Together, we rise and fall on the same tide
Dear Editor,
This is an open letter to Jamaica from the Jamaica China Friendship Association:
The Jamaica China Friendship Association congratulates the local Chinese merchant community which has been instrumental in supplementing existing health-care resources to assist the constituents of north and south Trelawny, within the reach of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation.
The bridge of friendship between the new Chinese community operating in the island and the local residents was recently further extended with the donation of $1 million worth of food supplies and sanitisation items, positioned to mitigate the outbreak and spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
This bridge makes us particularly proud as we have been favourably perceived for over 40 years as one of the most resilient connections between the peoples of Jamaica and China.
Under the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, we encourage the broadening of contributions and available services within our capacity.
We are especially thankful that this gesture of generosity will be disseminated across the island to include St Ann’s Bay, Mandeville, Spalding, and Kingston.
We are also equally gratified that the assistance provided by the Chinese community has now included recipients such as nurses at the Cornwall Regional Hospital, the fire brigade, and several schools, as well as the care packages already supplied to various underserved communities.
Notably, the Chinese community did not exclude the police, having visited the Freeport Police Station, which houses the St James Police Divisional Headquarters to present those who serve the Montego Bay area with approximately $1 million worth of groceries and cleaning supplies.
By these gestures of support, we again congratulate the Chinese establishments for their efforts to successfully integrate into the fabric of Jamaican society. We welcome their much-needed donations as they continue to prove that all of us who call Jamaica home collectively rise and fall on the same tide.
We take this opportunity to convey much-deserved recognition to them as we all share this time of adversity.
Sincerely,
Jamaica China Friendship Association
