Kenrick Morgan, Owner, SouthCoast Rest Stop And Cafe Getting to Know You Function at Old New Market Square by Vincent Samuels

As mentioned in the previous article regarding Business Owner Kenrick Morgan Beersheba Alumnus Getting To Know You Informal Function that was held at South Coast Rest Stop and Cafe, Old New Market Square, Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica on Thursday, April 25, 2013, here is an update as to the wonderful time that was had by all who came.

Facilitator of the Getting Together, Getting to know you informal function, that Dark nimbus clouds that blanketed the sky from the hilly terrain of Fraser/Donegal to Kilmarnock/Brunte, silhouetted South Coast Rest Stop and Cafe, Old New Market Square, Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica, West Indies, her face is ice as she frowned at intermittent raindrops that threatened to dampen her festivities.
Trees dressed in green bonnets clapped their hands, weather battered flags hanging from 40 feet poles bowed in trepidation, as Jamaican red pole Bulls grazing in pastures nearby, bellowed sending signals to Vincent Samuels, Secretary/treasurer, Beersheba old Students Association (BOSA) and it was time to call the function to order at 2.00 p.m.

With distinguished guests seated underneath the ceiling bedecked with flags from countries from all over the world, against the backdrop of a large banner that read:

SOUTH COAST REST STOP AND CAFE, the Facilitator called Pastor Evelyn Bromfield, Beersheba Primary School (Government leased) Alumna and Pastor for New Market Methodist Church to invoke God’s Blessings on the gathering and to ensure that He and He alone would get the glory out of whatsoever would be said and done at the function.

Setting the tone for brief 5 minutes greetings that would follow, guiding the proceedings like the Captain uses the rudder to guide his ship as it sails on the vast ocean, the Facilitator asked the following persons to bring greetings from their respective organizations after Kenrick Morgan, Beersheba primary School (government Leased) Alumnus, self-made businessman, and owner/developer of South Coast Rest Stop and Cafe, briefly related how his business was conceptualized:

NAMES/ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTATIVE

Elizabeth Singh-Sanderson, Community Development Officer New Market Community  Social Development Commission (SDC)

Tony Freckleton, Chairman  South Coast Resort Board

Councillor Mordant Mitchell, Deputy Mayor of Black River and Vice Chairman   St Elizabeth Parish Council, Black River

Michelle Hamilton-Wright, Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) Alumna The Bank of Nova Scotia Jamaica Limited (Black River Branch)

Rev. Phyllis Smith-Seymour, Chairman School Board Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) alma mater for James “Dick” Richards 1872-1965  self-made businessman, soldier, and philanthropist

Shawn Nembhard, Commercial Services Manager  Saint Elizabeth Parish Council, Black River

Inspector Darby, I/c Operations Representing the Divisional Commander, Jamaica Constabulary Force, Black River

Sergeant Cameron, New Market Police

All speeches having come to an end, the Facilitator told the audience that as the name given To the informal function indicates, everyone should get together and interact with one another to get to know each other and to have a generous serving of indigenous stewed pressure cooked cow head and mouth with white rice and vegetables that would be served with the courtesy and hospitality of South Coast Rest Stop and Cafe.

Highlights from Greetings delivered by Tony Freckleton, Chairman South Coast Resort Board and Councillor Mordant Mitchell, Deputy Mayor of Black River and Vice Chairman Saint Elizabeth Parish Council.

•  South Coast Resort Board which is overseen by Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO) has taken note of Kenrick Morgan’s innovation and will take appropriate action to ensure that South Coast Rest Stop is officially recognized and that a TPDCO Notice will be put in place to advertize South Coast Rest Stop as an official TPDCO Tourist Rest Stop.

•  The antiquated wooden building across the street from South Coast Rest Stop and Cafe where “Mass Ben Jones”,Village Tin Smith use to have his workshop, should be renovated, labeled, and identified as a Heritage     Tourism Site.

•  The old New Market Police Station that is currently occupied by unauthorized squatters, should be vacated, renovated, and established as a museum in which artifacts, memorabilia, etc that tells the story about the rich heritage of New Market should be preserved for posterity.

Appropriate action will be taken in liaison with the Saint Elizabeth parish Council to lobby Honourable Peter Bunting, Minister of National Security to reclaim old New Market Police Station so as to make it available to be     developed as a museum.

• Kenrick Morgan, Owner/Developer of South Coast Rest Stop and Cafe, will be placed on South Coast Resort Board mailing list so as to enable him to receive notices to attend meetings of the Board.

•  South Coast Resort Board supports the suggestion that the existing retaining wall in front of old New Market Police Station should be painted and local artists should be commissioned to paint a colourful mural on the full length of the retaining wall. National Works Agency – formerly Public Works Department (PWD) – of the Jamaican Government will be approached with a view to discuss the matter and to obtain approval for the painting and mural that will be done on the retaining wall.

•  Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) must be commended for its vision, innovation, and assiduous work that have ensured that James “Dick” Richards (1872-1965), Beersheba Primary School Alumnus,     self-made businessman, soldier, and philanthropist is publicly recognized as the genesis of Heritage Tourism in New Market Community.

• It is because of the invaluable contribution made by James “Dick” Richards to his alma mater in particular and New Market and adjoining communities in general that Jamaica 50 Committee of the Saint Elizabeth Parish Council, posthumously awarded him for his service at an awards Banquet that was held at Luana Club, Black River, Saint Elizabeth on November 24, 2012.

• Concerning the invaluable  contribution that James “Dick” Richards made to New Market and adjoining communities in Saint Elizabeth, Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased), James “Dick” Richard  alma mater has inevitably become an icon and a legend that has resulted in the Twinning of the City of Hamilton, Bermuda with the Town of Black  River, Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica, West Indies.

His worship the Mayor of Black River and Chairman Saint Elizabeth Parish Council, Councillor Everton Fisher (left), shakes hand with Councillor Troy Symonds of the City Corporation Council of Bermuda (right) during the Twinning of the City of Hamilton, Bermuda and the Town of Black River, Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica, West Indies.

• The official twinning ceremony was done in the metering room of the Saint Elizabeth Parish Council on November 26, 2012. A delegation from the Saint Elizabeth Parish Council – accompanied by the Secretary/Treasurer, Beersheba Old      Students Association (BOSA) – will visit Bermuda on a date to be decided on.

Saint Elizabeth Parish Councillors: Councillor Cyril Martin, Member Parish Council, New Market Parochial Division is at (right) front row.

• The delegation will participate in another official Twinning Ceremony that will take place in the City of Hamilton.    Since it is inevitable that Beersheba Primary School (Government Leased) is recognized for its rich cultural  heritage, the Administration at the school is urged to take appropriate action so as to ensure that the school becomes involved in Heritage Tourism that may involve cultural exchanges between educational institutions in  Bermuda and the school.