Jamaican Diaspora Hosts Thanksgiving Dessert Reception – after Jamaica Farewell Performance at Broward Center for Performing Arts – Friday, November 23

We have much to be thankful for – for Jamaica and in our local communities — the sparing of the full wrath of Hurricane Dean, a peaceful general election, a bounty of community organizations making significant contributions on behalf of Jamaicans in our local communities and for Jamaica, and several cultural/special events and celebrations keeping us energized with our food, culture, heritage, and prayers. On Friday, November 23, after the Jamaica Farewell performance at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, we will give thanks at a Post-Show Thanksgiving Dessert Reception, courtesy of the Jamaica Tourist Board, Caribbean Shipping & Consolidating Corp., Air Jamaica, and Ridims Marketing.

Jamaica, Farewell is a one person show by Debra Ehrhardt (directed by Monica Lai) – set against the political upheaval in Jamaica in the seventies and is based on Ehrhardt’s true life story. Tickets are available at the Broward Center Box office at 954.462.0222 or buy online at www.browardcenter.org.

Jamaica Investment Symposium for Florida – December 1st

In an effort to create awareness and explore the various business opportunities in Jamaica, the Jamaica Consulate General in Miami will be hosting a one-day investment symposium on Saturday, December 1, at the Sheraton Hotel, Griffin Road in Davie. Almost 100 potential business interests are expected to participate in the symposium will bring together key business persons from Jamaica with potential investors here in Florida. A series of panel discussions will focus on varying topics such as Business Opportunities in Jamaica, Governmental Assistance and Regulatory Parameters, and Options in Financial Securities and Real Estate. The panelists will include Mr. Aubyn Hill, CEO of Corporate Strategies Limited, Mr. George Roper of Financial Securities Commission, Ms. Antoinette McKain, Jamaica Depositors Insurance Corporation, Robert Gregory of Jamaica Trade and Invest, Jason Abrahams, Deutsche Bank, Omar Azan, President of Jamaica Manufacturers Association, Mr. Andrew Cocking of Capital & Credit Financial Group, Ms. Anya Schnoor, of Dehring, Bunting & Golding, Mr. Gary Peart of Mayberry Investments and Edwin Wint of Jamaica Realtors Association. Early registration is encouraged. Inquiries about the conference may be directed to the Jamaica Consulate General in Miami at [email protected] or call 305-374-8431 extension 223.

Parish of St. Thomas, Jamaica Beckons to Diaspora: “Cum Bak Ya!”

The St. Thomas Heritage and Tourism Committee and the philanthropic organization Upliftment Jamaica are set to turn the spotlight on the parish of St. Thomas with a week-long roster of activities aimed at celebrating the parish’s culture and history, as well as providing a forum to acquaint potential investors with a range of investment opportunities, particularly within the agricultural and tourism sectors. The initiative which is dubbed Cum Bak Ya!

The main investment thrust of Cum Back Ya will be the staging of the Paul Bogle International Trade Fair, which will highlight key development areas, including agriculture and agro-processing, advertising, information and communications technology (ICT), manufacturing and also tourism, particularly within the area of health and wellness. The trade fair will also provide attendees with information on critical needs areas requiring support, including education and training as well as environmental preservation. In addition to hosting the international trade fair, Upliftment Jamaica will also host several private business meetings, seminars and mini workshops targeting specific productive sectors, a special symposium on education, as well as a health and wellness festival

Cum Back Ya 2007 will also feature the Paul Bogle Heritage Tours, allowing participants to tour heritage sites, trails and farms in St. Thomas, which will offer visual aids and related memorabilia. The extensive roster of events will be rounded out with the hosting of the 2007 Upliftment International Gala Awards Dinner on Saturday, December 8 and a Grand Gospel Concert on Sunday, December 9. For more information contact: O’Neil Hamilton, phone: 202-986-0182; Fax: 202-986-0184; Email: [email protected]

Miami-Dade County Employees Donate Leave to Hurricane Dean Victims in Jamaica

The Board of County Commissioners has authorized Annual or Holiday leave contributions from County employees to benefit the victims of the Hurricane Dean Disaster in Jamaica. Consistent with previous leave donations, the County Commission has designated a $250,000.00 maximum donation amount for this effort. Once all transactions are processed, an employee’s appropriate leave balance will be reduced by the number of hours donated. Employees will elect to donate Annual or Holiday leave time. For example, the number of hours donated by an employee will be calculated by the dollar value per hour that the donator is paid; if someone making $20.00 per hour and donates 8 hours leave, her donation will be $160.00. As per County Resolution, all donations will be accumulated and forwarded to the Florida Organization of Jamaicans.

Jamaican Foundation of Houston Organize Hurricane Dean Relief Supplies for Jamaica

In the wake of hurricane Dean, which caused extensive flooding and damaging winds in the Southern parishes of Jamaica, a joint effort in Houston was organized with the co-operative efforts of The Jamaican Consulate of Houston and the Jamaica Foundation of Houston. With the help of sponsors and dedicated suppliers of relief materials, the combined effort was able to send two 40-foot shipping containers of relief supplies shortly after hurricane Dean to Jamaica. The relief shipments have been donated to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management of the St. Catherine Parish Council, located in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. The first container was shipped in early October to the Spanish Town Hospital to be off loaded and shared with other institutions. It contained mostly medical supplies and equipment, valued at about $326,000, including 4 almost new maternity beds and 5 fully operational incubators that will be shared between the Spanish Town and Montego Bay Hospitals. The second container, a ‘high-cube’ one-way container, left the Port of Houston on Tuesday October 23, 2007 for Kingston, Jamaica. That container was purchased in Houston to be donated to the St. Catherine Infirmary on Monk Street in Spanish Town, where it will be offloaded and remain to be used for storage of records. The contents include food, clothing, and medical supplies, including wheelchairs and new adjustable beds. These supplies are also intended to be shared primarily between the health clinics in St Catherine, and the infirmary.

The Jamaican Consulate and the Jamaica Foundation of Houston wish to thank all of the individual donors and institutions that donated the supplies, as well as the generous donation of shipping expenses by JAMALCO and by Dr. Richard Francis . The primary suppliers of materials were Medical Bridges and World in Need, two non-profit relief supply agencies in the Houston area. For more information on the Jamaican Foundation of Houston, visit www.jamaicanfoundationofhouston.org

Upcoming Events of Note – SAVE THE DATES

Friday, November 16, 11am

The Florida Association for Volunteer Action

In The Caribbean and The Americas

Presents its 25th Anniversary Celebration aboard The Norwegian Pearl

Port of Miami

Celebration, honoring our founder and former Florida Governor, Senator Bob Graham

For more information contact: Kay Cranley @ 850-410-3100

or visit: www.favaca.org

Saturday, November 17, 2007, 7pm

JAMAICA EX-POLICE ASSOCIATION Annual Tea Party

Tamarac Community Center

8601 West Commercial Boulevard, Tamarac, Florida.

Entertainment will be provided by Winston Dias, Taurus Alphanso

Charmaine Radcliff, Hyacinth Deperalto, Kayla Wright, plus a fashion show

Sky Force Disco will supply the music

Emcees are John T of WAVS 1170 AM Radio and Malachi.

Tickets are $20.00.

Proceeds towards the renovation of the Richmond Police Station in St. Mary, Jamaica

For more information, contact Malachi Smith,

Sunday, November 18th, 6pm

7th Annual Miss Florida Caribbean Evening of Pageantry

Hilton Fort Lauderdale Airport Hotel

1870 Griffin Road, Dania Beach

For more information contact: Jannice F. Davis @ 954-882-2729

or visit: www.missfloridacaribbean.com

Sunday, November 18, 2007, 11am

Reading of Jamaican comedy play – A FAMILY AFFAIR

Little Ochi Carl’s Sea Food Restaurant

7551 West Oakland Park Blvd, Lauderhill

FAMILY AFFAIR is written by Douglas Prout and is a provocative Jamaican play about love gone wrong.

For more information, email [email protected]

Wednesday, November 21, 2007, 8am

Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ)

Presents a Seminar – NUTS & BOLTS: Expanding your Business into the US Markets

Terra Nova Hotel

Seminar will highlight US Immigration requirements, Tax & Accounting regulations

Necessary permits and entity creation

Featuring: Attorneys Dahlia Walker-Huntington, Oliver Langstadt; Leary Mullings, CPA

Register online at www.psoj.org or call 876-927-6236, Ext. 2245

Friday, November 23-24th

Friday, November 23rd, Post Performance Thanksgiving Dessert Reception

JAMAICA FAREWELL

Broward Center for the Performing Arts

Amaturo Theater, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale

Tickets: $25.00 – $35.00

This solo performance directed by Monique Lai is based on the award-winning writer/performer

Debra Ehrhardt’s true story which takes its audience on a wild roller coaster ride

from Jamaica to America.

For more information visit: www.browardcenter.org/Events/jamaicafarewell

Saturday, November 24, 12 noon

IslandFest 2007

Presented by: The City of Miami Jazz on the Bay Concert Series

Peacock Park, 2820 McFarlane Rd., Coconut Grove

Admission: FREE

Live Performances By: Ziggy Marley, Byron Lee and the Dragonaires, Crossovah

For more information call: Garfield Price @ Infinite Markets (305) 623-5078

Friday, November 30, 2007, 7pm

Florida Memorial University

Department of Visual and Performing Arts

Scholarship Banquet

“A Journey of One Thousand Miles Begins With . . . “

Albert E. & Sadie Smith Conference Center

Admission: $50

Performances by Florida Memorial Steelband, Jazz Band,

Ambassador Chorale, Pop Ensemble and more

Saturday, December 1

Jamaica Investment Forum

Details above

December 3-5, 2007

31st Annual Caribbean-Central American Action Conference

Prime Minister Bruce Golding Visits South Florida for Conference

For more information, visit www.c-caa.org

Saturday, December 1, 2007, 3:30pm
Kendall Community Church of God

International Tea Party & Fashion Show
‘Gateway To The World’

8795 SW 112 Street, Miami, FL 33176
Phone: 305-274-3072

Gate Prizes, Entertainment & Beautiful Fashions

Saturday, December 8, 11am-2pm

Jamaican Diaspora Southern US

2008 Strategic Planning Meeting/Conference Call

Holy Family Episcopal Church

18501 NW 7th Avenue, Miami Gardens

Purpose: To set goals for Jan-June 2008

To RSVP: Call 786-349-2584 or email: [email protected]

Saturday, December 8, 2007, 8pm

The Mico Alumni Association of South Florida

Annual Christmas Party

The Church of Atonement Banquet Hall

4401 West Oakland Park Blvd

Admission: $25.00

Music by DJ Buywise

For tickets and further information, contact Errol Evans at 954 804-7200

Saturday, December 8, 2007, 7pm

Caribbean Bar Association

Annual Christmas Party

3295 SW 117th Avenue, Davie

Contribution: $25 w/o a toy; $20 with a toy

For more information, contact Sherylle Gordon, [email protected]

Or (954) 958-1584 or Cherine Smith, [email protected] or (954) 527-1115.

Caribbean Women Making A Difference

Offer Baked Goods for the Holidays

Order today: Bajan Pound Cake ($20); Bahamian Rum Cake with Walnuts ($25);

Jamaican Rum Cake ($25); Bahamian Guava Duff ($20); Jamaican Bread Pudding ($20)

Place your order with me for a special Delivery in time for the holidays!!

Proceeds benefit CWMD’s EducateMe Program

Contact Krista Hopwood at 754-214-0188 or Alicia Chamber at 954-918-6063

EVENTS IN ATLANTA-GEORGIA

Saturday, November 17, 2007 @ 2pm
Free Medical Forum – Morehouse School of Medicine plus raffle for 2 tickets to Jamaica courtesy of Air Jamaica.

Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007 @ 7 pm
Tropical Sports Club Banquet at Association of Black Cardiologists w/ DJ Carlton

Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007 @ 9pm
Manchester High School Annual Banquet – Wynbrooke Clubhouse. Call Beth for tickets at 404-583-5478.

Sunday, December 9, 2007 @ 9pm
Integrity Children’s Fund- “Krismas Karols”; NcNair High School Auditorium. Featuring Judy Mowatt and Jon Williams. Call 678-318-1926 for tickets and info.

Saturday, December 15, 2007 @ 8pm
KC Old Boys’ Annual Scholarship Dance – Alpharetta Clubhouse; DJ Migraine; Call 404-421-0171 for tickets and info.

SAVE THE DATES – 2008

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board Meeting in Jamaica

Jamaica Pegasus Hotel

*Development of Conference protocol, agenda, program, production

*Discussion on Diaspora Foundation developments and institutionalization

June 16-17, 2008 (to be confirmed)

Jamaican Diaspora Conference, Jamaica

If your organization is hosting a public event (especially for the upcoming holidays), please forward at your earliest convenience confirmed details to CONNECT with the community at large. Please forward the attached to others in your family and community circle.

Marlon A. Hill, Esq.

Advisory Board Member

Jamaican Diaspora Southern United States

786-349-2584; 876-621-0102 (Jamaica) ● Facsimile: 786-551-0785

[email protected]