Monthly Archives: December 2021

Close to 1,200 Jamaicans have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine through the efforts of the JN Foundation, as the country heads into the busy Christmas season.

“Restrictions have been loosened, in an effort to spur economic activity during this period, but at the same time, we recognise that this may lead to an increase in infections, especially in light of the emergence of a new variant. Therefore, we are very pleased with the response to immunisation efforts since October 1,” commented Claudine Allen, general manager, JN Foundation.

Her comments come on the heel of another successful drive under the Foundation’s Immunise… Save Lives campaign, which took place at the Central High School in May Pen, Clarendon on December 8. Exactly 502 persons received a dose of COVID-19 vaccine during the exercise. 

Immunise… Save Lives campaign has so far targeted rural parishes, where vaccination rates are lowest and the incidence of COVID-19 been high since the pandemic in March 2020. Four drives have been conducted so far in Westmoreland, Manchester and Clarendon, which all have less than 25 per cent of their populations receiving at least one dose of a vaccine, although these parishes have had the fourth, third and fifth highest incidence of COVID-19 infections. 

The Foundation has also supported at least one vaccination drive in the Corporate Area, lending assistance to the Rotary Club of Trafalgar New Heights on December 4 at the Maverley Primary and Junior High School, where 110 more residents of Maverley received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

“If we get more of our people vaccinated, then the impact of any fourth wave of the virus will not be as crippling to our healthcare system and economy,” Ms Allen reasoned. “We need to get back to good old Jamaican life if we are going to achieve our development goals.”

She reiterated that the Foundation will be maintaining its message, as it moves to other parishes and continues with its public education via radio and online, in addition to the immunisation drives. The organisation will return to the Bishop High School on December 15 to administer first or second doses of Pfizer vaccines only.

“We want every Jamaican to deeply understand that protecting themselves is an act of love for their families and for their country, therefore, we will continue with our message and our efforts,” she said.    

The JN Foundation through the JN Circle is inviting members to submit proposals for projects which will improve their communities; and to access grant funding of up to J$1.5 million, to address issues related to health and safety; education and sports development, at the community level.

Claudine Allen, general manager of the JN Foundation, said that the Foundation was working in collaboration with the JN Circle to implement the projects. The deadline for the proposals is November 30.

For proposals to be considered, they must have the following criteria: projects must fit within the themes/focal areas; must be sustainable and impactful; should have measurable and realistic outcomes; and, the project budget should be aligned with the grant amount.

“The proposals must be an initiative being implemented by chapters of the JN Circle and their partner organisations. Projects should be for the benefit of the community and not an individual,” she pointed out.

She urged persons to visit the JN Circle website at https://www.myjncircle.com, to learn about the JN Circle, and join a local chapter so that they can be a part of an initiative in their community.

“The Foundation prepared JN Circle members to identify and develop projects which will create positive impact in their communities,” Ms Allen went on to say. “We hosted training sessions to ensure the ideas presented were sustainable, measurable and importantly, they would achieve the JN Circle mandate of community building.”

Welcoming the initiative, Phillip Service, President of the JN Circle Falmouth, noted the positive impact which the funds could create. He added that all JN Circle members should use this opportunity to access needed funding for their respective community projects.

“This is an opportunity for community leaders to add some value to what is being offered at the community level. Certainly, it will make a significant contribution to education, or any of the social issues being faced by the community,” he said.

“This is also an opportunity to also develop leaders, who are consciously able to respond to those issues,” he added.

The JN Foundation established the pool of J$15 million, to be accessed by chapters of the JN Circle for the funding initiatives, which will serve to improve their communities. A selection committee is in place to review applications and determine the winning projects.

The JN Circle is a network of clubs, which comprises JN members and customers of the companies in The Jamaica National Group. It was introduced in August 2019; and allows members and customers, who share JN’s values, to take action aimed to improve outcomes for themselves and for all Jamaicans, wherever they reside. There are 16 JN Circle clubs across the country.

Suewhen Stewart, member service officer at JN Bank, Morant Bay, knows too well how speeding can negatively affect one’s life. She remembers vividly a motor vehicle accident that could have claimed her life and that of her unborn child, three years ago.

“It was a rainy November morning in 2018.  I was in Kingston and fell ill so I took a bus to see my doctor in Morant Bay (St. Thomas). After passing the Cement Company, the bus overturned, it spin about four times on its side”, she shared.  “I jumped through a broken window and saw the conductor under the bus. I was rushed to hospital and placed on bed rest because I was seven months pregnant”.

Stewart informed that the driver of the bus was speeding on that day. Sadly the conductor died from the injuries he received in the crash.

“Speed kills, reduce your speed, especially if the road is wet, if you want to be early, leave early,” she advised.

Another young professional, Yanique Wilson, marketing and communications officer at MC Systems, is happy to be alive today. Three years ago she was seriously injured while travelling in a taxi which was involved in a road crash.

“The accident left my right hand and leg broken. These injuries rendered me helpless and bed ridden for six excruciating months. Today, while I have recovered, I’m left with the mental trauma from the accident and I still do not have full use of my legs,” she disclosed.

Wilson’s words of advice is that everyone has a part to play in reducing the number of crashes on the road. “You don’t have to do anything wrong be a victim, you could be in the right and still be injured so we all have a part to play. This is my plea to you. Do your part, please obey the Road Code,” she said.

The number of people killed in motor vehicle crashes since the start of the year has raced across the 400-mark and now stands at 401, according to the latest statistics provided by the Road Safety Unit (RSU) in the Ministry of Transport and Mining.

The RSU said fatal crashes and fatalities have both increased by four per cent this year when compared to the corresponding period in 2020.

Deidre Hudson-Sinclair, acting director of the Road Safety Unit said that she is saddened that statistics are going in the wrong direction, and note that it is a reflection that Jamaica has a far way to go in terms of education, driver training, safe roads and safe vehicles.

She said, as we observe World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims,  on Sunday, November 21, 2021, it is a time for reflection and a time to implement strategies that can drive down the number of road crashes.

“My heart goes out to the people who have lost their family members.  Many of them were the bread winners in their family. The best way to honour these victims and their families is to continue the fight against road crashes through road safety education and creating a safer traffic environment for all,” she said

 Claudine Allen, general manager at the JN Foundation said road crashes and fatalities continue to be a major problem in Jamaica. She said the economic fallout is great with significant cost to healthcare, productivity and infrastructure. 

“Even greater is the loss of lives and limbs and often the permanent incapacitation of many of the road crash victims. The social, financial and emotional effects on families are other areas in which the nation’s people suffer greatly,” she noted. 

Miss Allen said many of these crashes are preventable if due care was taken by all road users – motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. 

“The appeal must continue until there is a change in the behaviour of all road users.  A greater level of awareness, discipline and courtesy must be displayed by all, then and only then will we see the reduction in road crashes and the resultant injuries and fatalities,” she said.

Medical Officer of Health in Manchester, Dr Nadine Williams is urging persons not to become complacent, as the COVID-19 cases and deaths decline. She insisted that persons should continue to follow the protocol and to get vaccinated to protect themselves against the virus.

Dr Williams made the appeal while being interviewed by Mello FM, during an immunisation drive at the Bishop Gibson High School in Mandeville, Manchester, which was organised by The Jamaica National Group under its ‘Immunise… Save Lives Campaign’, recently.

“We want persons to know that COVID-19 is still with us. Yes, the measures have been relaxed, but we are still having cases; persons are still being hospitalised and dying from COVID-19. We still need to protect ourselves by physical distancing and wearing your masks, and [avoiding] crowded places,” she said.

Addressing the issue of vaccine hesitancy, Dr Williams informed that some people do not see the need to be vaccinated, while others are afraid of taking the vaccine.

“Persons do not feel the need to get the vaccine as they said the vaccine does not prevent them from contracting COVID-19. Some persons are afraid because of the conspiracy theories out there that the vaccine is the mark of the beast or they might die or get severe reactions to the vaccine,” she shared.

Speaking to the issue of preference for vaccine brands where some Jamaicans may show a preference for the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine, Dr Williams revealed that at least for Manchester- the uptake of the Pfizer has seen a slight increase since the Ministry of Health and Wellness made it available to other age groups.

Michael Bent, regional director of the Southern Regional Health Authority also underscored the importance of persons continuing to follow the protocols by wearing their masks, practising physical distancing and getting vaccinated, although curfew restrictions have been relaxed.

“Although we have some relaxation measures, it behoves everybody to take personal responsibility for his/her self. So you still have to follow the protocol, wear your mask, do not exceed the gathering limits, get vaccinated and stay your six feet distance,” he said pointing out that when the number of COVID-19 cases increases, it put a strain on the resources of the hospitals.

He said the Southern Regional Health Authority now has 120 beds and a field hospital available to COVID-19 patients.

Among rural parishes, Manchester has the third-highest incidence of COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began in March 2020. It had registered 5,961 cases up to November 29.

The vaccination blitz at Bishop Gibson High school saw 394 persons, mainly students and parents, being vaccinated.

The JN Group, through the JN Foundation will be having another vaccination blitz, on Tuesday, November 30 in Plowden district in Manchester in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness.  Three available vaccines will be administered – AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer (for children 12 to 17 years and adults over 50 years). The vaccination blitz will begin at 9 a.m. and close at 4 p.m.

Persons are being encouraged to register ahead of visiting the vaccination sites, although walk-ins will be accepted. They can register via the MOHW’s website, www.moh.gov.jm.

The JN Foundation is also offering an opportunity to persons who take the vaccine to benefit from a JN Money Card topped up with $2,500 if they upload a photo of their vaccination card on the JN Foundation website after being immunised. All they need to do is visit www.jnfoundation.com/immunisation, scroll down, and click the image ‘Immunise and Win’ to complete the brief form and upload the image of their card.