******************************* THE PORTMORE WEBSITE NEWSLETTER *******************************
Newsletter Number 10 June 25, 2002 Number of Subscribers - 450+
Web site http://www.portmore.org Reply to webmaster@portmore.org
********* CONTENTS *********
1) From the Editor 2) Greater Portmore notices 3) Hellshire Bingo 4) E-governace Conference 5) Your letters - Outstanding Athlete - C. Skeen - A Play - Jamaicans for Justice - NUFF RESPECT - Portmore Hotel Rates - Bruce Walters 6) Last Word
++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From the Editor ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hello everyone,
I was in the National Library the other day and came upon a picture of a young Mr. Edward Seaga opening the recently renovated Port Henderson buildings. That was in the 1960's. Some 40 years later, I read an article that says he was the main person responsible for preserving Devon House (a prime historical spot in Kingston City). Someone needs to write a book about how much we owe this man and how much we have under-appreciated him.
Mr. Seaga is the longest serving member of Parliament! What a run! Serving Jamaicans is not an easy thing... I know it; so "Nuff respect from a little fish to the whale".
+++++++++++++++++++++++++ Greater Portmore notices ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Leaders and interested citizens,
You are hereby invited to a very important Community Meeting at the Greater Portmore Junior Center (beside the Greater Portmore Post Office) on Saturday June 29 starting at 7:00 p.m. sharp.
The Portmore Star will be sponsoring this meeting and they are anxious to meet with community leaders in ALL OF PORTMORE.
Also on the agenda is the Greater Portmore Joint Council's election, and a presentation by the Portmore Local Planning Secretariat.
Please make EVERY effort to attend this meeting so we can plan for the community! The meeting will end at 9:00 and refreshments will be served.
*******
The Ministry of Housing has decided to hand over the lands identified for the center to ODPEM. We are now awaiting this to be done. We have been working on getting the land for over 4 months!
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A group of citizens are organizing a Football Club for Greater Portmore. tell you more when I can.
*******
Unlike stated in the media, no surprise announcement was made at a Portmore Joint Citizens Assn. meeting (PJCA). Instead, a question was answered stating that Portmore had grown so huge that there are now 3 umbrella Councils serving the community. These are: 1) the Portmore Joint Citizens Assn., 2) The Greater Portmore Joint Council, 3) The All Hellshire Leadership Council.
All three are umbrella organizations and can not be members of each other! We are working out a mechanism for all 3 to work together in the future.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hellshire Bingo ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Patricia Smith
Kennedy,Keep up the good work. Just to let you know that the All Helshire Leadership Council bingo party scheduled for June 1, is now set for July 6 at the 100 man Police station.
Main Prize is $150000, with gate prize a week end for two at a sandals resort. Tickets are $300 and refreshments will be on sale. Banners are all ove the place. We are asking for the support of all Portmore residents.
Also trees donated by Digicel originally scheduled to be planted on labour day were planted on June 15, along the Helshire main road stretching from Helshire Park to the round about at Johnson Hill. Pat Smith
++++++++++++++++++++++++++ E-governace Conference ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2002-06-19 Dear [Community Leaders]
You are [word deleted] cordially invited to attend a Project Formulation Workshop, planned to take place on June 29, 2002, at Twin City Restaurant, Port Henderson Road, starting at 8.30 am.
[word deleted]If you cannot attend this workshop, we encourage you to send a representative of your organisation. This workshop will be devoted to completion of the project proposal.
As you are aware, the Portmore Municipal Development Committee (PMDC) in association with the National Commission for Science and Technology and the International Institute for Communication and Development is sponsoring a project called the Portmore E-Governance Project.
E-Governance is the use of Information and Communications Technology to enhance communications and facilitated transactions between Government and Citizens.
In September of last year, a Roundtable was held at the Jamaica Conference Centre, out of which a number of project ideas were identified.The main project involves the establishment of Internet access points within the Portmore community, the training of individuals in computer skills, and the development of community-oriented websites.
Already project proposals have been drafted as a follow-up activity of the "roundtable" held last year, and these are now at a critical stage.Consultations with all community stakeholders is necessary in order to ensure that the final project reflects community priorities and interests.
Issues to be addressed [at the conference] will include:
? Relevance of E-Governance to Portmore ? Uses of information and Communication Technology ? Community ICT priorities ? Scope of the project ? Content of the websites ? Location and ownership
Kindly confirm your attendance with Mr. Colin Lee (Tele:960-8345) of NCST by June 24, 2001. [it's late but you can still call]
We look forward to seeing you at the workshop and getting your input into the project formulation process.
Yours sincerely,
NCST PMDC
++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Your Letters ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From:
Hi Webmaster, I would like to inform you of an outstanding youth in your community. 5East to be exact. In the recent Inter Prep Shools Track Meet, held on June 6-8 at the U.W.I bowl. Odean Skeen of Portmore Missionary Prep. Got the class three champion boy for the year 2002. Very outstanding for a child at the age of seven.
WEBMASTER'S REPLY Hello Mrs. Skeen! Thanks for the information. We will be watching this lad achieve better things over the next few years to come.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Jamaicans for Justice - Secretariat
Dr. Carolyn Gomes, Chairman & the Directors of Jamaicans For Justice invite you to a benefit performance of the Jamaica Musical Theatre Company's production of Sarafina! Friday, July 26, 2002 8:00 p.m. (cocktails at 7:00 p.m.) The Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts (UWI) Tickets: $700 (Available at the Secretariat: 1 Grants Pen Road, Kingston 8, or call (876) 755-4524-6)
Please join us for an evening of powerful musical entertainment. We look forward to seeing you and your family & friends. Kindly pass this invitation on to your friends via e-mail. Thank you.
Sarafina! is a South African musical that celebrates both the irresistible Mbogango music made popular in the black townships and the indomitable spirit of the children living under apartheid rule. Through story and song, Sarafina! follows the activities of a fictional class at a high school in Soweto and, in particular, one girl named Sarafina who inspires her classmates with her commitment to the struggle against the government.
The performers sing and dance to the stirring rhythms of the infectious music while at the same time show us the personal side of living under Apartheid.
The Production Team for this show is: Producer - Michael Daley, Director - Alwin Bully, Choreographer -Paula Show, Musical Director - Peter Ashbourne.
May we invite you in the meantime to learn more about our work & ongoing projects by browsing through our web site at http://www.jamaicansforjustice.org.
WEBMASTER'S REPLY
A friend of mine will dance in the Production. He is quite excited about it and tries to perfect his South African Accent. I don't know if I can afford these prices, but I will pass on the advert!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From:
Mr. Kennedy, I must say a sincere congrats and lots of respect to a job well done. In your response to your reader's request to elaborate on your readers statistic, I could see in your response the reason for your website's true success; unlike many business persons, I truly respect the way you keep abreast of who your readers are and the components of their characteristic.
This also tells me that none of our request falls on "deft ears." I truly appreciate that. Even though we do not see eye to eye on certain subject (CARNIVALS) I find your website quite informative and look forward to your e-mails every time. Even more so now that I too appreciate the outline of your statistic and am proud to be a part of such.
NUFF RESPECT, FROM FLORIDA.
WEBMASTER'S REPLY
Thanks! When I get letters like these I know its worth the effort. It's not nice when people say... "I got the newsletter, its very interesting but I haven't read it yet!" I suppose they mean that its a bit long... (smile) I hope they go back and finish it.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From:
Can you please tell me about the three hotels listed on portmore.org : Bogues Inn, Arizona Hotel, and Jewels International Resort?
Please include rates, if possible.
Sincerely, Bruce Walters Milwauke, Wisconsin, USA
WEBMASTER'S REPLY Could someone on this newsletter do me a favour and determine the answers to this e-mail!! Just call the "hotels" for me, and ask for the prices so we can help this reader (and others).
++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Last Word ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hear the desperation in mi voice... I really want you to attend the meetings advertised in this newsletter, so you will get a reminder newsletter soon after this one! One footnote here,...The Port Henderson Historical buildings are falling into disrepair and squatters are moving by rapidly. Can someone act quickly! Save our heritage!!!!!
More later,
Kennedy
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