Daily Archives February 18, 2013

“Bermuda King” James Richards To Be Immortalized

February 18, 2013 Posted in  BOSA Philanthropy One comment

Museum to open for Dick Richards, a Jamaican who left his mark in Bermuda
Meredith Ebbin, Guest writer
Friday, September 21, 2012
Old Canadian Hotel
Landmark: The long-defunct Canadian Hotel on Reid Street. It was the island’s first black-owned hotel.

He was known in his native Jamaica as ‘Bermuda King’ — a larger-than-life, charismatic and highly successful businessman. The late Dick Richards ran the Canadian Hotel — Bermuda’s first black-owned hotel — and became a renowned philanthropist. Now they are planning to open a museum in Jamaica in his honour.  This is the story of how he made a big impact — and left a lasting legacy.

It would make for a more romantic version of events, but it’s unlikely that Jamaican-born, self-made businessman James ‘Dick’ Richards arrived in Bermuda with nothi...

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Reform Broken School Boards

February 18, 2013 Posted in  History

LETTER OF THE DAY – REFORM BROKEN SCHOOL BOARDS

Published: Sunday | December 16, 2012

THE EDITOR, Sir:

An announcement aired by RJR FM on December 13, 2012 that a major shake-up of Jamaican school boards is coming is welcome news. This move is fully supported by Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA), a vibrant and vigilant community-based organisation (CBO) and stakeholder in Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased), Newmarket, St Elizabeth.

For far too long, the entrenched culture of silence, secrecy, pussy-footing, and non-response has become the norm on some of these school boards, because they have failed to hold principals accountable so as to ensure probity, transparency, and accountability in daily administration.

One way to ensure that there is effectiveness and efficienc...

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Hold Teachers Accountable

February 18, 2013 Posted in  History

Published: Sunday | January 20, 2013

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Dr Renée Rattray (forefront), programme manager at the Mutual Building Societies Foundation, makes a point to teachers of mathematics from the six rural high schools under the Centres of Excellence programme, while Dr Tamika Benjamin (background) looks on.-Contributed

Educator wants data-driven analysis of performance in schools

Educator and programme manager at the Mutual Building Societies Foundation (MBSF), Dr Renée Rattray, is urging school administrators to cultivate a culture of documenting while rigorously analysing data to improve the management of the institutions.

Speaking against the background of the data-driven stance which administrators of schools under the MBSF Centres of Excellence Programme have taken, Rattray lamented that ma...

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Schools Still Struggle With Management, Accountability

February 18, 2013 Posted in  History

Published: Tuesday | January 22, 2013
Recent research conducted by the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CaPRI) has revealed that a number of schools across the country continue to grapple with management and accountability issues.

The research project, titled ‘Prisms of Possibility: A Report Card on Education in Jamaica’, and presented at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston yesterday, found that to a great extent decisions including staffing are still made at the ministry level, depriving school leaders of the autonomy and authority needed to effect desired changes.

Additionally, the research determined that very few schools provide the Ministry of Education with annual audited financial statements, and performance-accountability measures for principals, teachers and staff are o...

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Delinquent Parents Will Be Arrested

February 18, 2013 Posted in  History

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Senior Superintendent of Police Steve McGregor, head of the Kingston Central Police Division, is warning delinquent parents that they will be arrested and locked behind bars if their children are found loitering on the streets.

McGregor told The Gleaner yesterday that there has been an increase in the number of children being found on the streets at late hours of the night.

“Can you have your nine- and 12-year-old on the streets at 10 and 11 o’clock at night and you don’t think it is your responsibility to ensure that they are with you?” asked McGregor.

“Well, we want the parents to know that we are coming for them, since they don’t care...

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Jamaican in Cayman Tops the World Exam Results

February 18, 2013 Posted in  Achievers & Trailblazers

Eighteen-year-old Moya Williams was left stunned recently when she learned Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) had named her, a Jamaican living in the Cayman Islands, its top performer worldwide in travel and tourism.

Jodi-Ann Gilpin, Gleaner Writer

Published: Monday | February 4, 2013

As a result of her outstanding performance in her exams last June, Moya just over two weeks ago received the ‘Top in the World’ award from CIE, the world’s largest provider of international education programmes and qualifications for students up to 19 years old.

According to CIE, more than 9,000 schools in more than 160 countries are part of its learning community.

Williams, who grew up in Westmoreland and left Jamaica less than a decade ago, studied AS-Level travel and tourism at the Cayman Prepar...

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