Jamaica High Commission’s latest newsletter July '23

UK VISIT BY SENATOR THE HON. KAMINA JOHNSON SMITH, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND FOREIGN TRADE

“Diaspora engagement remains a critical pillar of the country’s foreign policy. The Government of Jamaica has implemented several mechanisms to strengthen Diaspora engagement and to be responsive to the evolving interest of the Diaspora. The Plan of Action to implement the #NationalDiasporaPolicy will be rolled out in the third quarter of this year ” – Sen the Hon Kamina Johnson Smith at the Diaspora Community Meeting at the Jamaican High Commission, London on March 14

The Minister, who was in London for a three-tiered working visit, shared the positive economic prognosis for Jamaica, in addition to other updates in the education, security and health sectors.

During her working visit to the UK, Sen. Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, met with her counterpart, the Rt. Hon. James Cleverly, Foreign Secretary Both Ministers discussed the cooperation between Jamaica and the UK in the areas of security, trade and investment, among others

UKVISITBYMINISTEROFFOREIGNAFFAIRSANDFOREIGN TRADESENATORTHEHON.KAMINAJOHNSONSMITH

As part of her engagement with the UK Government officials, Senator Johnson Smith engaged in bilateral talks with Lord Murray of Blidworth, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office in London. They discussed issues related to immigration.

Senator Johnson Smith also met with Minister of State, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon at the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO)

During the courtesy call, both dignitaries discussed important issues related to Jamaica/UK relations

In celebration of Commonwealth Day 2023, Senator Johnson Smith joined His Majesty King Charles III, and other UK dignitaries at Westminster Abbey for a church service The service began and ended with a procession of the flags of all 56 member states, proudly carried through the church by young citizens from each country

Seen in photo: Jamaica’s flag bearer, Mr. Jordan Ricketts.

REGGAE MONTH: "KETCH DI RIDDIM MOVE YUH BODY"

The Jamaican High Commission Celebrated Reggae Month 2023 with “Ketch di Riddim, Move yuh body, It's a Reggae Dance Party on 24 February It featured Wassie 1 sound system including DJ Wassie and Nzinga Sounds with Junie Ranks and DJ Addie

On International Women’s Day March 8, we had the pleasure of listening to three phenomenal Jamaican trailblazers from our UK Diaspora.

They were Ms. Cordella Bart-Stewart MBE, Judge and Immigration & Asylum Law Specialist; Ms. Angella Rainford, Founder Soleco & Rekamniar Frontier Venture; and Ms. Janet Hills, Former Chair of the Metropolitan Black Police Association.

They shared their journeys, struggles, what gives them joy, and everything in between. The event was chaired by Ms. Evadney Campbell MBE, Managing Director & Co-Founder of Shiloh PR.

You can watch this event on the High Commission’s YouTube Channel: CLICK HERE

ACTING HIGH COMMISSIONER COMMENDS CITY OF WELLS

Acting High Commissioner Mrs Patrice Laird Grant commended the City of Wells for staging the ‘Wells and Transatlantic Slavery Conference: Histories, Legacies and Perspectives’, which explored the City’s past connections with the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and British slavery in the Caribbean.

The conference, held in March, was co-chaired by Jess Witchell, Wells Cathedral Learning Manager and Susann Savidge, of the Somerset African Caribbean Network. It included talks that gave a range of histories and perspectives including contributions from partners and historians from the Caribbean. The in-person event, hosted by Wells Cathedral School, attracted 135 adults and sixth formers, representing a wide range of locations across the country.

“The Jamaican High Commission is encouraged by your research which delves into the history of Wells to show how it derived wealth from the slave economies of what was then known as the British West Indies,” Mrs Laird Grant said, in her message to the conference. “We are also pleased with the unveiling of the new heritage trail that reveals for the first time information linking some of the key sites of Wells to Transatlantic Slavery.”

WINDRUSHSTORYLAUNCHEDATTHEHIGHCOMMISSION

The paperback edition of Tony Fairweather’s debut novel “Twenty Eight Pounds Ten Shillings: A Windrush Story” was launched at the Jamaican High Commission on April 20.

In the novel, the founder of The Windrush Collection re-imagines the stories and experiences of the passengers on board HMT Empire Windrush. The launch was organised by Hope Road Publisher and the setting reminisced about the trading Jamaican/Caribbean “Front Room”. Windrush campaigner Mr. Patrick Vernon hosted the event.

POETLEVITAFARINAMEDLIVERPOOLCITIZENOFHONOUR

One of the UK’s most popular performers, Levi Tafari, whose parents are from Jamaica, was named Liverpool’s latest Citizen of Honour on 22 February.

The Lord Mayor, Cllr Roy Gladden, presented Levi with the honour at Liverpool Town Hall.

Levi was raised in Liverpool, studied classical French cuisine, and graduated with distinction from catering college Whilst working in catering, he began attending the Liverpool 8 Writers Workshop and eventually left catering to become a writer and performer.

Levi has worked locally, nationally and internationally, from Africa to the Caribbean and Europe to America. He has had four collections of poetry published, and his plays performed at the Unity, Everyman and Playhouse Theatres in Liverpool, and The Blackheath Theatre in Stafford.

He performed at the High Commission’s Virtual International Men’s Day celebration last November.

JAMPRO AT THE CROSSCONNECT FORUM IN LONDON

Yoni Epstein and Vivion Scully were among the speakers representing Itel and JAMPRO respectively at the CrossConnect Forum in London on March 8. They highlighted Jamaica's strengths in knowledge services and emphasized their long-term digital readiness and how Jamaica can contribute to the digital talent hubs emerging worldwide.

REGGAE ARTIST MIKEY SPICE VISITS HIGH COMMISSION

Jamaican reggae singer Mikey Spice visited the Jamaican High Commission, London in April before kicking off his UK tour.

MOUNT PLEASANT JAMAICA ASSOCIATION

During a recent visit to Jamaica, Lawrence and Carol Shonibare of the Mount Pleasant Jamaica Association UK (MPJAUK) received an award from Mr J. Lesley of the Jamaica Cancer Society for their fundraising campaign to support the Society.

For more than a decade, the Mount Pleasant Jamaica Association UK, whose membership is largely drawn from Royal Mail, have hosted a special fund-raising Independence event to support the work of the Cancer Society.

N RUN CREW COMMUNITY GAGEMENT

The founding members of the Emancipated Run Crew paid a courtesy call on the Jamaican High Commission and explored collaboration on community engagement. Emancipated Run Crew (ERC) was set up in 2019 by sisters Denise and Julia Stephenson and friend Trojan Gordon who are all of Jamaican heritage and were determined to challenge the lack of diversity in grassroots running by creating a virtual space where black and brown runners can support and encourage each other whatever their running goal.

CONGRATULATIONS TO COMMUNITY CAMPAIGNER STEVE STEPHENSON

Congratulations to community campaigner and race relations specialist Steve Stephenson, who was recently honoured by the Luton Heritage Group for his work in community and race relations.

Mr Stephenson, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, was awarded an MBE in 1996, and in 2003 he received the Jamaican Prime Minister’s medal of appreciation for services to Jamaica and Caribbean people in the UK.

In 2019, the West Indies team paid respect to Mr Stephenson, who has been one of their long-standing supporters. He was described as a champion of social work and cricket across the United Kingdom.

Mr Stephenson has a long history of supporting Jamaican and West Indian cricketers and putting on various functions for West Indies team when they are in England.

His autobiography ‘Unbeaten Innings’ was published in 2022, and tells his life story, from his birth in Jamaica to his arrival in the UK in 1971, through to his distinguished career in social work and community activism in a number of cities and towns across the country, including Birmingham, Bristol, London, Luton and Manchester.

RAILWAY ACADEMICS VISIT BIRMINGHAM

The High Commission hosted a team from the University of Technology, Jamaica which is supporting the Government’s plans to revitalise the Jamaican Railway service . The team was on a short working visit to Birmingham in April to meet rail industry experts.

UTECH signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Birmingham in 2022 for the cooperation and knowledge transfer around railway research and education.

The visit was at the invitation of University of Birmingham’s Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE). The intent was to promote further collaboration and knowledge transfer. The UTECH team included Dr O'Neil Josephs, Head of School - School of Engineering and Head of the Transport Systems Research Group, Dr Paul Campbell, Associate Professor - Coordinator of Partnerships and Research Linkages, School of Engineering and Mr Dwaine Hibbert, Lecturer - Head of STEM and Engineering Education Research Group, School of Engineering.

SEN. THE HON. KAMINA JOHNSON SMITH LED THE JAMAICAN DELEGATION TO THE COMMONWEALTH TRADE MINISTERS MEETING

Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, attended the Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting (CTMM) in London, from 5th to 6thJune 2023 The CTMM, preceded by a Senior Official Trade Meeting, convened under the theme 'Delivering a Common Future: Cooperation for Resilient, Inclusive, Green and Digital Economies.'

The forum allowed Ministers to examine the progress made since the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda, to frame the agenda for the next CHOGM to be held in Samoa in 2024, as well as to explore prospects for cooperation to promote intra-Commonwealth trade. During her interventions, Sen. the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith advocated for stronger collaboration and partnerships to promote Commonwealth Trade and Investment, citing the impact of the Hubs and Spokes Project, and the need for the Commonwealth to play a role in demystifying digitisation to alleviate disinformation and misinformation.

MEETING

5th June 2023.

Both discussed opportunities for cooperation in multilateral trade negotiations, particularly within the WTO and the Commonwealth, as well as, strengthening their relations within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and through established trade financing mechanisms.

SEN. THE HON. KAMINA JOHNSON SMITH LED THE JAMAICAN DELEGATION TO THE COMMONWEALTH TRADE MINISTERS

Sen. the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith engaged in bilateral discussions with the Chair of CTMM, Hon. Dr. Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze, Minister of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Rwanda, on

Minister Johnson Smith met with Mr. Adan Mohamad, Cabinet Secretary and Economic Advisor to the President of Kenya, on 6th June 2023. The Principals emphasised their commitment to strengthening relations in the areas of agriculture, tourism, financial services, and scientific research and development.

SEN. THE HON. KAMINA JOHNSON SMITH LED THE JAMAICAN DELEGATION TO THE COMMONWEALTH TRADE MINISTERS MEETING

Bilateral

meeting between Sen. the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith and Mr. Pedro Manuel Moreno, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), on the margins of CTMM.

Sen the Hon Kamina Johnson Smith engaged in a photo opportunity with Hon. Nigel Huddleston, Minister of State for International Trade of the United Kingdom, during a reception hosted by the Minister of State on 5th June.

Closest Tube Station: St James’ Park on the District or Circle Line

Bus: 148 (White City to Denmark Hill / Camberwell Green) -Stop

Notarisation service available Monday, Wednesday or Friday 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

No appointment is required for Notarisation ONLY

Information on all of our services can be found on our Website clink the link below:

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Please note that appointments are FULLY BOOKED at this time.

New appointment slots will become available on 6th August 2023.

Appointments must be booked using one of the links below:

For Individuals click here:

For Families click here:

Persons without appointment will not be seen.

Visas

Applications are to be sent through the post by Royal Mail SPECIAL DELIVERY.

JAMAICA TRIVIA QUIZ

1)WHENDIDJAMAICABECOME INDEPENDENT?

A)11MARCH1958

B)26MAY1969

C)6AUGUST1962

D)18DECEMBER1971

2)WHATDIDCHRISTOPHERCOLUMBUSCALL JAMAICA?

A)TRINIDAD

B)SANTIAGO

C)VALPARAISO

D)LIMA

3)WHATISTHEAREAOFJAMAICA?

A)4,244SQ.MI.

B)6,324SQ.MI.

C)1,926SQ.MI.

D)5,322SQ.MI.

RIDDLE: A COW AND A DONKEY ARE COMING ROUND THE CORNER. THEY CRASH. WHICH ONE IS WRONG?

RIDDLE: HELL A TOP, HELL A BOTTOM, HALLELUJAH EENA DI MIGGLE.

ANSWER: CORNMEAL OR SWEET POTATO PUDDING

ANSWERS HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE

“RIGGLE ME DIS, RIGGLE ME DAT, GUESS ME DIS RIGGLE AND PARAPS NOT

JAMAICA TRIVIA QUIZ

“RIGGLE ME DIS, RIGGLE ME DAT, GUESS ME DIS RIGGLE AND PARAPS NOT

RIDDLE: A COW AND A DONKEY ARE COMING AROUND A CORNER. THEY CRASH! WHICH ONE IS WRONG?

ANSWERS IN NEXT ISSUE

1)HOWMANYPARISHESARE THEREINJAMAICA?

2)INWHATYEARDIDKINGSTONREPLACE SPANISHTOWNASJAMAICA'SCAPITAL?

3)WHOWASTHEFIRSTPRIMEMINISTER OFJAMAICA?

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TUE 1 SAT 5

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JAMAICANHIGHCOMMISSION,LONDON:INDEPENDENCECHURCHSERVICE& CELEBRATIONOFWINDRUSH75

ASSOCIATIONOFJAMAICANSUKTRUST:GALADINNER&DANCE

JAMAICABASICSCHOOLFOUNDATION:FAMILYDAY&FOODFESTIVAL ASSOCIATIONOFJAMAICANNATIONALS(BIRMINGHAM):INDEPENDENCE THANKSGIVINGSERVICE

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FOR MORE INFORMATION: FOR MORE INFORMATION:

cro@jhcuk.com