Take care of the weak, pastor urges

OCHO RIOS, St Ann — Pastor of the Ocho Rios Baptist Church in St Ann, Rev Johnathan Hemmings, has urged strong persons in the society to pay greater attention to those who are weak.

“It was imperative that Jamaicans take responsibility for each other, especially the children,” he said.

He also urged Jamaicans to view the children as an extension of themselves, and to help them grow and move forward.

Rev Hemmings was delivering the message at the service of thanksgiving to mark National Child Month, at the church on Sunday. The theme for Child Month is: ‘Together We Make A Difference’.

Environmental meeting in Montego Bay

MONTEGO BAY, St James — The 10th Inter-Governmental Meeting on the Action Plan for the Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP) got underway Tuesday at the Half Moon Conference Centre in Rose Hall, Montego Bay.

Eighty delegates representing the 28 countries that are signatories to CEP are attending the meeting that is being held over three days.

In his address at the opening, minister of land and environment, Horace Dalley said the CEP had achieved a lot over its 20 years of existence. He said it provided a forum “where the people of the region could transcend borders, languages and cultures, and strive to protect and develop our common heritage, the Caribbean Sea.

“We have come a long way in 20 years. In addition to the Caribbean Action Plan, we have adopted the Cartagena Convention, the protocol on oil spills, the protocol on specially protected areas and wildlife, and the protocol concerning pollution from land based sources and activities.

He also pointed to the establishment of the Regional Co-ordinating Unit, hosted by Jamaica, and the provision of training programmes. “As a region, we have the opportunity to regularly discuss the issues that are common to us around the wider Caribbean,” he said.

House speaker honoured for community service

SOMERTON, St James — Speaker of the House of Representatives and Member of Parliament for East Central St James, Violet Neilson, was honoured recently by the Somerton United Church for over 50 years of dedicated and meritorious service to the community.

The appreciation service was held at the church in St James, and was attended by a number of residents including Custos of the parish, Clarence Nelson, who described Neilson as “a veteran politician and outstanding servant of the people”. She was presented with citations, plaques, several gifts and accolades.

In the citation read by Councillor Cebert Stewart, Neilson was hailed as having served in the church as elder, mentor and educator among others. She was described as a person who was “analytical, logical and objective in thinking whose sense of fairplay was so strong, making you give without expecting to receive…always willing to listen to opposing points of view, and if necessary, to modify your own.”

“Your clear thinking, persuasive speaking and vauntless capacity for hard work, found expression in the church and community,” Stewart said.

Guest speaker at the function, Rev Dr Gordon Evans, moderator of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, said that the service of appreciation was well deserved, as Neilson had demonstrated commitment to building the lives of people through God.