Our Reggae Girlz, Sunshine Girls, Jamaica volleyball team, Junior Reggae Boyz, and Under-19 cricket team have had us cheering and posting our Jamaican flags on every social media platform. Politics had to step aside as we refused to take our eyes off the field and the courts. On the coming weekend, our star-studded team of track and field athletes will head to the World Games in Budapest.

Why do we love our sporting stars so much? It is because of their dedication, hard work, focus, and willingness to submit themselves to testing and scrutiny to earn their stars honestly. On the field, on the court, and on the track, there is no opportunity to foul an opponent and not pay the price, their efforts must be seen in the brightest lights of the stadium.

They are the realisation of our national pledge: “Before God and all mankind, I pledge the love and loyalty of my heart, the wisdom and courage of my mind, the strength and vigour of my body in the service of my fellow citizens…”

We, their fellow citizens, felt well served as our Reggae Girlz surpassed all expectations to see the exit of Brazil and ascend to the Round of 16 in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. We were overjoyed that our Sunshine Girls kept their status of being among the world’s top three teams, earning the bronze in the Netball World Cup, while the game’s giants Australia and England were first and second, respectively.

Ascending to the Round of 16 has earned each member of the Reggae Girlz team US$60,000 as FIFA has been urging football federations worldwide to give more support to women’s teams. In the case of netball, it continues to be a struggle and even the “Australian Diamonds” received no prize money. So it has gone with female-dominated sports. The Women’s Agenda website quoted President of World Netball Dame Liz Nicholl, who described the sport as “rich in people resource and poor in financial resource”. Yes, netball is rich in some of the most remarkable leaders I have ever known, including octogenarian and former National Captain Vilma McDonald, who continues to serve Jamaica Netball, and Marva Bernard, who recently retired as President of Americas Netball and World Netball board director for the Americas.

Clearly there have been problems with our Reggae Girlz receiving their due from the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF). I read General Secretary Dennis Chung’s statement that they will pay up what is owed and will hand over their prize money as soon as it is received as a diplomatic admission that he is addressing shortcomings of the past.

How wonderful to see Cedella Marley now being hoisted on a pedestal when, after her rescue of our team for the 2019 World Cup, she was forced to watch the Games through a fence while others who had given little support were enjoying VIP accommodations. We followed our Reggae Girlz to France in 2019 and so we know the whole story.

Congratulations to our brilliant women and coaches Connie Francis and Lorne Donaldson. They won the hearts of so many other countries. Now to capture the magic of Jamaica and spread it across our nation.

Celebrating Sister Benedict Chung, CD

Well, you may not have seen or heard them, but there was a heavenly stadium cheering for Sister Mary Benedict Chung, still running the Laws Street Trade Training Centre while celebrating her 92nd birthday and her 75th anniversary as a Sister of Mercy.

Last Saturday we were hosted by mercy superior for Jamaica Sister Susan Frazer at the Alpha Institute to celebrate this iconic educator and community activist who decided 27 years ago that after retiring from the teaching profession as principal of Holy Family Primary School she would begin a new career. Rallying together such supporters as the Hendrickson, Mahfood, and Azan families, she decided that she would live with her beloved Jamaicans in Central Kingston to train and counsel them.

Her close friend and pastor, Monsignor Gregory Ramkissoon, remarked on how her incredible faith manifested sizeable donations to share with the scores of needy folks who visit the Laws Street compound twice monthly. Archbishop Emeritus Egerton Clarke harked back to the late 1950s when the young Sister Benedict took charge of Holy Family and later became a mother figure in Central Kingston. When gang violence reared its ugly head in the 70s it was Sister Benedict who called the leaders together and persuaded them to make peace so their children who attended her school could make their way in safety.

Archbishop Kenneth Richards shared with us the prayer of St Benedict, which captures the enduring and endearing qualities of Sister Benedict: “Gracious and Good Father, give us wisdom to discover you, the intelligence to understand you, the diligence to seek after you, the patience to wait for you, eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate on you, and a life to proclaim you.” Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary to our beloved legend, Sister Mary Benedict Chung, Commander of the Order of Distinction (CD).

A welcome “Lift”

A social re-engineering programme which had been announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness was launched last week. The Learning and Investment for Transformation (Lift) Programme will offer internship opportunities to 500 school leavers, aged 17 and over, and a monthly disbursement of $85,000. The programme aims to assist 25,000 students over a five-year period to become job ready. Applications can be made through the offices of Members of Parliament or online. The programme seeks to attract eight students from each constituency.

In her Jamaica Observer report, Alecia Smith wrote, “Minister without portfolio at [Office of the Prime Minister] with responsibility for skills and digital transformation Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon said the programme is not just a ticket to employment but a comprehensive initiative which will provide participants with ‘the fundamentals to prosper’.”

Gender-based violence

Gender-based violence (GBV) has been haunting the women of the world and in Jamaica, not even our children are being spared.

After the horrible murder of eight-year-old Danielle Rowe, we are once again reeling from the news of the unspeakable attack on a family in Falmouth in which a 15-year-old was raped and murdered and her mother and cousin hospitalised with critical injuries. On Friday, we learnt that the police have held “a person of interest” in the Danielle Rowe murder investigation.

Joyce Hewett, president of Woman Inc has reminded us that, “Often, women who are in abusive relationships may encounter emergency situations from which they need to escape,” and shared the number for crisis centre hotline, 876-929-2997, which is open 24 hours. Please pass this on to anyone, female or male, who could be experiencing domestic violence.

Drownings at Alligator Pond

Since the beginning of the month two people have lost their lives at the Alligator Pond beach, while a few months ago there was another drowning. We hope additional signs will be erected to warn visitors about that area, where I understand there is a strong undertow.

Jean Lowrie-Chin is the Executive Chair of PROComm and CCRP. Send comments to lowriechin@aim.com.