contest with just four points but could move to seven and just a point below their opponents should they take all three against an unpredictable Arnett Gardens team.
Arnett, meantime, could move into the top three should they steal all three points, while MBU would be aiming to avoid a fourth defeat of the campaign.
The MBU team, still searching for their identity and a rhythm, is one of two teams to have already conceded 11 goals, the other being Humble Lion and they will need to bridge the leaking at the back if they are to begin their climb up the standings.
The MoBay side has also been struggling to find the back of the net with regularity as they have managed to score just six times to date.
Ricky Hill, Technical Director at the club, continues to bemoan his team’s lack of confidence when in possession of the ball… “We must find a way to better protect the ball and maintain possession in key areas of the field. What we are doing is just not acceptable and we have to find a way to control those areas of the field.”
UNBEATEN Meanwhile, leaders of the pack, Mount Pleasant, will be seeking to maintain and extend their unbeaten run in the league when they tackle 8th placed Molynes United in one of two matches set to be contested on Sunday.
Mount Pleasant remains the only undefeated team left standing in the 12-team table and they will start as favorites in the contest.
The Mount Pleasant team includes a host of western stars including veteran striker Allan Ottey, hotshot striker Ricardo Morris, defender Jowell Powell and veteran captain and leader at the back, Ladale Richie.
The St. Ann-based team saw their perfect record halted last round after they were held to a draw, but remains undefeated in the league.
They are also the best defensive team in the league having conceded just two goals to date while they are the second most attacking team, having bagged 12 goals to date, just one behind close watchers Waterhouse.
As Montego Bay approaches the 41st anniversary of being a city, former mayor Homer Davis has critically posed the question of where does it go from here and has posited some solutions to issues confronting the tourist resort.
Davis, occupied the mayoral chair for four years prior to being elected to central government where as Minister of State, he has portfolio responsibility for rural development in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
Giving the keynote address at an online charter ceremony for three new Kiwanis Clubs last week, Davis noted, “Today, we sit on the cusp of Montego Bay’s 41st year as a city, having been granted city status on October 9, 1980,” and that it had achieved a lot “but there’s always room for improvement.”
Reflecting on major developments in the city, he mentioned the Harmony Beach Park, the soon to be completed Montego Bay Fire Station, the Montego Bay Convention Centre, several road-construction projects to commence soon, including the Montego Bay perimeter road and the Long Hill bypass. “We have some of the world’s top-rated hotels, a thriving BPO sector, the busiest airport in the Caribbean which is now undergoing major expansion and a world rated cruise shipping and cargo port,” he added.
“With all these developments in place, the question is, where do we want to go,” he asked. And to start with, “let us look at the issue of addressing the social and infrastructural challenges which currently exist. Montego Bay has some 21 unplanned settlements which need further infrastructure developments to include proper road access, water supply, electricity, public health facilities, security facilities and to afford these citizens security of tenure by granting land and a title.”
Davis said Montego Bay had become the epicentre of urban drift which in and of itself created challenges in the existing infrastructure and had a major impact on rural communities.
MAKEOVER Positing that “Montego Bay needs space for commercial expansion,” Davis was critical of the aesthetics of the city’s downtown, saying it needed a makeover. He argued, “Business operators and business owners need to be more of their space and seek to make it more appealing to customers and visitors alike. The Old Shoe Market on South Street has been on the backburner for far too long; these areas need to be transformed into a modern multi-storey vendors arcade and this is where I think central government, local government along with the private sector should form an alliance to upgrade that area.”
He went on: “There is also need for a multi-storey car park where the now car park exists on Harbour Street. There is a need also to look at Harbour Street Craft Market to make it into a multi-storey craft market with access to the upper floor via elevators along with adequate parking facilities.”
Also, “The railway lands, owned by the government within the city, should be used to expand downtown Montego Bay and to offer more space for a modern transportation centre.”
At the same time, he pointed to the city’s major crime problem, saying it must be cauterized. Noting that in most cases family members and community members were fully aware of the persons involved in these criminal activities which stemmed from family disputes that spill over into reprisals over lotto scamming and other underworld activities, Davis saw the need for “better cooperation, a better relationship between our security forces and our citizens,” citing that “We must all have a common interest in ridding our communities of crime and violence.”
The former mayor expressed the view that “with all hands-on deck and everyone honestly playing their part in the process, Montego Bay can return to the days when it was referred to as the friendly city.” He was confident that “We have the potential to do it and it is through the dedication from the people that we will achieve greatness.”
It was the late Bishop Neville deSouza, who in reflecting of our national motto in the 1990s said:
Though we chose that magnanimous motto of “Out of Many One People”, why is it that we cannot even come up with a social contract? “One people” does not suggest a cold calculated commitment to seek goals which are mutually gratifying. Rather, “One People” suggests community, a shared life and existence, closeness and participation. This society has not a social contract and there is no group value that informs our participation. Instead, our participation is motivated by our personal goals and ambitions, rather than by the desire to promote the common good.
The context of that comment was one in which the nation was wrestling with the extent to which we could arrive at some kind of common vision for our nation that could embrace the population as a whole and its commitment to a common, social, political and economic vision for the nation. Clearly, there remains a disconnect between intention and reality at this most significant time of a health crisis in the life of our nation.
Today, that expression of a search for a common vision and commitment by an overwhelming segment of the population is an even more urgent concern embracing the same ends, but driven by the COVID-19 pandemic which has the potential to destroy the current achievements of our nation, however short it may have fallen of our motto.
All of us are aware of the fact we are in the midst of a third surge in the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic which has impacted our world and our nations in ways without parallel, at least in recent history. It has created untold suffering due to infection, sickness, death, disruption in the world of work, schooling and education, lockdown of nations and communities, isolation, disruption of family life, emotional distress, the lockdown of churches, the confinement of vulnerable persons, primarily the ageing and those with comorbidities from social interaction, even as it has served to expose in profound ways the social inequities which exist in our societies. The daily tally of new infections, deaths and the alarmingly high rate of infection tell a story which only those in a state of extreme denial cannot see. The tragedy is that, while we could not have alleviated the initial impact of the pandemic in 2020 beyond the exercise of the protocols, as much was not known by the scientific community regarding the nature of the virus, neither was there any developed vaccines at the time, today the situation is different and we hold within our hands the means for reversing the impact of the virus and moving towards a measure of normality in the diverse spheres of our national life. What then is preventing this from happening? Through the contribution of the scientific community and the commitment of the health care professionals to the alleviation of all forms of suffering and diseases and the promotion of wellness, we now have available to us in Jamaica a supply of vaccines, albeit inadequate up to this point, but enough to take us along the path to the achievement of herd immunity, thereby protecting us against the most severe consequences of infection by the virus in the case of the immunized. Vaccines – Not New to the Caribbean Vaccinations are not new to the experience of the people of the Caribbean. Indeed, so successful have been the programmes of vaccination in the nation and Region, that we have been able to achieve a quick containment of certain infectious diseases, such a poliomyelitis which still plagues other parts of the world. This we were able to achieve, not by having a referendum or a period of national consultation. The government of the day, and subsequent governments, in taking seriously the leadership function, decided, after consultation with the scientific and medical community, that this was the desired path to pursue, and mandated it for all children, making it compulsory for them to obtain this and other vaccines in order to be allowed entry to school. There was no questioning of the wisdom of the scientific and medical community of the day or of the authority of the government to pass such a directive. Neither was there any popular demand for each citizen to be informed concerning the content of the vaccine to his or her satisfaction, nor any conspiracy theory regarding the motive of the medical community and the government of the day. Any hesitancy was reflected in the face of the children whose parents and teachers saw to it that they were vaccinated as their responsible duty. As the World Health Organization often reminds us, the scientific community does the research and develops the vaccine but, it is the population that ends the pandemic.
The Church and Vaccines I unashamedly stand within a religious tradition which asserts that there is no inherent conflict between science and religion, and so stand with the Prime Minister in his public pronouncement that it is God who endows humanity with the capacity for rational and scientific thinking for the benefit of humanity, even as God has endowed us with the capacity for spiritual experiences and relationship with himself and each other.
Unfortunately, there is a significant segment of the population that has adopted a position of vaccine hesitancy and downright anti-vaccination stance, as well as those who have chosen to subscribe to misinformation and conspiracy theories regarding the origin and nature of the vaccine, and have sought to encourage others not to take the vaccine. Much of this development has come from access to technology, especially the social media, and it points to a down-side to technology where critical thinking is not taught along with an orientation to the value and the dangers associated with the technology. In this vacuum, there has come to the fore the persistence of the folk culture which is not grounded in modern medicine nor the knowledge of human biology and scientific thinking, and which promotes the idea that a drink of white rum, some turmeric and a variety of bush remedies can boost the immune system preventing infection or kill the virus if it infects the body.
Sadly also, there are some religious bodies and their pastors, some with no judicatory authority to which they are accountable, that promote uninformed teaching regarding Scripture and its interpretation and application to our contemporary world, and that have been misguiding persons with notions that the vaccine represents some kind of evil device and instrument for hurting the people of God. You can be assured that this is a fallacy. One of the things that this should do for us as a people is to acknowledge that there is the existence of a pluralistic religious culture which does not promote critical thinking and an informed religious people, and who are subject to manipulation and being misled, something which is inherent in the multiplicity of religious traditions which exists in the nation.
Like every form of medicine we take into our bodies, there may be some initial side effects but, its beneficial impact on the human body is far-reaching, and the consequences of not taking the vaccines, while undetectable for some, are serious and deadly for others. The daily disclosures regarding new infections, hospitalizations and deaths speak to an undeniable reality. While we can follow certain protocols as a means of preventing infection, the reality is that we cannot be assured that we will not be infected, as it is not a case of our finding the virus but, the virus finding us.
While recognizing the right of every adult to determine whether they take the vaccine, the decision to take the vaccine, we believe, is part of our moral duty for the benefit of the national good, unless there are medical grounds for deferring or abstaining from taking the vaccine. From a Christian perspective, it is first of all part of the way in which we take care of our bodies, the temple of the Lord, with a sense of responsibility and accountability. It is also a means by which we exercise our social responsibility. As long as we remain a part of the population that refuses to take the vaccine, where it is readily available, we pursue an individualistic and selfish path, thereby participating in activities which are counterproductive to the life of our nation as one people.
Negative Impact of Vaccine Hesitancy Failure to be vaccinated is having the following effects on the nation: •We prevent our children from returning to school for face-to-face learning in a situation in which many have already lost a year of education. Those who have responsibility for children who are eligible for the vaccine should see to their vaccination in order for them to return to face-to-face schooling as soon as possible.
•We run the risk of infecting others of our household, workplace, and community.
•We take lightly the pain and distress we may cause our families and loved one’s by a refusal to be vaccinated, leading to the unnecessary consequences of serious illness which may remain chronic for life, or which may result in death. •We retard the process of return to a level of normality for the operation of our economy. •We delay the return of our congregations to viable face-to-face worship.
•We are likely to become part of that infected population filling all the beds in hospitals relegated to Covid-19 patients, while preventing others requiring other legitimate medical care from being admitted, and more importantly, overextending the ability of the medical staff to deliver care to their patients, and draining the health care budgets of our nations on unnecessary areas of expenditure.
•We contribute to the maintenance of a context of infection transmission in which other and more serious variants than the Delta and MU variants may evolve. In the long run, all of these things are constitutive of the persuasive path which has been pursued since the vaccines arrived in the island. So what if the resistance continues and the infection and death rate remain at the current high levels? It seems clear that the government, through the leadership, must do what leaders do in times of a crisis and take decisive action.
It is true that we must acknowledge that our political culture is one which has fostered a lack of trust on the part of the people in government and its leadership. It is also true that ours is a culture of governance/leadership which frequently does not lead from in front, taking action where it is necessary, but keeps its eyes constantly on the next elections and how people may perceive its actions, and especially how the Opposition may then play its cards.
Case for Mandatory Vaccination The nation is now in the midst of a debate about mandatory vaccination, as those who have been vaccinated are getting frustrated and angry regarding those whose refusal to take the vaccine is not only restricting their lives but preventing and prolonging the process of return to a measure of normality for the country. With the increasing availability of the vaccines, there is now a clear call, and which seems well founded, for there to be a directive regarding mandatory vaccination from the government, as has been done in other jurisdictions. These are not normal times when every individual can choose to play by their own rules while, untold suffering and loss of lives, wellbeing, the ability to conduct one’s daily life, and the return to the vibrancy in the economy are at stake. We are in a critical time which requires unusual action and the good of the whole must count at some point. While there are divergent views on every issue related to human rights and the law as it relates to the issue of mandatory vaccines, there have been sufficient legal luminaires who have stated clearly the appropriateness of such action in our national interest.
While mandatory vaccination does not involve physically restraining persons and injecting them, the government must now indicate that it has a responsibility to protect citizens from infection by those employed in the public service, as well as customers who come to receive the services offered by public institutions by requiring proof of vaccination. Likewise, employers in various spheres of our national life must also claim the discretion to determine the kind of working environment they would like to promote for the wellbeing of their staff and the public they serve.
As a Jamaican, I find it reprehensible that there can be a requirement for persons serving in sectors of the hospitality industry to be immunized while this is not extended to the wider society for the protection of our people. Likewise, I find it reprehensible for Jamaicans to declare that they will get the vaccine, if and when the United States of America requires it of them for the purpose of travel. It is time we assert a greater sense of self-respect and dignity in doing what we know is right and in the public good, rather than await an external agency to enforce what we should do under appropriate national leadership for ourselves.
As a fellow citizen who has been fully vaccinated and has been subjected to repeated PCR and Antigen Tests for various reasons, I strongly urge all Jamaicans and those who identify as Christians, in particular, to kindly take the vaccines, as an expression of your duty to care for yourself and your responsibility to your brothers and sisters in Christ, even as I appeal to the government to take the appropriate step and put in place the avenues for mandatory vaccinations for the good of the nation.
The Most Rev. Howard Gregory Archbishop of the West Indies, Primate & Metropolitan And Bishop of Jamaica & The Cayman Islands
