FROM THE PRIME MINISTER: 
(For use on Monday, March 9, 2009) – Jamaica is pleased to join other members in commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Commonwealth of Nations under the theme “The Commonwealth at 60 – Serving a New Generation”.
The Commonwealth is an organization of enduring importance, unique in its existence since it is not based on a charter, treaty or other legal instrument but by a framework of principles to which member nations subscribe. It is a remarkable organization comprising 53 nations and a combined population of almost 2 billion – almost one-third of the world’s population – scattered across every continent.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Faith Innerarity, has appealed to the United Nations, to re-examine its assistance protocol to member states deemed most vulnerable as a result of the global financial crisis.
She said that within the context of the current global crisis, and the challenges to social development, expenditure on essential human capital and protection of the vulnerable, should be enhanced and not compromised.
Mrs. Innerarity was addressing a panel discussion on the impact of the global crisis on social development, at the United Nations headquarters in New York City last week.
Sen. Don Wehby, Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance, has come out strongly in support of efforts to get Air Jamaica on a sound financial footing. In a statement issued today, the Minister emphasized that the combined set of actions which are being implemented at the airline are designed to save the country an average of US$150 million/approximately J$12.8 billion per annum and will help turn a loss-making situation into a break-even one.
Dear Fellow Jamaicans and Friends,
It is telling that of all the holidays we, as Jamaicans in the Diaspora, celebrate, perhaps there is none other that brings back more heartfelt memories of our native land, as Christmas.
For many of us, we recount the old traditions of Christmas market, Johnkunnu, being with family, close friends and specials treats from Granny. For those abroad for fewer years, the yearning is perhaps less remote but certainly not less intense.
On Wednesday, March 4th the Coalition to Preserve Reggae music (CPR) in association with ZYNC TV NEW YORK LINKS hosted the highly anticipated community forum and panel discussion titled, “Could Dancehall be the ruination of Reggae and by extension the Jamaica brand?” The hot button debate was witnessed by about 200 persons who turned out to the historic Billie Holiday Theatre at Restoration Plaza in Brooklyn.
