Wealth mag i26 by Wealth Magazine Ja #1 Business Publication

Publisher

The Editor’s Survey

s the year 2014 draws to a close I take this opportunity to thank you for your support during what has been quite an eventful and successful year for Wealth Magazine. In August 2014 the magazine celebrated five years since our first issue was published. That in itself is quite an accomplishment given the continued economic challenges facing small businesses; we could not have done that without your support. In 2014, we also ventured into new territory when we hosted the Wealth Magazine Auto Show in Montego Bay, St. James. Based on the feedback from that event, it is our intention to again host the next staging of the show in that locale.

Managing Editors Garth Walker & Leighton Davis

Sales and Marketing Manager Simone Riley Sales Executives Latoya Taylor Geoffery Wilson Photography Tricia Bent

Whatever challenges we faced in 2014 and whatever is to come in 2015, we are confident we will rebound as we strive to build a stronger publication. We will continue to highlight businesses and the success of entrepreneurs (such as Lascelles Chin, who is featured in this edition).

Designer Conroy Green

Again, thank you for your support. We wish for our readers, advertisers, contributors, and well-wishers God’s richest blessings in 2015.

Cover Design Denieze Anderson Cover Photography Tricia Bent

Monique Grange Editor-in-Chief

Printed in Jamaica By Pear Tree Press Styled By Spokes Apparel Special thanks to: Our writers, advertisers, readers, partners, family, friends and the CME Team. Copyright © 2014 Wealth Magazine Issue 26 All rights reserved. Wealth Magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. This material may not be reproduced, displayed, modified or distributed without the express prior written permission from the publishers. For further information on Wealth Magazine, contact: Creative Media and Events 15b Trinidad Terrace, Kingston 5, Jamaica W.I. Tel: (876) 754-2075 Fax: (876)-754-2070 Cell: (876)-579-7381 info@cmeja.com /wealthmagja

www.wealthmagja.com

@wealthmagazine

/wealthmagazinejamaica

Publishersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Note

Happy Holidays New beginnings As we end another year we are thrilled at the opportunities that await us in 2015. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and he spoke life into it with his creativity. Today as you read this my question to you is "What will you be creating for your business, department, country in 2014 that will make a impact and leave the world a better place because of it?" This issue we read of a man who created his own kingdom with one of the most recognised brands in Jamaica over the last 15 years. Kudos to Lascelles Chin, a true creator and brand builder extraordinaire. Hope you all have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Until next time.

Garth Walker & Leighton Davis

Managing Editors

Contributors

Dennis Brooks has been a respected journalist and sociology teacher for over a decade. He has produced and presented several of the country’s top radio programmes, namely The Breakfast Club, The Corner, This Morning, Nationwide at Five, The Ballot Box, and Left Right & Centre, to name a few.

Laura Tanna author of the books Baugh: Jamaica’s Master Potter and Folk Tales and Oral Histories with DVD and CD versions as well as the CD Maroon Storyteller. She does interviews and writes on art, culture and travel for various publications.

He has served as a communications adviser to government ministers.

Hodine Williams Hodine Williams has mastered the technical disciplines of economics, management and law, yet maintains his creative bent with process reengineering, painting, and karate. He holds degrees in Management and Economics, and law. Former Assistant to the Auditor General, he is now applying his juristic skills as Legal Officer for the Government. Hodine has worked in the financial sector and has pursued his own private business ventures. He is best characterised as a critical thinking optimist.

Alicea James is a full time editor at a popular publishing house in Kingston Jamaica. She has been a freelance writer for several years on sites such as Odesk and freelancer.com. Her passions include writing, traveling and shopping.

Ryan Strachan is the manager, corporate solutions & wealth management at Stocks & Securities Limited.

Issue 26 | Dec.-Jan. 2015

Latoya West-Blackwood is an independent publishing consultant with a particular interest in merging traditional publishing with digital and new media. She is a member of the Book Industry Association of Jamaica’s Board of Directors (Director - Development Initiatives) and also a member of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s Creative Writing Advisory Committee.

David Mullings is co-founder and CEO of Keystone Augusta, a private investment firm based in Orlando, Florida. He can be foundat Facebook.com/davidpmullings.

Nick Abbott

Sancia Campbell

is the principal of FrontLine Evolution, a boutique consulting firms which helps organisations increase profits and improve effectiveness by creating long-term, sustainable change to the behaviours of their front-line, customer facing staff.

is a PR practitioner in the business and hospitality sectors with over 13 years experience in marketing, publicity and communications. An excellent writer and avid lifestyle blogger, Sancia enjoys reading and events planning. She is currently the PR & events coordinator at the Jamaica Business Development Corporation.

Contents Table of

Issue 26 | Dec.-Jan. 2015

Innovation 16

Is It Time To Scrap Your Customer Service Depeartment

Preparing Your Small Business For The Christmas ‘Rush’

Effective Event (experiential) Marketing Strategies: How To Pull Off Memorable Events

Technology 28

Creating A Path To Tech Success In The Caribbean

Smartphone Crimes Revealed: Physical Theft

Sagicor Bank Credit Card

IMF Global Outlook

A Woman With A Vision

Drop in the Bucket: Water Tanks in Schools project exceeds modest target

Finance 46

4 Strategies for Investment Success

Investing: True Success Stories

Jamaica Will Be Ready For Vision 2030 By The Year 2070

TAX EVASION: Is It Really Stealing?

Health & Wellness 84

Healthy Relationships=Good Health

Lifestyle 92

Christmas in New York City

Q4 2014 & 2015

Wealth of a nation: The Development Climb

Feature 36

What Does Your Work Face Say about You?

112 Survival Strategies For Small Business Success

Build your own business team. Survival in business requires a synergy of skills.

Career 106

Aquired Skills and Passion: the birth of an Empire

-Sir Richard Branson

A Multi-Dimensional Man Running a Multi-Dimensional Business

58 Cover story

INNOVATION

Is it time to scrap your

Customer Service

Department?

f you care about customer relationships (and I am sure that you say you do) it is time to think about combining sales and customer service into a single entity. Unless you sell a quickly consumed commodity I would say that it is essential. Old-fashioned views which separate customer service and sales departments into individual silos are simply that: old-fashioned. The modern customer wants so much more, which this dated model simply can’t provide.

The Customer Experience Problem

All too often sales and customer service functions are performed by completely different departments which are often at loggerheads. Sales is responsible for getting new customers to signup; they build relationships and trust with the prospects and finally deliver the sales and the new customers to the company. Then they hand over responsibility to the customer service department which is responsible for managing the ongoing relationships: looking after service and repair issues, invoicing, renewals etc. Often the customer service team view sales as short-sighted hustlers who will do and say anything to secure a sale, leaving customer service reps to clean up the “mess” of broken promises

By Nick Abbott and unrealistic expectations. On the other hand, the sales folks tend to see their customer service co-workers as an ineffective group that has an easy, unpressured life far removed from the day-to-day commercial realities of the business. Sadly, these views often permeate right up to the heads of the respective departments. Here’s what usually happens:

Customers suddenly find that the

nice person with whom they built a relationship is suddenly nowhere to be found. Promises that had been made during the sale somehow never seem to quite materialise. Even when the customer service team is great there is a hiccup in the flow of relationships.

Sales people become conditioned

solely for the hunt. They are discouraged from taking a long-term view about customers and in many ways operate outside the mainstream of the company. Any customer service skills they have are often gained through chance or from previous employment and in worst case scenarios, they evolve into little more than opportunist hustlers who are continually looking for the next ‘victim’.

Customer Service teams may be

great at reacting to specific customer complaints, but they often are very poor at the proactive measures which

can be critical to retaining customers. Sometimes they are so sales averse that they miss opportunities to really help their customers by offering to upsell or cross-sell them with other products and services which would really delight them. Alternatively, the customer service team is given a five-minute sales training and told to “push” product X which results in them doing exactly that and frustrating customers who have absolutely no need or desire for product X.

The Solution

• Be willing to take ownership of customer issues

The ideal solution is to combine the sales and customer service into a single, fully integrated unit. This does not mean just having the sales and customer service teams report to the same department head. It needs everyone to be involved in the entire customer service experience at all stages. How this will be achieved may differ between organisations. Some may have individuals act as account managers being personally responsible for all aspects of the customer relationship from cradle to grave; others may choose to rotate persons through different roles, some which look after new customer sales and then into service support positions; others still might decide to form small teams responsible for the entire experience with different members responsible for the sales and customer service tasks - perhaps another model will work better for you? Whatever you choose ensure that all team members are selected against the same criteria. If you think a candidate won’t make a good sales rep do not hire him for customer service, and likewise if you feel that another will be great working in sales, but you doubt her suitability for customer service don’t hire her either. Then give them the same training so that they are all fully proficient in both customer service and sales, only graduating those who meet the required standards in both aspects of the training. Finally, ensure that your new integrated team is responsible for all aspects of the customer experience including new customer acquisition, retention, upselling/cross-selling and customer satisfaction.

• Be great ambassadors for your company or brand

If you’re not yet ready for this radical change then at least try the following as interim measures:

Sales and Customer Service Reps - The Same Thing? How bizarre you say! Salespeople are fast talking charmers with charisma and outgoing personalities while customer service reps are amiable pleasers who lack the strength of personality to sell, but whom everyone likes to work with. Really? Let’s look at what we want (at least should want) from an outstanding salesperson. He or she should: • Be able to build great relationships with customers based on trust • Have outstanding written and, especially, verbal communication skills • Be fantastic listeners • Be able to find suitable solutions to each customer’s needs or problems

Now let’s look at the skills and qualities you might want from a star customer service professional. Oh wait a minute, aren’t they the same? The answer of course is yes, they are exactly the same. At this point the hard-nosed sales manager will typically tell me that there is one big difference: closing. Sales reps have to close deals all the time, something that customer service reps simply don’t do. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Even if you ignore that customer service people often have to upsell services and products, and renew business as part of their daily routine, the best customer service reps are “closing” every day. Maybe they have to persuade customers that their bills don’t contain errors and are accurate; perhaps they have to get the customer to agree to wait four more days for the replacement part; possibly they need to convince the customer to bring in a document to the office for

processing. This is all closing and customer service reps that can’t close will not be successful.

• Integrate customer service and sales recruiting and training. • Give sales reps exposure to working in or observing customer service and have the customer service folks spend some time with sales; maybe a couple of weeks per year. • Hire multi-faceted managers and key support personnel. What I mean by the last comment is that you want sales managers who have experience in customer service and customer service supervisors with proven success in sales. You need trainers you are equally comfortable in both service and sales and when it comes to consultants never touch one who specialises in just sales or is an expert solely in customer service; then of course I would say that wouldn’t I?

Lady

Premier

Sabrena McDonald Radcliffe

Sales and Marketing Manager, Burger King and Popeye's 1. What inspires you? Doing things that matter or make a difference; I like to know that what I do or how I do what I do has a positive impact on the recipients of the activity and the members of my team that are executing the activity. 2. What was the last piece of good advice you received? A good friend of mine, Franklyn St. Juste introduced me to the principles of the "The Four Agreements", as expressed in a book of the same name written by Don Miguel Ruiz. The four agreements are; 1- Be impeccable with your word, 2- Don't take anything personally; 3- Don't Make Assumptions, and 4- Always Do Your Best. 3. Growing up, what did you envision as your dream job? As a child, I wanted to become a lawyer. However, in my teen years I became interested in the process of marketing/advertising and also developed a passion for the performing arts and writing; so I decided that my dream career would be a marriage of both passions. 4. What do you like most about your job? I like that no two days or two hours are the same. It provides me with the opportunity to get creative with problem solving and to identify ways in which I can make the Burger King and Popeye's brands more appealing to our customers. 5. After a tough day what relaxes you? After a tough day, I curl up in my sofa like a comma with a sweet treat and watch one of my favourite TV shows. Other times I chill with my husband at the movies or simply close my eyes and forget the day with some good old-fashioned sleep. 6. What current projects are you working on? Apart from coming up with tactical marketing and sales initiatives, I am working on plans for Burger King Jamaica's 30th year celebrations. Artistically, I am finalising a few writing projects that are set to go to print and TV screens soon. 7. What does wealth mean to you? Wealth for me means a balance- of good health, more than sufficient economic resources, positive personal and professional relationships and always being able to create at a high standard . Once I have those things in the mix, combined with an excellent relationship with self and God, I can take on the world and become even wealthier.

INNOVATION

Preparing Your Small Business For The

Christmas ‘rush’

By Sancia Campbell

y the time this article is published, we should be less than one month away from the busy Christmas season. Preparing your micro or small business to capitalise on the season’s opportunities, should have started weeks, even months ago. These tips therefore should serve as a checklist for the prepared; and for the unprepared. They should compel the business owner into action, as despite the economic gloom, Christmas inevitably brings additional disposable income to purchase gifts, prepare the family feast and undertake home repair projects; among many other activities.

For many business owners, particularly those involved in trading; i.e. sale of goods and services, Christmas is the busiest time of the year. Businesses rely on the festive spirit of the season, the increased goodwill and the general buzz of excitement surrounding giving and sharing. Here are some tips that will help to make your business a success this holiday season:

1. Manage stock levels

– The last thing that should happen is that the business runs out of stock during Christmas. If you start early, you can decide what to stock. Look at sales trends; stock up on what sold well last Christmas, and stock up on ‘in style’ items as well. Forecast Christmas sales to make sure enough stock is ordered to cater to the rush. Review the stock management processes to maximise stock accurately and adequately. You can also have a pre-Christmas sale to get rid of old stock. However, be careful not to over stock to a point where your cash flow and resources are stretched too far.

2. Get into the holiday spirit – Whether you are prepared or not, Christmas is coming. It will be here sooner, rather than later, so get into the holiday spirit. And get your business into the spirit too; dress up your staff in Christmas gear, put up the Christmas decorations and the Christmas tree, and 20

turn up the holiday music. These actions will send your customers two main messages – 1. Christmas is coming and you are ready for it, and 2. Your holiday spirit can also lure them to your business place. Consider offering gift wrapping services or sending “Gifts from Santa”; it will boost their spirits as well.

3. Adjust your marketing programme

– Both your online and offline marketing should now begin to reflect the spirit of the season. Roll out the Christmas ads and commercials, announce your Christmas campaign and integrate your online and offline portals to ensure that it is sending one strong, solid message. Utilise all available marketing platforms to keep your customers informed. Create a feedback system that will help you to evaluate the success of the programme as well as prepare the business to understand what the customers want and deliver those wants in a timely and efficient manner.

4. Offer promotions and holiday sales – Make the most of your marketing programme by offering promotions and holiday sales. Most of the marketing around this time of year deals with specials and sales for the holiday season. Shoppers are looking for the best deal for their holiday shopping, so offer incentives to get them in your store. Sales and promotions will help bring in more customers and possibly more sales.

5. Secure cash handling – Having prepared for the financial returns of Christmas, the next logical move is to secure those funds. Particularly now when most shoppers are opting to use direct payment methods such as debit and credit cards, businesses must invest in a point of sale system. As much as possible, clear the excess cash from the register and lock it away and keep the largest notes in the furthest compartment of the register, far away from where it is visible to customers. Count all cash in a secure room and use professional cash collection services if your business handles a large volume of cash. Post additional security officers in your location as well to give both customers and staff peace of mind. While Christmas is a critical time for businesses to capitalise on sales, it is also important to plan ahead for the new year. Your Christmas promotions should be so good that it boosts post-holiday traffic, generate new customer interest and improve your bottom line in the coming months. Consider offering post-holiday sales and discounts to get rid of excess stock and keep interest in your business.

INNOVATION

Effective Event (experiential)

Marketing Strategies:

How To Pull Off Memorable Events

emember ‘flash mob’? Some years ago, broadband service provider, Columbus Communications (Flow) sponsored one in the middle of the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre to promote its summer offerings. Unconventional and almost unheard of on the local scene, it created the desired impact.

Flow had already been in the Transport Centre promoting its summer packages. The ‘flash mob’ consisting of more than 100 dancers, brought the promotion together by generating excitement, drawing attention to the promotion and leaving customers totally awed. This is a prime example of an effective experiential marketing strategy. Event or experiential marketing is fast becoming a main feature in the marketing plans of both small and large firms, especially for companies seeking to establish strong brands, introduce new products to the market or drive consumer demand, event marketing assists in engaging customers on a more personal level. It also assists the company to develop lasting customer relationships which can provide a brand with detailed and valuable information which may be used to inform future product or brand decisions. So what is event marketing? Event marketing describes the process of developing a themed exhibit, display, or presentation to promote a product, service, cause, or organisation by leveraging in-person engagement. Events may occur online or offline, and can be participated in, hosted, or sponsored. The promotion of these activities can occur through various

By Sancia Campbell

inbound and outbound marketing techniques. Inbound marketing techniques for events is useful for lead generation, while outbound marketing techniques are efficient for driving leads and sales. Some inbound marketing techniques include creating a blog, using social media, email marketing and search engine optimisation (SEO). Inbound marketing focuses on generating content that will draw consumers to the company. It makes it easier for a company to be found by consumers who might be interested in its services. It works by writing blog posts, using SEO, and creating materials that will educate consumers on products or services the company offers and how these consumers can benefit from them. In planning the event then, the company is able to target its approach to the right customers instead of expending time and resources on promoting the event to audiences that may or may not take an interest in what is being offered. Inbound marketing technique makes the company easier to find for potential consumers. Outbound marketing techniques are more traditional. It therefore means that a company planning an event must engage in tried and tested techniques such as radio and television commercials and print ads for newspaper and magazines. Techniques such as cold calls are also useful; a good phone call can help to humanise the relationship between the company and the customer and differentiate one firm from the next.

Here are some practical tips on how to create a raised, scrap it. Cast your vision. Have your beneficiaries share their experiences and how they have been impacted by your magical event experience: mission. Weave your message into the experience.

1. Appeal to Human Behavior

There is something about hearing your own name that makes a person feel good, which is why a good leader will never call you “Hey man”! Depending on the type of event, find a way to publicly recognise the important donors or staff at your organisation. Giving awards not only gets a recipient to attend the event, but a few of their friends as well. Some philanthropists enjoy the rush of making a large, public, spot donation. Find an outlet for them in the event, maybe a live auction. Others like to know that they have given more than the minimum, that they have made a small sacrifice for a good cause. Appeal to them by providing them with special giving opportunities. Regardless of the size of your event, think beyond the giving card and get creative with your ask.

2. Tell a Story

Storytelling is a large part of event planning. Ensure that your event tells a story, from the invitation to the decor to the product or service that is being unveiled, ensure that the event is entertaining, interesting and keeps your guests fully engaged. Think about the story you are trying to tell. What is the point you want to make? Make sure that every part of your event supports the story. If you have a bullet point presentation of your accomplishments this year or how much funds you have

3. Use online social pre-events to promote the main event.

To build interest in the main event, host a Google Hangout or a Twitter chat a few weeks before the main event. Invite a few of your speakers to participate in the online social event. Give a preview of what is to come at the main event, by doing some discussion of what speakers will cover, or highlight the activities. It generates anticipation.

4.Create an event within an event

Mini-events within the main event touch the consumers directly. Activities such as in-event product promotions, product tastings and giveaways can build consumer loyalty and enhance company-consumer relationships. It also teaches customers about the features, attributes and benefits of using your company’s products over the competitors’. As much as it is unconventional, marketing through stand-out events has never been more important. Whether you call it event marketing, experiential marketing, live marketing, participatory advertising, or any other name, this is a brave new world of blowing things up and convincing otherwise sane passers-by to dance or change clothes in the street-all with the motive of engaging consumers.

INNOVATION

ColdCanCalling Be Fun By Nick Abbott

ales reps typically fall into two groups: those who openly admit that they hate cold calling and those who are a little more liberal with the truth. I will admit that my title is slightly tongue-in-cheek. That said cold calling can be an effective and satisfying business development tool if used properly. Before I get on with the nuts and bolts of making effective cold calls you need to remember two keys to success in any type of sales: talking the talk and walking the walk. I’ll translate this into English:

Talking the Talk

If you don’t believe in the product or service you are selling and what it offers customers you are doomed to fail. If you are not a fan of what you are selling then how can you expect another person to be excited by it? It defies logic. That said, before you quit your job take some time to see if the problem is your product or if it is you. Can you reassess the service you are selling so that you can see its value?

Walking the Walk

Fantastic skills and a great attitude will count for nothing if you don’t pick up the phone and start dialing. When I moved from the closeted corporate world to running my own

consultancy business I had to make cold calls for the first time in years. I struggled at first despite my overwhelming belief in the value of the services that I was offering as all too often something more urgent or important came up. What worked for me, and if you believe what Charles Duhigg wrote in his bestseller “The Power of Habit”, will work for all of us - routine and habit. I set aside two 30-minute slots in my calendar each day to make cold calls. Once you believe in your product or service and have established the discipline and habits needed to make your calls you need a plan. I use a three-step process:

1. Set your Objective

You might say that this is pretty obvious – it’s to make a sale. That might be true if you are dealing with a simple sale, but in most cases you won’t complete the sale on the first call; the sale process will be too complex to establish the customers’ needs and the right level of trust. I use a call-mail-call system where I either get the name and contact details for a key contact or make a face-to-face appointment. Having a clear understanding of your objective is critical if you are to measure success. Having a really nice conversation with a prospect is

all well and good, but at the end of the week I need to measure myself against the number of meetings I have set with prospects and the number of key contact details I have obtained.

2. Prepare your Questions

One-way monologues are hopelessly ineffective; you need to engage the prospects in meaningful conversations. Your questions should be designed to get the prospect interested and wanting to learn more. Plan questions that centre on the customer’s needs or pain; questions which revolve around your products or processes or which are designed to manipulate them into saying yes will only cause the prospect to shut down. Write down your questions, practise asking them and prepare for the different possible answers.

3. Plan your Opening, Pitch and Close • The Opening. The first few words of any cold call are the most challenging. I advise that you get to the point quickly by staring with: • Your name • The name of your company • Your link The first two are self-explanatory, but the link is critical: Were you referred? Do you have something in common? Some examples include: “Hi Mr Brown this is Angela Smith from The Big Box Company, Terry Jones suggested that I call you” “Hello Mrs Weeks this is Derek Hunter from Ace Air Conditioning. We recently installed a unit for your neighbour Dahlia Jones…..” • The Pitch This is where you use the questions you prepared earlier. Your aim is to ask questions so that you can present the benefits and features of your service which will help address your prospect’s needs. The greatest thing about your new gym might be the huge, secured parking lot, but if the prospect doesn’t drive why would you mention it if you are focused on her needs? Let’s take an example using one of the openings from above:

“Hi Mr Brown this is Angela Smith from The Big Box Company, Terry Jones suggested that I call you. We were able to help him organise his collection and keep it safe in one of our air conditioned storage units. I know that he is very happy. How do you store your collection now?” You then listen carefully to his answer and ask him some of your prepared questions to move the conversation towards the close. Avoid “Is this a good time to talk?” If the customer says “no” you really have nowhere to go. • The Close If your prospect expresses interest during the pitch this is where you ask for the call objective. Let’s say you want to send some collateral and arrange a follow-up call: “How about I email you a copy of our brochure which you can read at your leisure and then I call back next week to see if you have any questions. What is your email address?” Or maybe you want to close a simple sale: “So would you like to book the spa service now and save 20%. Shall I add it to your reservation?” Note that in each case the sales rep has kept control of the next step. This is critical if you want to progress the transaction to the final sale. Obviously there will be times when the prospect genuinely has no interest and if you reach that point end the call politely and quickly. However, before you do, ask yourself: “Is it no, not ever or no, not now? If in doubt assume the latter. “I can see that we can’t help you now Mr Brown and I don’t want to take up any more of your time. How about I call you in six months to see how things are going?” Of course when you do call back in six months’ time it won’t be a cold call anymore! Fun? Maybe not, but with a little discipline and planning cold calling can be a really effective tool for almost every business.

TECHNOLOGY

Creating A Path to Tech Success in the Caribbean By Kirk Hamilton

remember the first time I saw an atlas and tried to find Jamaica, I found a tiny dot south of Florida and realised early on we are just a spot on a large canvas. So, how on earth will Jamaica produce the next big thing in the world of technology?

It’s quite a tall task; with only three million people Jamaica is an unlikely place for an entrepreneur to achieve global ‘scale’ in his technology business. Scalability is possibly the most important metric by which venture capitalists measure the potential of their investment. Three million people hardly qualifies an attractive scalable business. The English speaking Caribbean on a whole is often marked as too small to justify high-level investment in technology. In my experience we are barely on the radar for most venture capitalists the world over. But are they right in this perception of our islands? I firmly believe the Caribbean is ripe for the creation of powerful start-ups which can have global impact, but I agree with the VCs, the region doesn’t provide a sizeable customer base to achieve the kind of scale that has made Air BnB and others so successful. Caribbean tech entrepreneurs must focus on

creating universal solutions which can have global impact. I would argue that in the world of technology, ‘Brand Jamaica’ holds little to no relevance and should not be a major focus of any start-up business idea. I say this at the risk of being ridiculed but I’ll just ask you to tell me what is American about brands like Microsoft, Yahoo, Netflix etc. Businesses in this space tend to be location agnostic, entrepreneurs focus on the world not just their homeland. Tech entrepreneurs are a very different breed of animals. They do not appreciate barriers and most powerful tech solutions are designed to disrupt and breakdown traditional practises – we’ve seen this with Uber, Tesla and Air BnB. In order to play with the big boys we must think just like them. Through my networks I have met a number of extremely successful tech entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. I have gained a solid understanding of their mindset. One of the most important things that allows tech businesses to thrive are communities. The communities are the eco-systems that drive success for businesses and they are made up of entrepreneurs, investors, advisors, freelance supporters and media. We see this with Silicon Valley and all the other hubs which are evolving in

the US. Dublin is also emerging as a world-class tech hub. These hubs are global with people represented from all corners of the earth. By being in the mix with an international audience entrepreneurs are able to refine their ideas with global perspective and push their brand beyond territorial boundaries; it’s all about your network.

Bono

I recently attended the Web Summit in Dublin, Ireland. The event attracts just over 20,000 tech entrepreneurs, investors and media from around the world. This is a massively successful event which is helping to drive Dublin’s success in the start-up space. The event attracted the likes of Bono; Tony Faddel of Nest, Drew Houston of Dropbox, Paypal mafia member and Facebook’s original investor Peter Thiel and many others. As a Virgin Atlantic ambassador, I participated in the private Investor Summit, which gave an inside look into the current world of technology. It’s very easy to speak about building a tech hub, but doing so is another story. No amount of investment or desire will guarantee that the right relationships are built and success is achieved. As it stands almost every country in the world wants to create the next Silicon Valley and they’re putting all sorts of capital to work to make it happen. But imitation is not the solution, as we are witnessing with the failure of many start up hubs around the world. The process needs to be handled organically, hubs need to attract individuals from more successful hubs to offload networks, investment and inspiration. Building the community is a challenge, but it doesn’t have to take forever. The Web Summit started four years ago with just under 400 attendants, it now stands at 20,000 doubling in size between 2013 and 2014. This has been made possible due to serious marketing and networking and a community that is extremely supportive. Again there is nothing distinctly Irish about the Web Summit’s brand – this is a powerful ‘global’ gathering. Jamaica does not need to create a following of this size to be successful, our emphasis should be on quality.

Tony Fadell, Founder and CEO of Nest Labs

This is where Brand Jamaica plays a role! People the world over have a very real affinity towards Jamaica, this is something we all know. Getting the global community to buy into our community shouldn’t take a rocket scientist. We need to design the frameworks, legal, taxation and otherwise which will allow businesses to thrive. Additionally we need to design experiences where these people fall in love with Jamaica first, then decide to invest. This will be a patient process, but it is possible. Our approach cannot be all about Jamaican entrepreneurs either, we need to design a community that is international and fosters collaboration – Jamaican entrepreneurs should be partnering with people from Brazil and the UK etc., forcing immediate global reach. Jamaican investors need to meet outside investors with strong wins to encourage a greater appetite for the risk necessary to

A user tests a new virtual reality device which utilises a smartphone

An entrepreneur pitches to an audience of investors

compete in this non-traditional investment class. Our frameworks need to be designed to encourage global partners to set up shop on the island with a mandate that they find local partners. If the tax and legal constructs are designed correctly, this will not be farfetched as Jamaica will be an attractive business destination.

Kirk-Anthony Hamilton (right) with fellow World Economic Forum Global Shapers; Javier Aguera Co-Founder of Blackphone (Madrid Hub) and Yasmine El Baggari Co Founder Voyaj (Morocco Hub)

"...keep pushing and think beyond the boundaries or the issues in your island. "

I have dabbled in numerous sectors globally and built relationships around the world. I have never found a more deeply connected community as I have in the world of technology. People are genuinely helpful and this is a community that thrives on seeing others succeed. This has little to do with country of origin, but instead the focus is on an individual’s drive, will to succeed and the great business idea being promoted. Let’s remember the technology space is currently responsible for creating more millionaires than any other field in history, this wealth is birthed out of almost nothing, so these are people that truly understand and sympathise with the entrepreneurial struggle. Giving back to upcoming entrepreneurs often becomes their life mission. We see as most successful tech entrepreneurs evolve into angel investors and venture capitalists reinvesting in the space that created their wealth. I am hopeful the Caribbean will develop an eco-system that will allow entrepreneurs to thrive here and not see the need to take their ideas elsewhere. In the meantime, I encourage local entrepreneurs to keep pushing and think beyond the boundaries or the issues in your island. Kirk-Anthony Hamilton is a global entrepreneur, investor and vice curator of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Kingston Hub. He is the founder and CEO of the Infiniti Partnership. Kirk’s coverage of the Web Summit was made possible with the support of Virgin Atlantic and Digicel.

TECHNOLOGY

Smartphone

Crimes Revealed: Physical Theft

“Phone Thieves Bypassing Security Systems” - Jamaica-gleaner.com

he diversity of mobile technology has provided us access to vital documents no matter where we are in the world. Yes, our cell phones have become mini computers small enough to fit in our pockets, yet with sufficient internal depth to source and store all the information we could ever need. Unfortunately criminals are aware of the viability of our mobiles, making us (or at least the phones we possess) their prime targets. There are two main aspects of grave concern, the physical theft of our mobile devices and cyber theft− stealing the information from said devices. In this submission we will focus on the implications of the theft of smartphones.

Physical Theft

Consumerreports.org’s annual net survey posits that 3.1 million smartphones were stolen in 2013 in the United States. And, here in Jamaica? Well, we are not faring any better ourselves; this type of theft is undoubtedly a universal problem- after all it’s a pretty lucrative business. As the problem continues to intensify cell phone companies have tried to protect users in cases of phone theft, regrettably these criminals seem to always be a step or two ahead of us at any given time. According to a report published in the Jamaica Gleaner dated April 2014, “… Digicel and LIME began blocking phones reported stolen in 2008, in response to alarming levels of

By Alicea James

phone theft which at the time numbered 16,000 a month.” These companies would block the International Mobile Equipment Identification (IMIE) once a phone was reported stolen, but this once effective measure is no longer a deterrent for thieves. “Criminals have found new ways to circumvent the security system in Jamaica. In many cases, disarming a phone's IMEI mechanism - which the police say is similar to the chassis number of a motor vehicle - is as easy as taking the phone to a street-side technician, many of whom charge as little as $2,000 for their services.” (Jamaica-gleaner.com) In countries such as the US and Britain, tampering with a phone’s IMEI is illegal and can result in a sentence of 5-6 months in prison. However in Jamaica there is still no legislation against that. So what can we do to combat this problem? Well the idea of an ‘anti-theft technology’ certainly seems like a brilliant one.

Anti-theft Technology

According to cnbc.com: “New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon formed the ‘Secure Our Smartphones’ (S.O.S.) initiative, to push for ‘kill switch’ equipment in all new smartphones.” The report continued: “Throw that kill switch and the phone would never work again-anywhere in the world.

A survey conducted by business professor, William Duckworth revealed overwhelming support by cell phone owners for this type of technology. Duckworth noted: “Not only do people want -cbsnews.com a free kill switch on all phones, they expect it… most people, 83% really think this will bring down crime and 99% believe the wireless carriers should make that a blanket option for everyone”.

“Iphone related crimes on the rise as smartphones gain popularity”

Not surprisingly however, many US wireless carriers were consistently opposed to the idea (up until 2013). Critics speculate that the oppositions were founded on the fact that carriers make money on the sale of phone insurance, plus once a phone is stolen it will need to be replaced with another, which spells more money for sellers and manufacturers. After much complaint and frustration from customers, companies are now trying to find ways to counter the problem. Major equipment manufacturers such as Samsung, Apple, Google, HTC Motorola and Microsoft along with major US phone companies including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile recently (2014) signed a Smartphone AntiTheft Voluntary Commitment. The agreement is that “all new smartphones manufactured after July 2015 for sale in the U.S. would offer, at no cost to the consumer, an anti-theft tool that is preloaded or could be downloaded” (cnbc.com). With this security feature cell phone owners will be able to remotely erase the device’s entire data once it is stolen. This would in turn hinder criminals from using the device, without a pin or password or reactivate the phone without the owner’s authorisation. This is similar to Apple's ‘activation lock’ feature which is built into iOS 7. Apple users can remotely erase all the information on the phone and lock it so that it cannot be reactivated without the Apple password and ID. A similar software is also available for Android phones.

“New efforts to curb cellphone theft” - Jamaica Observer

As encouraging as these ideas seem, we might have to wait for quite some time before these, and other effective strategies protecting mobile phone theft begin to materialise. Once they do stolen phones will have no resale value on the black market and we may even be able to walk the streets, cell phone in hand without having to worry about mobile theft. Until then let’s not make it so easy on these criminals and try to take precautions with these valuable devices.

TECHNOLOGY

Optical Fibre no longer a preference

– It’s Essential

ason Corrigan reckons optical fibre is no longer a preference in the telecommunications landscape.

“It has become a necessity”, says the General Manager of Digicel Business. “We must evolve and put the necessary infrastructure in place to meet these demands and capitalise on the significant advantages that are available.” Indeed, fibre optic technology is fast chasing older connectivity solutions such as copper-based cabling, into obsolescence. The proliferation of social media as one of the primary methods of communication is influencing the consumption patterns of data users and this is increasing the demand for more bandwidth. The ultra-thin strands of optical fibre transmit enormous quantities of data and are not vulnerable to electromagnetic interference which can befall copper wiring and wireless communication channels. With countries like Japan building out their own fibre network and offering speeds of up to 100Gbps, it is evident that the demand for capacity and speed will not wane any time soon.

Digicel has dug its heels into the fibre space in the region. In Jamaica, it recently completed the first phase of its underground network – a state-of-the-art fibre connectivity technology spanning the key commercial areas of Kingston and Montego Bay. Elsewhere in the Caribbean, the regional telecommunications provider acquired a submarine network which spans 2,100 kilometres and which provides capacity from Trinidad, connecting at least 12 countries to Puerto Rico and the United States of America.

This brought Digicel’s fibre network to 3,100 kilometres, consisting of 15 submarine segments across the Caribbean, for businesses, the fibre connectivity gives them the ability to seamlessly deploy cloud services and take advantage of valueadded services like IP surveillance and videoconferencing, another area into which Digicel has dived headfirst, through its ICT solutions division, Digicel Business. “Cloud computing, bring-your-own-device and video have changed the way organisations communicate, enabling employees, partners and customers to interact with the business 24/7”, says Corrigan. “Being able to offer this level of service with our fibre network will undoubtedly provide motivation for multi-national corporations in the global logistics industry who have connectivity at the top of their list of priorities.” He added: “Customers are increasingly demanding larger amounts of bandwidth and an extremely reliable set of converged services that provide a rich suite of voice, video and business critical data applications, with high performance and quality of service.” The development of Jamaica’s own Internet Exchange Point (IXP) will also play a critical role in improving the connectivity capabilities of the country. As a platform for providing domestic-focused, bandwidthintense applications and services, the local IXP will become an essential component in developing and expanding the economy and market for internet-based products and services. For a country aiming to become the fourth node in the Global Logistics Hub, Jamaica’s improved information communication technology landscape makes it significantly more attractive as a location to conduct global trade.

FEATURE

A WOMAN

With a Vision

By Mikaelea Witter

e have often heard tales of people entering a career field quite by accident and falling head over heels in love with it. It is even better when that career path becomes a success driven by one’s passion and determination to make it so. Founder and Managing Director of GeoTechVision, Valrie Grant has a similar tale. She has found herself a career in Geospatial Science chosen by a former employee; he saw her potential when she did not at that time. Valrie recalls setting out to find a summer job after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in her first passion-Geology-from the University of the West Indies.“I was offered a permanent position which I declined at the time. But my employer clearly saw more to it than I did and found creative ways to entice me to take the job. I went in headlong and started to love what I was doing.”Thereafter, a Geospatial Scientist was born. Valrie went on to earn a Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Environment from the Manchester Metropolitan University and is also a certified GIS Professional. She refers to herself as a geospatial consultant who helps clients to see the value of using geographic data to make critical decisions. “Geospatial technology is the modeling of real world events in a computer environment. So anything that has a location component to it then we are able to model it in a

computer environment and extract information from it.” Valrie says this means that organisations can use GIS to unlock data enabling it to be used in maps or analysis to support everyday decisions.

How did she become an entrepreneur?

Valrie still thanks her persistent employer who encouraged her to enter the world of geospatial technology as it set the foundation for her tap into a potentially lucrative market. “I decided to own my own business when I recognised that there was a gap in the market in terms of how governments and businesses were utilising spatial information. There was not another provider who provided a customised solution that would take persons from zero to having a full blown application. We wanted to be that provider and so this is why we created GeoTechVision in November 2008.” Valrie Grant found a niche market that was virtually unknown in the Caribbean and leapt right in.

What has it been like as a female entrepreneur?

A recipient of the Jamaica GIS Entrepreneur Award in 2012, Valrie laughingly admits that as a female entrepreneur she has received sly looks especially because she is in a male dominated area. “I am the only female who owns a business in the Caribbean in this space and so it becomes even more difficult.” Nevertheless, she remains undaunted as her male colleagues and her clients have come to recognise what she brings to the table.

Challenges and Successes

Valrie says the company began operating in Jamaica out of an office at her home with her as the employer and employee. Her brother soon joined to make it a two member team. “We started in the midst of the economic depression in 2008 and I suppose having survived that, it has really taught us to be resilient”. Valrie had to draw on that resilience when six months after starting the company, she became seriously ill and had to undergo surgery. “That meant that the funds that I earmarked for starting the business and for moving forward had to be diverted to medical expenses and so that was a major setback. This meant that I had to grow the business at a much slower pace than I wanted.” But during the recuperation period over the next few weeks, Valrie kept busy. “I started to write proposals; I started to reach out to colleagues to see how I could partner and form alliances and you know GeoTechVision is where it is today.”

Products and Services

GeoTechVision now has offices at 237 Old Hope Road in Jamaica and in Georgetown, Guyana with a 12-member team of qualified and experienced professionals who serve clients across 13 Caribbean countries with high-end geospatial consultancy services, business information and

communications technology solutions and products. “Our major clients are government ministries and agencies and private sector companies mostly in the utilities space and now we are getting into spaces like insurance and banking.” Additionally, the company has consultants who are used on a project by project basis. “We have a pool of what we consider to be on-call consultants because we believe in the best of breed in terms of the technology and so we have persons who are the industry best.” GeoTechVision also has its own brand of tablets. The GeO brand Android-based tablet was designed by GeoTechVision and manufactured in China to cater to the needs of mobile tablet users. The GeO tablet is part of the company’s solution for a digital classroom experience. The tablets are also used in the Jamaican Government’s E-Learning programme as they have a tracking component which is another service offered. Valrie says GeoTechVision has also recognised the importance of teaching young people about geospatial technology. The company runs a GIS camp which is geared toward fourth and fifth form high school students. The camp started in Guyana and was expanded to Jamaica this year. “We basically have them for two weeks and we expose them to what spatial technology is and we found that a lot of them are now looking at this space as a possible career option.”

Future Plans

Valrie says the next step is to have an assembly line for the tablets in Jamaica. Expanding to another location is also on the cards for GeoTechVision, but the specifics have not yet been worked out. Valrie says the private sector also has a lot more to look to forward to from GeoTechVision. “We are going to be offering a lot more of the services to private businesses, meaning we are going to be increasing our presence in terms of the engineering and the ICT sector and even business analysis”. There is nothing stopping this business leader who has been recognised with the National Commercial Bank’s Nation Builder Award for the Women in Business Category (2013) presented to an innovative female business owner with a track record of leadership and social responsibility. GeoTechVision has also received other awards including the Land Information Council Contribution to GIS Day Award 2013. Valrie says GeoTechVision will continue to grow and provide innovative technological solutions.

FEATURE

Drop B cket in the

Water Tanks in Schools project exceeds modest target

By Garth Williams

he lengthy drought period in 2014, spanning almost six months, opened the eyes of many Jamaicans to the vulnerability of the island’s various sectors. Certainly, agriculture was the hardest hit with many farmers recording millions of dollars in losses and consumers feeling the pinch as ground produce, in particular, saw a steady increase. The Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA) reported in July 2014 that: “A detailed assessment of the drought indicated that in excess of 1,600 hectares valued at just under J$900M had been lost or damaged due to drought and fires… A total of 16,398 farmers are estimated to have suffered losses to date.” The education sector was not at the forefront of most minds when considering the effects of the drought. That was until in August, when the Ministry of Education reported there were about 270 schools that would need help with water in the current school year. This dire situation sprung Trisha Williams-Singh into action. She serves as Board Chairman of the New Forest Primary, Junior High and Infant school in Manchester. Schools were threatened with having to temporarily suspend operations as a result of no water being on the school plant. In most cases the suspensions would be at schools which had

Once a nominee has accepted the challenge they can either choose to attempt 10 push-ups and donate $500 after comp leting them, or simply donate $1,00 0 in lieu of the exercise.

no facilities in place to store water. She thought quickly about how she could address the issue of water storage in schools on a national scale. “I’m very passionate about education. If you want to raise the standard of the nation to the next level it has to be through education. I look at it in a two-fold way, there is a practical approach and the theory approach. The ministry takes care of the theory side through policies which influence curriculum development and the teachers/instructors in the classroom. The practical side is where I can make my contribution by doing things like putting water tanks in schools, because with no water there will be no sessions at school.” Trisha pointed out that initially she just wanted to help as many schools in need. “I had no number in mind per se. I just knew that we needed to do it. We needed to start a social campaign to address the problem. If we were only able to raise money to donate two water tanks I would have been satisfied. My time with Digicel has taught me to set realistic targets, so then I thought that based on the economic constraints trying to raise J$500,000 in three months was achievable.” Borrowing on the viral success of the ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) Ice Bucket Challenge, raising awareness of and funds for the debilitating disease, Williams-Singh sought to galvanise the Jamaican public rallying behind a worthy cause. Williams-Singh noted that to make the campaign far-reaching and effective she needed a partner with a degree of “star power”. She approached Olympian and fitness trainer Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn and brain-stormed the WTS (Water Tanks in Schools) Push-up Challenge. “I went for Juliet Cuthbert because as a Jamaican Olympian and public figure she would appeal to the people, she’s also my trainer of many years. In order for any social campaign to be successful, two of the things you need

are star power and infrastructure. The star was Juliet and the infrastructure was social media (Instagram and Facebook). We thought we could easily get 1000 Jamaicans who actively use social media to participate and donate J$500. That happened but we also saw where corporate entities were getting involved Digicel, Wealth Magazine and many others.” The Push-up challenge, Cuthbert-Flynn noted, “promoted a healthy lifestyle, it was fun and of course it facilitated the donation to a most worthy cause.” Mimicking the ALS Challenge, each donor (or team) was to make a short video of themselves doing 10 push-ups and nominate friends and associates to do likewise. Those who are nominated have 24 hours to complete the task. Once a nominee has accepted the challenge they can either choose to attempt 10 push-ups and donate $500 after completing them, or simply donate $1,000 in lieu of the exercise. Williams-Singh created a bank account via National Commercial Bank (NCB) where donations could be made islandwide to account number 371088881. Members of the diaspora looking to contribute were facilitated with an NCB swift code JNCBJMKX. The branch used was 15 Northside Drive, Northside Plaza and donations could only be made directly to the bank. The account remains active as there are still individuals and companies who continue to contribute. “Through a partnership with Rototech Ltd., manufacturers of water tanks in Jamaica we were able to supply about 35 schools. The J$500,000 target has been exceeded and the WTS Instagram account continues to be active with a growing number of followers,” said Williams-Singh. She expressed warm, heart-felt gratitude to every individual and corporate entity which participated in the WTS Push-Up Challenge while encouraging similar acts of social responsibility to tackle areas of need in communities and across the country.

FEATURE

Toss it, Stir it, Bake it… I can do it Senior Sous Chef

hat is the simple philosophy which one of Jamaica's few successful female chefs, Rochelle Grindley has lived her life by.

The 25 year old is now a senior sous chef at Beaches resort in Negril. But where did her journey begin? How many of us knew how to create a meal which sounded like it came from a restaurant menu before the age of ten? I assume not many of us could achieve such a feat. However Rochelle Grindley did at age nine. Rochelle explains that the children in her family weren't really allowed to get junk food so she came up with the idea of making green banana chips from scratch and cakes and pastries. Rochelle's love for making people happy with food continued throughout her primary and high

By Mikealea Willer

school years. So much so that after completing her education at Hampton High School for girls in her home parish of St. Elizabeth, Rochelle knew what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. But her family did not agree with her choice of career. "At first they were not accepting of it …they want to see their children become doctors and lawyers and that kind of stuff.” But they saw her passion for cooking. “So at first they were hesitant, but they saw where my heart was and so they became accepting”. So at age 17, Rochelle headed off to college where she completed a joint program between the University of Technology and the University of the West Indies, Mona campus in Hospitality and Tourism Management majoring in Culinary Arts Management.

Fresh out of college she got her first job with Sandals Resorts International in 2009 where she was able to hone her culinary skills as a sous chef. She started out as a trainee and then got promoted to a trainee manager as she prepared for the position of sous chef. Her training at Sandals Resorts International provided her with the opportunity to get the position of sous chef at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in Kingston. From there, Rochelle stopped briefly at Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records where she served up culinary delights for patrons as their sous chef. “Every customer is different, everybody has a different palate. Tell me what you want, what your needs are, what you don’t want and I produce from that.” Without taking a break it was on to Beaches Negril where she currently oversees five restaurants.

Awards

Throughout her career Rochelle she has amassed several awards. The latest addition was the Taste of Jamaica Award 2014. Like her other awards, Rochelle says she entered because she believes women should be at the forefront too.

"Know what you want and go for it."

-Rochelle Grindley

“Females are looked down on within the industry. We are not recognised for our true talent so going into the competition actually showcases us females. We can do it, not only males can do it, but what they can do, we can do it as well.’’ Rochelle first entered the Taste of Jamaica competition in 2013. However, having to deal with the death of her mother who passed away during that period left her mentally unprepared. “I had a hiccup where I had just lost somebody before the award…so going to the award I was placed sixth not making it to the finals.” But she decided that 2014 would be her year and was successful in once again tasting victory. The competition was held between October 18 and 19 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Cooking up a storm, so to speak, Rochelle entered the Senior Chef competition. Executive Chef and President of the Culinary Federation of Jamaica, Dennis McIntosh whose organisation put on the competition says the chefs were given mystery items from which they had to write a menu and create a meal in two hours.

“They worked onstage under the spotlight of all the guests and presented the dishes and Rochelle came out the winner with her presentation.” Rochelle beat her opponent with her dish of seared grey snapper stuffed with escoveitch pickle and callaloo topped and coated with bammy dust; poached chicken with mussel mousse; sauteed sweet and sour jerk vegetable balls served with a churro stuffed with sweet potato mash, topped with pepper jack cheese and green plantain chip crumble all served atop a herb pumpkin sauce.

Yum!

Rochelle has also won:

• Jamaica Observer Food Award Scholarship • The Winifred Almond Award for Most Outstanding Artistic and Creative Student in Food Preparation University of Technology • Taste of the Caribbean Silver Medal-Junior Chef of the Year • Taste of the Caribbean 2011, Gold Medal Team and award for Most Innovative Menu • World Skills Competitor for Jamaica 2011 • Taste of Jamaica, Gold Medal Winner and Award for “The Best Use of Tilapia” 2011 • Taste of the Caribbean 2012 Bronze Medal Winner “Team of the Year” • Taste of the Caribbean 2012 Bronze Medal Winner “Cheese Competition”

Does she have a personal life?

For nearly six years this young woman has been honing her craft barely making time for fun and relaxation. “My hobby is sleeping…so I don’t really have a personal life. It is just work and home and that’s about it. But Rochelle says the hard work has paid off and has welcomed achieving so much over such a short period of time. “It has been a pretty good stretch, because once you are a gogetter you go for what you want. So at first people look at you and say ‘oh you are a female, you can’t do this or you can’t do that’, but telling me that I can’t do it is pushing me forward to do it even more.” And she has no intention of stopping. Rochelle says her next step is to become an executive chef with a reputable chain of hotels. She also has plans to open several production facilities in her hometown of Santa Cruz in St. Elizabeth that will supply restaurants and hotels in addition to increasing the employment rate in the area. “You have to take a risk, because if you don’t you will reach nowhere in life.”-Rochelle Grindley

FINANCE

4 Strategies for Investment Success

ou probably know that it is a good idea to save. However, did you know that investing can be more powerful than saving? The thing that makes investing so powerful is compound interest. When you invest, your money can start earning interest right away. Not only that, but any interest you earn can also earn interest. The longer you invest, the more your money can compound in this interest-on-topof-interest fashion, and the faster your investment can grow. There are four key investment principles that can help you maximise the growth of your investments over time.

Principle #1: Invest Early

There is a saying that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The bigger you want your investments to grow, the sooner you should invest. Not only will you have more time to benefit from the power of compounding, you will also have more time to ride out the market’s inevitable ups and downs.

Principle #2: Invest Regularly

You pay your bills every month, so why shouldn’t you pay yourself too? Having a regular monthly investment plan helps you budget your day-today life around your investing, so you know you are always getting closer to your goals. It can also lead to more investment compounding and less risk by setting up a pre-authorised contribution. Scotia Investments can even take care of automatic

monthly transfers from your Scotiabank account to your investment portfolio at no cost.

Principle #3: Stay Invested

Markets have always risen over the long term. That is why it makes sense to create a portfolio of investments that matches your personal goals and stay committed to it. In the short-term, it is nearly impossible to consistently and accurately predict downturns and upswings, and you can end up losing money if you try. However, if you just stay invested, you will benefit from the market’s longterm upward trend.

Principle #4: Diversify

You cannot control the market’s ups and downs, but you can reduce their impact on your portfolio. The secret is to own a wide range of investments, including cash, fixed income, and equities from local and international markets. This way, if one investment is down, other investments are up, and your overall portfolio can continue to grow. It is so much easier to put the principles of investing into action when you have professional support. Your Scotia Investments Investment Advisor will guide you through a thorough discussion and help you to develop a portfolio to meet your goals. If you have any questions about the information contained in this article, or you wish to talk about how to start investing in you, please contact a Scotia Investments Investment Advisor at the branch location closest to you or visit our website at scotiainvestmentsjm.com.

FINANCE

Investing: True Success Stories By Ryan Strachan

ftentimes, in the world of investing, when financial advisors cross paths with potential clients and share stories of those who have invested and invested well (achieved a return on their investment), the refrain is something close to “that will never happen to me”, “only the rich guys benefit” or “it takes money to make money”. In fairness, there is some truth to these beliefs, but a lot of it is falsehood and fear disguised as hesitation/ scepticism. As one who frequently refers to history, with hindsight being 20/20, there are many examples in the limited experience of this writer in which brave investors have benefited, both home and abroad, and this submission to Wealth Magazine’s Christmas/New Year issue will attempt to share a few examples. If one’s New Year’s resolutions for 2015 are adjusted to include ‘investing in good, SOLID companies – whether startup or established’ then my mission would be accomplished! Let’s start somewhere relevant to most persons reading this article presently, on the internet. The internet has certainly changed lives, certainly those of the average 80s baby who started to surf the worldwide web in the mid-90s. Many no longer visit physical stores, as they prefer to buy most things online, including shoes, sunglasses and general clothing – for the most part. eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) is a popular marketplace of choice, and it makes the shopping experience that much more thrilling without the long lines

and long sits in retail store chairs whilst waiting on one’s wife! Social media has become a means of self-sufficiency for many, selfies have become the order of the day, and anyone without a Facebook account is from another planet, pop culture would lead one to believe. Speaking of which, Facebook was started by Mark Zuckerberg in a Harvard dorm room circa February 4, 2004. Whilst the story is well-known, what is not so well-known is that upon moving to Silicon Valley some months later, he attended his first meeting with a Venture Capitalist (‘VC’) in a hooded sweater, shorts and Adidas flip flops (true story); his preferred uniform at the time. To tell it further, this meeting was with legendary VC, Peter Thiel who had made a fortune via past ground floor investments in Paypal – which he co-founded – and other entities. Undeterred by Zuckerberg’s eccentric attire, he went on to become Facebook’s FIRST external investor with a US$500K placement in August 2004 for 10% of the company. In May 2012, when Facebook went public, he sold a block of shares for US$638 million and another block for north of US$1 billion in August 2012. All told, he turned a US$500K investment into north of $1.6 billion in eight years – a return on investment of 3,200%, or 400% per annum in simple terms. This was a remarkable return on investment, by any measure. Facebook’s first internal investor was Eduardo Saverin, whose productive summer trading oil futures yielded him US$300K which allowed him to seed Facebook’s initial introduction – said to be in the range of US$30K – and is now worth $4.2 billion today. Eduardo was a fellow Harvard student with Messr Zuckerberg, who rather than venture into the company fulltime during the 2004 summer, opted to finish his degree and attend business school. Column space will not allow for every example to be laid out at length, however, there remain other opportunities to be shared. One such is LASCO Manufacturing which listed at $2.50 per share on the Junior Stock Exchange in September 2010. On July 9, 2013 (after a 10:1 split on 04 July 2013), it traded at $1.80 ($18 equivalent pre-split) per share, and thus returned 720% in this period. Recent share price slippage attributable to a series of factors notwithstanding, it now trades at $1.02 ($10.20 equivalent pre-split) per share and is thus trading at 400% above its IPO price. Many local investors can identify, as the LASCO IPO (3 companies) was wellreceived by virtue of its fundamentals and popularity of its products; further, many first time investors placed funds in the IPO. A reasonable response from naysayers regarding investing in Jamaica is that of the elimination of

capital gains by inflation and devaluation of the local Jamaican dollar currency against its US dollar counterpart. This argument is usually made against the potential for investment returns locally. Examples such as Facebook, Apple and Google – the latter of which will be discussed in forthcoming submissions – are accepted as being plausible because they are foreign companies, but again, a popular refrain is ‘Jamaica? No way!’ Interestingly though, savvy investors in Jamaica with the appropriate outlook, temperament and perspective have benefited tremendously. Examples which will be mentioned but not expounded on include Lascelles (a prior submission in ‘the gift that keeps on giving’) and National Commercial Bank, whose chairman’s 2002 investment foray into the Jamaica Stock Exchange via the acquisition of the majority shares in the latterly-mentioned institution was greeted with much fanfare. In short, that investment, while discouraged by his inner circle and trusted advisors has paid off handsomely both via dividend payments and capital appreciation. A lesser-known investment, however, will be the concluding example of this submission. The article in the Jamaica Gleaner of Friday, April 23, 2004 read as follows: “In January 2004, Michael LeeChin bought Grace Kennedy's 44 per cent interest in KWL (Kingston Wharves Limited). On January 21, Mr Lee Chin, through his National Commercial Bank, bought 470 million shares in the firm for $1.30 each totalling $611 million (USD $10 million).” Converting that volume of US dollars to Jamaican dollars would have rightfully been deemed crazy by the average individual, especially in a market classified as illiquid, whether true or otherwise. The reality however, is that, value remains as value, regardless of location and the quality of an investment is determined by the exit and eventual return. On September 24, 2014, the same holdings of 466,090,902 KW shares bought at $1.30 per share in April 2004 were sold to two separate investors for JMD $3,029,590,863 (US$26 million at today’s valuation) – at $6.50 per share. The total return, despite the devaluation of the Jamaican dollar from $61 to $113 at the time of sale was 160% or 16% per annum in US dollar terms, the likes of which would never be achieved via holding corporate or government papers. Kindly note this excludes dividend payments received. The moral of the stories happens to be that investing pays.

FINANCE

Jamaica Will Be Ready For

VISION 2030 By Year 2070 By: Mark Wignall

Image source: www.bluemountainproject.org

ge does something to a person especially when one reaches 16 or thereabouts, falls in love with the juvenile pursuit of carnal passions then cries, shouts or goes to bed sobbing as the love that was imagined walks away. At age 16 one’s vision is mostly linked to the number of romantic illusions one can be immersed in at any one time.

But a person has that nasty, unfortunate habit of growing up- that is, moving WAY ahead and reaching to say, age 18 at which time one believes one has discovered wisdom. Wisdom in that one can tell when one’s romance with life is either ebbing or flowing. It is not so much that a young person will understand why the moon in his life has that pull on the earth which he cannot fully inhabit as much as the understanding that the love of his life is walking away from him again and telling him goodbye and he cannot do a damn thing about it.

King Street looking towards the harbour 1969

Which simply goes to show that living in the age of one’s immaturity and believing that it is the age of knowledge, wisdom and reason is a most dangerous fallacy. Jamaica was a 16 year old teen in 1962, the age we were given our independence. Based on how far we have moved and what we have done with what we had, I would say, we are now about age 18, that is, we have aged about two years between 1962 and 2014. Often times, we need to be pulled back into reality; to move from being adolescents toying with life to the stage where we recognise that we have a country to be built and not an island paradise to slum in as many Jamaicans have been treating our special piece of this earth. In an October 8 article on BBC News Business- Canberra was ranked the ‘best place to live’. The following was stated, “The Australian Capital Territory of Canberra in Australia is the best place in the world to live, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Canberra led the regional ranking while Australia topped the overall country rankings, followed by Norway. The OECD ranked 362 regions of its 34 member nations in its survey. It used nine measures of wellbeing, including income, education, jobs, safety, health and environment. Five Australian cities including Sydney, Melbourne and Perth were also in the top 10. Other top-scoring places included the states of New Hampshire and Minnesota in the US. On the other end of the scale, Mexican states constituted all 10 of the bottom regional rankings. On a country level, Mexico, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia were ranked as the hardest places to live. If the capital of a country is its ‘natural mystic’ and the face it shows to the international community is supposed to reflect the soul of a nation, what is that saying about us as we bring Kingston into sharp focus? I cannot recall that at any time in my life Kingston could even remotely be described as ‘pristine’ in its makeup. In the late 1960s and early 1970s when I worked there it was not the garbage dump, the real estate cemetery and the security risk that sections of the capital have now become.

New Kingston looking towards the harbour 2014

I can remember a day sometime in 1971 when I was courting the lady who would eventually become my wife. While still living with my parents all of my weekends were taken up visiting her at her parents’ home in Harbour View. From where I lived in the Washington Boulevard area I would grab the first bus about 6:00 am on a Saturday and Sunday and, on the way back, time it so that I would connect with the last bus leaving downtown Kingston and head home around 11:30 pm. One Sunday night when I reached downtown, the last bus had already departed and all I had on me was bus fare. With no other option I had to walk home. From South Parade I headed along West Queen Street then on a long stretch of Spanish Town Road, passing notorious names like Tivoli Gardens, the southern section of Rema, Federal Gardens and Maxfield Avenue. About midnight I began making my way along Waltham Park Road, then west along Molynes Road and finally up the Washington Boulevard. Want to try that now? In the late 1960s all shipside activities shifted from Downtown Kingston to Newport West and as New Kingston developed, many businesses moved Uptown. In that business drift from the urban centre of the country to the new and attractive real estate in New Kingston and the environs of Half Way Tree, the rural to urban drift of the poor seeking their fortune added to the denseness of what was becoming a ring of inner city communities around Kingston and in it.

Jamaica in the 1960 Source: http://transpressnz.blogspot.com/2013/02/street-traffic-in-kingston-jamaica-1900.html Jamaica 2014 Source: http://www.panamericanworld.com/en/article/jamaicas-global-logistics-hub-set-progress-14

As the dreams of many died in poor education, unemployment and underemployment, criminality took hold and political ‘donmanship’ took over. As Kingston lost its title as Jamaica’s urban centre it became instead a somewhat sprawling flea market for the poor and those who saw bargains in brand-name knock offs from Asian factories. Let us bring into sharp relief one of the nation’s top concern, security/criminality, second only to the dangerous level of youth unemployment. Think of this; people visiting Downtown Kingston to conduct business last felt safe when Jamaica’s most notorious don, Michael Anthony ‘Dudus’ Coke was in the business of offering protection to the areas where commerce was most concentrated- King Street and its arteries and Coronation Market. No cars were broken into and robberies were rare. Since his extradition in 2010, sporadic criminality brought on by don succession gunfights has made Downtown Kingston an area to visit as long as one knows that it is a mentally taxing trek to make. In the late 1990s I did a survey for the Kingston Restoration Committee to determine the need and the possible market size of middle class high rise residential units in Downtown Kingston. As would be immediately obvious, the number one concern of those who showed interest was security. The second concern was pricing, as a significant percentage of likely buyers saw the possibilities for a sound investment on the assumption that unit prices per square foot would be much less than the Uptown pricing structure.

collection’ by the remnants of the don culture in the wake of the departure of Dudus to a corrections facility in the USA.

Many likely buyers wanted a sort of social sterility as. To put it another way they did not want outsiders to have access to them and their properties. To this day middle class housing in Downtown Kingston is somewhere between stillbirth and a dream. The idea behind such housing in Kingston is that it will bring about a part reversal of that business drift which took place in the late 1960s and early 1970s and bestow upon the heart of Kingston the ‘gentrification’ that could lead to a new social and commercial birth.

Who will police that change?

Vision 2030 is both a political fantasy and a futuristic fallacy. Nothing that is happening now, outside of the construction of highways is indicative of a cohesive thread piecing together that grand dream whereby in 2030 Jamaica will be the place of choice to live, work, raise our families and feel secure in our homes and the spaces around us. To me there can be no Vision 2030 until Kingston 2024 takes place. To the extent that Kingston, our capital, ought to reflect the soul of what the ‘made-in-Jamaica’ Jamaican is, at present that Jamaican should be concerned about the man in the mirror. A few brave business entities such as GraceKennedy, the ICD Group of companies and Digicel have maintained their headquarters in the heart of the city and one does not get the sense that they are experiencing any undue problems. It could be that because these entities are quite powerful and financially strong, they would not attract the sort of attention from ‘tax

As Downtown Kingston needs middle class housing to bring about a social facelift, it will also need medium-sized business entities to follow. For this to be successful it is quite possible that there will have to be a displacement of those in the ‘flea market’ sector and a resultant shutting out of low prices and a readymade market for our poorest people.

The theory is, as the wealth of the population increases, the percentage of poor in the population will decrease and commodity pricing will not be that major a concern as it is now. As Vision 2030 fades away because of the practise of constipated politics, IMF strictures and generally poor leadership, it is time that we stare our state planners in the face and tell them the honest truth that Action 2014 and Vision 2030 cannot fit into the same graph.

Brutal honesty is needed.

FINANCE

TAX EVASION: Is it Really Stealing? By: Everald Dewar

y 15 year old son was this year, about to embark on his first summer job and I advised him that he is required to pay tax to the government on his pay. “But it’s mine, I am the one who worked for it” my son complained. “Yes but it is the law that requires that you pay tax on what you work for” I hastily replied. “Well I will not let the government know about it” he said. Although coming from the mind of a minor this thinking and natural resistance to paying taxes is inherent in all of us. Could it be something contained in the fruit having the innate “knowledge of good and

evil” that was consumed by Adam? There is little doubt that the majority of us mortals, who are normal that is, sees paying tax as an evil; necessarily good but an evil nevertheless. But is tax evasion a breach of a divine code or is it an illegal act or just morally wrong? The command ‘thou shall pay taxes’ was never handed down at Mount Sinai and hence encoded in the Ten Commandments as a divine order. The Eighth Commandment makes it wrong to steal and in the legal code of all civilised nations there is a prohibition against theft, this presupposes the right of private property. Therefore, while it is our right to own properties, such as houses and clothing, it is not our right to take from others what they own.

The command against theft makes it very clear that it is dishonest and wrong to take anything that belongs to someone else. In my son’s thinking this is what the State would be doing to his wages, while the view taken by the State is that tax evasion is the same thing being done against it. In order to find answers to the question of whether tax evasion is next to stealing, I carried out an unscientific survey where accountants and tax practitioners were asked their views on the topic. While most found it against the law, wrong or even dishonest; no one saw it as an abomination and on equal footing with the Eighth Commandment. One person reasoned that taxation is a sin from New Testament times where tax collectors being classified with sinners. Nevertheless, he agreed that the Lord’ instructs us to be obedient to the tax laws of the land as rendering unto Caesar what is due to Caesar. The main thinking is that if one can get away with paying no or as little taxes as possible, then all the better. There seems to be a ‘them against us’ attitude which runs deep and the taxpayer and taxman are vehemently opposed and will never agree. Tax practitioners often find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Whereas the Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) Department may believe we are in league with Beelzebub; some of our clients think we are in league with TAJ. Where does that put us? Let me explain the phenomena that characterises this realty. In its July 14, 2014 publication, The Gleaner reported that the, commissioner general of TAJ explained that he will be going after $20 billion in tax arrears owed to the State and that “TAJ was prepared to sell properties where the court ruled in its favour for levy due to delinquency”. What the Commissioner General is really saying saying is this: those who try to hide their incomes from in offshore bank accounts and make false declarations will be found out and penalised. In TAJ’s thinking tax evaders create and make use of tax loopholes at will and have numerous ways and schemes used to hide money away from the taxman. As it relates to the retail trade, there is a clear indication that TAJ is not interested in the company’s final accounting figures. The thinking is that on the balance of probability that the information generated from taxpayers’ accounting system is flawed and that the tax returns are substantially incorrect. Accordingly, over the years the TAJ has taken the view that the books and records of taxpayers are not in sync with goods imported through the Customs Department. Hence, sales in the financial statements are at best understated and the solution is not to audit through the books of the taxpayer but around the accounting system. To this end, the TAJ uses information from the Customs Department’s import portals to raise additional income tax and GCT assessments.

astute agents: Lincoln Johnson and Norris Miller. It is an addition to the various indirect approaches used by the TAJ such as the: Mark-up and Bank Deposit Methods. But the downtrodden taxpayer will take a rather cynical view of the TAJ’s claims. Many would see electricity theft as the same thing as evading taxes which is not confined to the dispossessed and poor, but has been detected among the wealthy. They see the TAJ as just playing the numbers game and when seeking to counter tax evasion is reneging on its responsibility to the honest taxpayer. Furthermore, the safeguards to protect the taxpayer within the law are not available and there is no way in which he can be assured that the TAJ has operated fairly and no remedy is available to him if this did not occur. For instance, the taxpayers expressed the view that however honest and conscientious, TAJ without it first conducting an audit or enquiry appears never to be satisfied with such a thing as a claim for tax refund made by businesses. The presumption of dishonesty in this regard proved otherwise, is unpalatable and contrary to the basic concept of justice. Taking the case of pay-as-you-earn: my understanding is that it was introduced and intended to be a mechanical collection procedure for the convenience of employees. It would solve their tax problems and help their budgeting but nearly sixty years on, it is all a different story. Most view pay as- you -earn as being for the Government’s benefit in order to collect the maximum tax at the earliest possible instant.

A Smooth Criminal?

My son will soon come to the thinking, as many people do, that the government is stealing from them to buy themselves high-end SUVs. He left the table singing:

“Annie are okay, are you okay Annie? You've been hit by and struck by a smooth criminal...” I wonder if he was throwing words using this line from one of Michael Jackson’s sound tracks. I recall being called a criminal on the topic of taxation when I used to wear the hat of a tax gatherer for over ten years before crossing over on the other side. Stealth is a well-known term in both the tax and military technology worlds with unmanned drone strikes being the new phenomenon- the thing is not to be struck by smooth (tax) tactics- you have been warned. Everald Dewar is Senior Taxation Manager at BDO Chartered Accountants in Kingston. Email: everald.dewar@bdo.com.jm

Statistical methodologies are employed such as the “Lennor Method”. This method is a formula that was devised by two

FINANCE

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a model showcasing the Sagicor Bank MasterCard Platinum.

COVERSTORY

By Dennis Brooks

odern day Turkey is home to a state once known as Phrygia. Now, unless you are an ardent reader of Greek mythology, then that small fact means very little. But what most people do know is the name of the King who made Phrygia famous throughout the world. The name King Midas is known the world over for the man who so desired wealth that he prayed to the gods for the ‘golden touch’. Well, Jamaica is far flung from Turkey and Lascelles Chin is in many ways the polar opposite of the greedy and foolish Midas. Metaphorically, however, there is one thing they do have in common. That is, their uncanny ability to turn everything they touch into gold!

think I must have been crazy! At one time I started five businesses one time and I was like a chicken without a head”, he frankly admitted.

Ok, maybe not gold, gold. But even a cursory glance at Lascelles Chin’s CV and you will see evidence of a man who has achieved so much entrepreneurial success in life that one can’t help but inquire about the secret. Chin is a man who has had (and in some ways still currently has) his hands in many proverbial pots on several proverbial fires. But if you had the entrepreneurial equivalent of the ‘Midas Touch’, what would you do?

It was a headache that paid off. The three companies went on the stock market in September 2010, and within six months their stock prices sky rocketed by 600%. At that time the global stock market was tumbling. Because of the Lasco stock alone, Jamaica’s stock market was the leading stock market in the world for a time.

That ‘craziness’ that he spoke so glibly about is something that hasn’t left him. Chin identifies it as the same risk orientation that led him to do something supposedly unthinkable when he was well into his 70s. “In my older years I still got crazy too because I formed three companies on the Jamaica Stock Exchange at once. No one had ever done that. Lasco Distributors, Lasco Manufacturing and Lasco Financial Services. That was a big headache too, because you had three board meetings, three asset committee meetings.”

He, more than so many other individuals and brands, has both literally and metaphorically become a household name in the Jamaican landscape. Look in your kitchen cupboard, he is there. Peer into your bathroom, you will find him. Venture into your washroom area, and he is ever present. Whether it’s in your medicine chest or the decadesold chair you’re sitting on to read this magazine, Chin’s companies have produced or imported enough products into the Jamaican market to leave an indelible mark on just about everyone who currently tenants Jam Rock. I sought out Lascelles Chin, hoping I could learn a thing or two about what it’s been like to run so many businesses. Maybe I could gain a few tidbits from his interesting experiences that I could share with the readers. It’s a good thing I walked with my handkerchief, because by the time I was done, we shared so many laughs that my tear ducts went into mass production. It’s a pity stand-up comedy wasn’t a business he embarked upon. And so I stepped into Chin’s proverbial kitchen to see what he’s been cooking up all these years. In many ways, the Lasco-affiliated companies are a reflection of the man at the helm. There are so many dimensions to Lasco, just as there are so many dimensions to him. Being the giving man he is, he was happy to explore some of those dimensions, sharing insights into himself along the way.

The Business Creator

Lascelles Chin is both proud of and honest about his achievements in leading the various businesses he’s established. From the earliest of ventures to the current three trading on the local stock exchange, he’ll be the first to admit that there were both some hits and misses. “I did a lot of things and when you look back on what I did, you

Chairman Lascelles Chin joins Dr. Eileen Chin, Managing Director, LASCO Manufacturing Limited at the historical triple listing on the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

In spite of feeling like a headless chicken at times, it’s clear that throughout his life, Chin has always had his head firmly on his shoulders, along with the natural fighting spirit to make his businesses work. Emerging from humble beginnings, he is quick to tell you that he was shy growing up. But that shyness was the very foundation of his willingness to take charge when it mattered most. Chin explained that he “…was a very shy person; so shy that I was never to even stand up in class and talk. Being Chinese and small and my grandparents didn’t speak English well, I used to get a lot of teasing from both the ‘bottom’ and ‘top’ of society. But that teasing and attempts at making me feel inferior, made me determined that I wanted to be a success.” This fighting spirit, was instrumental in leading him to the helm of Lasco Financial Services, Lasco Manufacturing, Lasco Distributors, Charco Ltd., Summit Development Ltd., and the St Lucia-based East West Ltd.

The Nationalist

There are many people who say they love Jamaica. Their words declare their undying loyalty to this tiny island of giants; this sun-kissed paradise in the Caribbean Sea. And yet, when called upon to demonstrate it, they fall woefully short. Lascelles Chin cannot be counted among those who fall under that category. Step into his office and you’re surrounded by Jamaican art of all types. He speaks openly about his love affair with JamRock. He relates that his many experiences from being born in St Catherine to living in Kendal, Balaclava and Kingston, have all given him a deep and abiding affection for the country and people. “I used to live in the country and ride hand carts with the boys and go look for water sometimes way up in the hills. We used to rear pigs sometimes you’d go into the bush with the big men and they killed pigs and cooked with dumplings and you’d eat it with the ‘fifth quarters’ (the liver and the kidney). That is how we grew up in the country. I grew up as a Jamaican, with Jamaicans.”

Though he never went into the tour guide business, Chin admited that this inclination to show people around the island has even gotten him some good business. He told the story of how, many years ago his services as a guide helped enamour him to an international company. “I was working for Antilles Trading but I decided I wanted to go out on my own. We had all sorts of different samples from several big international companies. I decided I wanted to get the contract for Henkel. So when the Henkel man came down here he came to my home and I said ‘This is my office’.” The office could have been very impressive, given that Lascelles Chin’s dreams of building an empire were launched out of a half-side of a house with £175 and on a wing and a prayer. Chin explained that the puzzled Henkel representative looked around at the product samples strewn all about and questioned whether he was the right person to assign responsibility for their brand to. But then his natural Jamaican instincts kicked in! “He told me he wasn’t the man to decide who’d become the distributor. But then I took him around to all the local manufacturers and when the weekend came I took him to the North Coast and showed him around personally. I took him to Montego Bay and Ocho Rios and while we were driving back he said he did have influence on who would be chosen.” Well, Chin was indeed chosen to be the local distributor for Henkel. Eventually he would become one of Henkel’s best distributors in the entire world. Jamaica was at one point, the global leader in per capita sales of adhesives. Chin not only won them over with his sound business acumen, but also his genuine love for the country and the market he was selling to.

Marking one of his earlier entrepreneurial ventures, Lascelles Chin negotiated a distribution deal with Henkel. Young entrepreneur, Lascelles Chin.

When you’re a guest of Lascelles Chin, you can look forward to him giving you the grand tour of the island, showing off some of his favourite spots. “I’m passionate about Jamaica. I love Jamaica a lot. I encourage everybody to come to Jamaica and when they come I love to take them all around because I’m very proud of my country. So I take them to the North Coast, to Dunn’s River…all over!” a beaming Chin explained.

Another reason for Lascelles Chin’s strong nationalistic sentiment is linked with his appreciation for the opportunities that Jamaican life has afforded him. Unlike many who pour scorn on the quality of education offered to Jamaican, Chin feels very attached to the local education system. “Though I’m of Chinese descent, I know nothing about China. I grew up here, my father was born here. I’m Chinese but I’m more Jamaican. I grew up in the bush and I am very grateful for the education I got here. I’ll never forget that.”

A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.

-Henry Ford

Manufacturing

Finance

Pharmaceutical

The Philanthropist

That appreciation for the learning that Jamaican life offered him has led Lascelles Chin to use his companies to pump considerable funds not only into education but also into health, national security and other philanthropic activities. Lascelles makes it clear that his desire to help others is in no way fuelled by a desire for gratification. For him, making a contribution to improving other peoples’ lives is paramount. “Sometimes some people come to you 20 years later and say ‘If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have a house.’ These are things I did for them that I didn’t even remember!” I asked him plenty of questions that would have given him the chance to praise himself or to revel in the sunshine of his good deeds. He took the bait not even once. Sitting down with him, you begin to understand why he is far quicker to give money away for a worthy cause than to lend it. For him, it’s not about remembering what he’s done for people or them remembering him. It’s about making a difference and then moving on.

Lascelles Chin gets down to work with Police Community Clean-Up project .

Rather than engaging in pointless verandah talk about social institutions that are failing, Lascelles Chin has used his companies to encourage excellence in society at all levels. A good example of this is the staging of the annual Lasco Teacher and Principal of the Year Awards as well as the Lasco Top Cop of the Year and Nurse of the Year. “It has cost us a lot, but it was a pleasure to do it. How I started, I remember everybody was complaining about the teachers not being good. But I remembered it was teachers who helped me. The training and the care they showed me. So I believed we should give the teachers some glory because they’re the ones who help us to achieve. Everyone was badmouthing them and that’s why I started it”, Chin explained. He revealed that, since its inception his companies have spent close to $350-million in funding the awards.

Lascelles Chin Presenting trophies to the winners of the "Teacher of the year " and "Principal of the year" award for 2014

Lascelles Chin Presenting Plaque to the winner of the "Police of the year" Top Cop award for 2014.

Lascelles Chin Presenting trophy to the winner of the "Nurse of the year" award for 2014.

The Visionary

While making it clear that he has no intention of setting up any new companies, Lascelles Chin remains upbeat about the scope for the growth of his existing empire. Gone are the days of identifying a potential moneymaking concept and running to the Companies Office to establish a new business. Time has taught him many things, and he is supremely confident that he has in place an excellently streamlined system with the right cadre of managers to carry what exists to the next level. He’s excited about the future of his businesses and is still dreaming up new horizons to pursue. “Lasco is about to explode! You watch the three companies in two years time and remember this conversation today,” he prophesied. With no plans for retirement, this entrepreneurial ‘pocket rocket’ is just as motivated today as he was in the early 1960s. He’s got a lot more in his pocket than £175, and learned many lessons from standing up to the bullies of this world. With a sharp mind, never-say-die attitude and a ‘Midas Touch’, he’s learned what to turn to gold and what to leave as dross.

Quality Assurance Manager at Caribbean Flavours and Fragrances, Rhonde-Gaye McPherson (left), accepts the Ray Hadeed Award for Best Small and Medium Sized Enterprise from JMA Vice President, Metry Seaga.

Clement Lawrence, Managing Director of J. Wray and Nephew, accepts the Special Recognition Award for Community Development (Large) from JMA Treasurer, Jason Dear (right).

(From left) Samuel Lowe, Production Manager at P.A. Benjamin Manufacturing is presented with the Nicola Gordon Rowe Buy Jamaican Award by Harold Davis, Deputy CEO of Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC).

Managing Director of Newport Fersan, Dennis Valdez (2nd right) is presented with the Charles Henderson– Davis Award for Breakthrough Product of the Year by JMA Immediate Past President, Omar Azan (right), for the company’s JWN Dry Dispersible Powder. Sharing in the moment is (from left) Newport Fersan’s Executive Secretary, Denielle Wade and CEO, Domingo Viyella. Patricia Anderson, Export Manager, P.A. Benjamin Manufacturing, accepts the Champion Exporter Award in the Category of Medium Exporter, from JMA President, Brian Pengelley.

Yvonne Johnson of P.A. Benjamin Manufacturing accepts the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce Award for Competitiveness from Minister Anthony Hylton.

(From right) Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, the Hon. Anthony Hylton, presents the Champion Exporter Award in the Category of Large Exporter to Nicholas Bogle, Logistics and Customer Service Manager at Red Stripe.

Sandra McLeish, proprietor of Springvale Enterprise, accepts the Special Recognition Award for Community Development (Small) from JMA Treasurer, Jason Dear.

Honey Bun Ltd’s Brand Manager, Antoinette MorganBurt (left) is presented with the Champion Exporter Award in the Category of Small Exporter by Diane Edwards, President of the Jamaica Promotions Corporation. From left) Red Stripe’s Environmental Manager, Trecia Campbell-Sharpe accepts the National Certification Body of Jamaica (NCBJ) Award for Best Environmental Management Programme from Jacqueline Scott-Brown, Manager of the NCBJ.

Omar Azan, CEO of Boss Furniture accepts the Jamaica Public Service Co. Ltd. (JPSCo) Award for Best Use of Energy & Resource Efficiency from JPSCo’s Keith Garvey (right).

Sandra McLeish, Managing Director of Springvale Enterprise accepts the Eddie Hall Award for New Manufacturer of the Year from JMA Deputy President, Metry Seaga.

CEO of Digicel Jamaica, Barry O’Brien (right) presents the Digicel Business ICT Award (Large) to Dianne Ashton-Smith, head of corporate relation at Red Stripe.

Antoinette Morgan-Burt of Honey Bun Ltd. is presented with the Digicel Business ICT Award (SME) by Barry O’Brien, CEO of Digicel Jamaica.

Commissioner of Customs, Major Richard Reese (left) accepts the Special Recognition Award for HIV/AIDS Advocacy on behalf of Petrojam Ltd., from JMA Treasurer, Jason Dear.

Michelle Smith, JMA Vice President, presents the Product Group Award for Furniture, Bedding and Wooden Products to Omar Azan, CEO of Boss Furniture Company Ltd.

The Product Group Award for Minerals and Metal Products is presented to Gary Ferguson, Customer Relations Representative at Caribbean Cement Company Ltd, by Michelle Smith, JMA Vice President.

The Product Group Award for Electrical, Electronic & Automotive Products is presented to Nicorp Ltd’s CEO, Rose Dietrich, by Michelle Smith, JMA Vice President.

Industry Minister, Anthony Hylton presents Oneil Murdock of Caribbean Producers with the Skills & Productivity Award (SME).

Shane Healy (left), Head of Supply at Red Stripe is presented with the Skills & Productivity Award (Large) by Industry Minister, Anthony Hylton.

Devon Reynolds, Managing Director for Beverages, Wisynco Group, accepts the Product Group Award for Food and Agro Products from Michelle Smith, JMA Vice President.

(From left) Shirley Haye, Factory Manager at P.A. Benjamin Manufacturing, accepts the Product Group Award for Chemicals, Cosmetics & Pharmaceutical Products, from Michelle Smith, JMA Vice President.

Red Stripe’s Managing Director, Cedric Blair (eighth left) and his team accept the Governor General Award for Manufacturer of the Year from Governor General Sir Patrick Allen (fifth right) at the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA) Awards, held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on October 9, 2014. At fifth left is JMA President, Brian Pengelley.

Not in photos are: Jamaican Teas, winner of the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disability Enablement Award; D’Nex Step Sandals and Accessories, winner of the Textile and Sewn Product Group Award; and Phoenix Printery, winner of the Printing, Packaging and Paper Product Group Award.

FINANCE

IMF Global Outlook

Q4 2014 & 2015

past article dubbed ‘Jamaica and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’ contained content pertaining to Jamaica and its progress under the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility and the numerous tests passed on the trot and developments to date. Possibly unbeknownst to some, the IMF is also in the business of providing global economic outlooks/forecasts which tend to have the ear (or maybe both) of every financial analyst worth his or her salt.

With Germany on the brink of recession and factory output there falling to its lowest since August 2009, it figures reasonably that struggles in Europe will continue as European Central Bank President Mario Draghi considers quantitative easing (buying of bonds from financial institutions and keeping interest rates low in an attempt to stimulate borrowing and the economy) akin to that commenced by the USA’s Federal Reserve in 2008; of note, this programme (QE3 – 3rd round of quantitative easing) is on the brink of conclusion eight years later.

In its most recent World Economic Outlook dated October 09, 2014, the IMF cut its global growth expectations to 3.3% from 3.4% in 2014 and from 4% to 3.8% in 2015. This is telling, as it comes against the backdrop of worsening challenges in many emerging market economies; uncertainty concerning the recovery in the United States economy; and rapidly-falling oil prices which have led many to reminisce on the glut days of the 1980s following the 1970s energy crisis. Of 12 forecasts issued in the last three years by the IMF, this is its ninth such revision.

Germany cut growth estimates for 2014 and 2015 – by 1.2% this year and by 1.3% in 2015, marking respective drops from 1.8% and 2.0% forecast in April, the economy ministry said today (15/10/2014). The IMF cut its euroarea growth forecasts last week to 0.8% for 2014 and 1.3% next year. With 40% of Germany’s exports going to the rest of the 18-nation euro area, the weakness of its currency partners is clearly impacting Germany’s industry.

The question is therefore, what should one reasonably expect as 2014 fast approaches the New Year, 2015?

By Ryan Strachan

In what resembles a perfect storm of events, the USA is in limbo, according to some, Europe continues to slide as do China and Brazil. India is doing fair-to-fine, while Russia, the final member of the BRIC is locked out of

trade with Western Europe and the USA because of its conflict with Ukraine. To make matters worse, Russia’s economic output has been dealt a severe blow by the plunging oil prices mentioned previously. With the US unemployment at 5.9%, and comforting payroll data (248,000 jobs added in September), analysts have turned their eyes to the participation rate and are of the opinion that with unemployment being at these low levels, we will shortly know the true number of people unemployed as many have opted to stop looking for jobs and this has skewed the numbers, it is said. As of September 2014, the participation rate was at its lowest level since 1978 . Inflation globally is benchmarked at 2% for the developed world and none of the countries mentioned have hit this number. Unfortunately, England’s inflation rate was at its lowest level in five years, and this gave rise to questions of whether the economy there is sufficiently stimulated. Japan is in a deflationary position, unfortunately and this was a crushing blow to PM Shinzo Abe’s ‘Abe-nomics’ which has not caused any recovery of note there. This past week (week ended October 17th, 2014), the Dow Jones Index fell to its lowest level in three years and global markets plunged on the back of USA retail sales which fell more than forecast in September on a broad pullback in spending that indicates American consumers provided less of a boost for the economy in the third quarter. The 0.3% decrease followed a 0.6% August gain that was the biggest in four months, according to Commerce Department figures. Sales fell at auto dealers, furniture stores, building-supply outlets and clothing merchants. – the S&P 500 and Dow Jones indices BOTH erased their gains for the year 2014 and fell into LOSS territory. To be clear, the outlook of this writer is one of muted pessimism, i.e. holding an expectation that things are going to get somewhat worse

globally before they start to improve. Using the inflation measures and benchmarks, economies at this time are not sufficiently stimulated nor revived to give rise to confidence necessary to suggest a recovery in earnest. Further, as Europe continues to languish, and Germany has caught their recessionary illness, the possibility exists that the struggles could extend in larger part to more of their trade partners. The US dollar has appreciated when compared to its major currency counterparts, and will thus make US trade a more expensive proposition for their partners, and could adversely-impact the US economy. Finally, with no end in sight for emerging market challenges (for three of the four BRIC nations), there may not be much growth to speak of from that side of the world. The question one must therefore ask is, “From where will this growth all seek come?” A fair bet, in my opinion is via investing in the strongest companies with outstanding fundamentals whose products are staples in daily life and figure to be in existence for ten years. Now may not be the time to experiment with funds seeking a stable home. With that said, opportunities abound and one must be aware of them at all times. The overriding trend, as confirmed, is one of slow growth, economic contraction and market corrections in the medium-term. Portfolios and general holdings must be balanced between hard assets and cash as valuations may swing wildly in the coming years.

“We have always known that heedless self interest was bad morals, we now know that it is bad economics.” ― Franklin D. Roosevelt

FINANCE

Legal

Titbits

Terminating the Life of a Company

By: Alethia Lambert he termination of the life of a company may occur in circumstances such as the sale or merger of the business; insolvency or lack of profitability; the completion of a project for which a company was created; or where shareholders have realised on their investment. The life of a company can be terminated through the process of winding up or the striking off of a company from the register of companies without going through the winding up process.

Winding Up

Winding up refers to the process whereby the management of a company is removed from the directors, the business is brought to an end, and the assets of the company are realised. Usually the debts of the company are paid out of the proceeds of realisation and the remaining balance returned to shareholders. To complete the liquidation, the company is dissolved. Upon dissolution, it ceases to exist and is struck off the register of companies. The process of winding up is guided by the Companies Act 2004.The three different types of winding up are as follows: • Compulsory winding up by the court; • Voluntary winding up (which includes members voluntary winding up and creditors voluntary winding up); and • Voluntary winding up under supervision of the court.

Compulsory Winding Up

A compulsory winding up is triggered by an application to the court for an order dissolving the company. While creditors normally make this kind of application, the company or a shareholder may also initiate the process. The inability of the company to pay its debt is the main ground for such an application. This approach to end the affairs of a company is characterised by the court’s extensive involvement in the process. The court, for example, will appoint a liquidator to manage the liquidation of the company’s assets. He or she will exercise wide powers including the power to sell the company’s property; make settlements with creditors or any person making a claim against the company or take any action necessary to complete the winding up of the company.

Voluntary Winding Up

Unlike compulsory winding up, the objective of a voluntary winding up is that the company and creditors will settle their affairs without the intervention of the court.

A members’ voluntary winding up is available to companies that are solvent, that is, the company is able to meet its financial obligations but the shareholders none-the-less seek termination of its activities. The winding up process, in most cases, is commenced with the passage of a special resolution by the shareholders. There is no involvement of the company’s creditors. Statute stipulates that the company’s directors file a ‘Declaration of Solvency’ for the members’ voluntary winding up. This is a statutory declaration by the directors stating that they have reasonable grounds to believe that the company will be able to pay its debts within 12 months of the commencement of the winding up process.

In both cases, a liquidator is appointed with the same powers and responsibilities as described above. Once the affairs of the company have been wound up, the liquidator must prepare a final report showing how the winding up was conducted and how the property was disposed. The liquidator must then call a general meeting of the company and a separate meeting of the creditors for the purpose of presenting this report.

On the other hand, a creditors’ voluntary winding up is appropriate for companies that are insolvent. Insolvency refers to the inability of a company to pay its debts as they become due or the situation where the company’s liabilities exceed the value of its assets. With this mode of winding up, the autonomy of the shareholders is diminished in favour of the creditors who have more to lose because of the company’s financial state.

Winding Up under court supervision

The creditors’ voluntary winding up is commenced by passing an extraordinary resolution that the company cannot, by reason of its liabilities, continue its business and that it is advisable to wind up. The company must call a meeting of the creditors for the day or the next day next following the meeting at which the extraordinary resolution is proposed. The directors of the company must prepare a statement of the company’s affairs as well as a list of the creditors with the estimated amount of their claims. These must be presented at the meeting of creditors.

Within a week after the meeting, a copy of the final account must be sent to the registrar for registration. Upon the expiration of three months from the date of registration, the company will be deemed to be dissolved.

This method begins by voluntary winding up but an application is subsequently made for an order that the process should continue subject to the supervision of the court. In such instances the court will have the same powers as it does in cases of compulsory winding up.

Striking Off

In certain circumstances, a company may be dissolved and struck off the register of companies without going though the winding up process. Striking off is less time consuming and costly than winding up, and is generally available to companies that do not have any assets or liabilities and are essentially defunct. Our legislation provides for the restoration to the register of companies, a company which has been wound up and dissolved or simply struck off, in certain situations.

FINANCE

Vroom! Vroom!

Keep your Engines Clean with Shell Lubricants!

overs of Shell lubricants in Jamaica are once again getting the opportunity to have them at their fingertips. The Sol Group in 2005 acquired Shell's assets in the Caribbean and last year expanded to Jamaica. Sol Petroleum Jamaica this year celebrated its one year anniversary following its launch in June last year. The company located at Lot 5 Newport East in Kingston joins 22 other Caribbean countries where the Sol Group offers Shell products. The Sol Group says the Jamaican expansion further improves its position as the largest supplier of Shell lubricants in the Caribbean region. Prior to 2013, Shell Lubricantshad not been very visible in Jamaica in terms of presence outside of the service stations. However, with its takeover last year by Sol, the company has been working to re-energise the brand in Jamaica. Improving its product offerings, accessibility and visibility has been the first step. Sol selected Robert Jackson who has more than 15 years of experience in the petroleum industry to lead this charge. Mr. Jackson has worked in the areas of accounting, finance, operations, marketing, and legal matters related to retail marketing. He spent most of his working career with Texaco Caribbean Inc. and has had the opportunity of working internationally for Texaco in Nigeria, Haiti, and Grand Cayman. The entire retail network of Texaco Jamaica was also under Mr. Jackson's management. In that capacity, he developed and

By: Mikaelea Witter implemented retail network marketing plans and was responsible for revenue growth and profitability, facility appearance, and dealer relations. Now Sol Petroleum Jamaica's General Manager since its inception, Mr. Jackson has been called upon to use his experience to lead a team to successfully sell the Shell brand of lubricants. He says the company knew this was going to be a challenge from the outset. “We knew that the Shell brand had a very strong name here, but the challenge that we had was that we needed to have the products move through the entire Jamaica market, not having the benefit of a service station network as we had in the past.” However, he and his team have persevered with spreading the products through close to 60 outlets island-wide." We had to do a lot of marketing and public relations to let people understand that the brand still exists”. Sol Petroleum Jamaica is now the macro distributor of Shell lubricants which supplies Shell’s full range of portfolio including synthetics, semi-synthetics and high mileage products. The company also services all sectors including power companies and supplies lubricants for construction, mining and marine industries. Sol's Market Implementer for the Western Caribbean, Karoline Smith says the company has been selling the products through resellers, auto-part stores and service stations.

“The items are imported into the island pre-packaged and then distributed through these re-sellers. The products are also sold directly to some mining and power companies.” Ms. Smith says Sol Petroleum Jamaica has been engaging its consumers through its resellers with maximum support given to them in the form of training, advertising support and brand visibility. “When we identify a strategic partner, we try to support them in terms of branding at the location, so that when persons come in, the Shell brand is right there in their face. Sol Petroleum Jamaica will also continue to have exciting and meaningful promotions and activities to engage consumers as well as our resellers.” The company also offers product training for customers to give them an understanding of what lubrication is all about and questions can be asked in its technical consultancy sessions. Sol Petroleum Jamaica's General Manager, Robert Jackson says consumers can also rest assured the products can be tested and they can view the results of samples of oils sent overseas. "This is to allow customers to get a better feel for exactly how good their equipment is performing, so they can be more comfortable with the oils that they use”. Bigger and Better Things for 2015 In early 2015, Sol Petroleum Jamaica will be launching a new cutting edge technology called Shell Helix with Pure Plus which it promises will definitely change the landscape of lubricants in Jamaica. The process, which allows Shell to convert natural gas into high quality, first of its kind synthetic base oil will only be available from Sol and its authorised resellers . Benefits of Shell Helix Ultra with Pure Plus Technology:

• Less Top Up • Fuel Economy up to 3% • Easier Start-up • Superior Protection

Features of Shell Helix with Pure Plus:

• Reduced oil consumption • Reduced friction • Exceptionally high/low temperature performance • Superior piston cleanliness Ms. Smith says consumers should also look out for Shell’s fully Synthetic Diesel Oil which will join the fully Synthetic Gasoline Engine Oil already on the market. “We also want to launch our Rimula R6 which is our fully Synthetic Diesel Oil to give the persons who burn Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel the added benefits for fuel economy and better protection to their vehicle.” Plans for Service Station Outlets The Sol Petroleum Jamaica team will also be bringing more competition to the fuel sector with service stations. The General Manager says although no date has been set, it is definitely something that will be starting soon. "Fuel for Sol will not be focused on service stations alone, but will be offering all the other fuel opportunities in the business. These include aviation fuel, Liquid Petroleum Gas and bunkering. This line of business

Karoline Smith, marketing implementer, Sol Petroleum Jamaica.

is offered in the 22 other territories in which Sol operates and Jamaica will be no different." Mr. Jackson says with the company gaining traction, it will be going full speed ahead for 2015 and beyond to bring new and innovative Shell products to Jamaicans. But he says a key component of the plan is to educate consumers about the use of Shell products and the benefits that can be derived. "I think that is something that is lacking right now. We recognise that people think that all oils are the same and we know that is not the case." He notes that consumers can get the added benefits of fuel economy if they use the right oil. Scholarships and Giving Back to the Community Giving back to the community is also a critical part of the mandate of Sol Petroleum Jamaica and as Ms Smith explains, the company does not only want to be known as distributors of Shell lubricants. "We are a company that is not just focused on selling products, but we care about our communities.” The company has offered scholarships through the University of the West Indies, Mona and has also worked with basic schools in West Kingston and the Jamaican German Automotive School. The Sol team is encouraging Jamaica to stay tuned as its “amazing journey” continues and is also thanking consumers for their support.

Dexter Dean Colquhoun (seated, centre) recipient of the Sol scholarship, is flanked by previous Sol scholarship recipients Trudy Ann Davis (left) and Sonellia Green. Looking on are deputy principal, UWI Mona Campus Professor Ishenkumba Kahwa (standing, left) and Karoline Smith, marketing implementer, Sol Petroleum Jamaica.

Wealth of a nation:

FINANCE

The Development Climb By Hodine Williams

SMART

You see, as we accumulate wealth or as we are lead to believe we do, the Government and their sticky fingers dip deep in our already very shallow pockets. Some may argue that they pry it from the tightly clenched fist of our corpses. The great mechanism that has become popular in furtherance of exploits by our Government is taxes. Taxes are supposed to facilitate the provision of public goods, which should aid in overall development for the populace at least that is what we were taught, delivered in sermons,

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, & Time-based

In Jamaica’s case, at the macro level, we seem to be doing fine; however, there seems to be a great disparity when one considers wealth in general terms or economic well-being rather. We accept that while we have very few issues with race, classism is an entirely different ball-game. In 2012, a time-period when I would dare say things weren’t as bad; Jamaica’s informal economy was generally estimated to be approximately 43.5% Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This came on the heels of an Inter American Bank funded report conducted by the Group for the Analysis for Development.

Now, bear with me - if it is that in order to have an appreciation for true wealth then it’s safe to say it has to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based) thus, the wealth one holds must be quantifiable, or at least ascertainable. In that, it must be possible for it to be accounted for. The trite question that arises at this juncture is how does one draw a line between a life of mere existence and actual wealth? Added to that, how would one rank higher in terms of development if wealth is at all a precursor or underpinning factor? The plain and simple examination must be whether income and consumption facilitate wealth accumulation … does it?

ow does one measure the wealth of a nation or better yes - a person? Technocrats might posit that it must be via some scientific and discrete process. In fact, the authorities with the softer skills and even some with a technical background will also agree that wealth has to be viewed along the lines of economic and social well-being. If you examine income and consumption as a whole, it is indicative that this is only a partial measure of a person’s social and economic wellbeing. What then is a fair and reasonable measure of well-being and to that end – development?

and promised by bright-eyed politicians in their lofty speeches. It leaves you to wonder, is it a fallacy, a fact, or have we convinced ourselves that our tax dollars are being spent effectively for the purposes for which they were ‘gleaned’? The overwhelming majority would probably resound an unequivocal NO! But in the Government’s defense, the argument could be the ever-increasing debt burden, IMF conditions, and competing priorities.

course to assess and determine what is owed to the sticky finger guys (their fair share of taxes.) My thing is, the focus should change, and we need to consider how we can encourage compliance. But at the same time, we need to develop strategies to encourage the development of the sector and the necessary support to ensure sustainability.

To say that the Government engages in outright theft would be wrong even if we feel like that’s what’s happening. You "agreed" to pay your taxes, didn't you? The thinking is that this is some kind of investment which must bear some positive externalities. When I pay my taxes it benefits everyone, even if they don’t pay taxes themselves. Aren’t we supposed to get some form of returns on investment (tax dollars paid) for the provision of services that aid in development and facilitate wealth creation? With increases in wealth comes increases in disposable income and if this permeates throughout the populace then the general standard of living should also increase.

“For, what more is development than progressive liberation of individuals from the drudgery of work so that they can realise higher levels of human existence?”

If you examine the global statistics then you will note from sources such as the World Bank that as many as half of six billion individuals on the planet survive on less than US$2 per day. What is more astonishing is that a quarter of our brothers and sisters make ends meet with less than US$1.25 per day. The sad thing is, this is the reality for many developing countries. What does this mean? Can development be facilitated by individuals who earn just over a dollar per day? What would the current standard of living be? When you consider rising inflation, healthcare, access to social services, transportation, and education costs then this argument of development remains just that- an argument and a dream and few are able to be actualised from this most daunting reality. Business professionals have said that the backbone of the Jamaican economy is the small and medium sized enterprises. The Government, some time ago had expressed its intent to conduct a survey of small and medium sized businesses to better understand their operations and the informal economy. Why is this? Of

I heard a quote sometime ago but unfortunately I can’t remember the author:

If this is not profound - I don’t know what is. Development can be contextualised as per many theories, yet it is seldom linked to individual development and progress. Development then must be considered in line with individual liberation. Economist Amartya Sen believes that freedom is both a basic constituent of development in itself and an enabling key to other aspects. She believes that: "An adequately broad view of development is sought in order to focus the evaluative scrutiny on things that really matter, and in particular to avoid the neglect of crucially important subjects." The efforts of our government must be just that. All factors should work together for the greater good; that is, individual development, which can then be looked at collectively as economic development and economic growth. Economic growth is a fairly more rigid concept than economic development. For the former, it measures the increase in a country's real level of national output, increase in the overall quantity of resources, improvements in technology or possibly an increase in the value of goods and services produced. It must be accepted then that economic growth can be measured by an increase in a country's GDP.

Economic development is a normative concept. It is applicable to people's sense of morality and scruples. The proper definition concentrates on an increase in the standard of living, improvement in physiological and self-esteem needs, freedom from oppression as well as a greater opportunities and choice. Most people will say that this is theoretical and should be practical with due consideration given. Only then will the concept be relevant. Development as a workable and meaningful concept in Jamaica’s case must then be measured in terms of sustainable development and increases in production, access to social services, health and other public goods, employment opportunities and education. These are the relevant determining factors that are indicative of the wealth an individual holds. This kind of development elevates people from low standards of living into proper employment with suitable shelter and the other considerations which would indicate not only monetary wealth but other factors. Economic growth does not take into account the depletion of our discrete and scarce natural resources. Development however, is concerned with sustainability which means meeting the needs of the present without compromising future needs. The constant question being asked is how do we provide for our people while replenishing our resources to ensure that future generations can also access and exploit these said resources. There are many ways to achieve development but as with everything else, the path might not be so clear-cut. Much economic activity occurs within the remit of the informal economy. Often referred to as the black economy, the informal economy usually exhibits unrecorded economic activity. In Jamaica’s case the informal economy is significant but it is a headache and a mammoth task to even venture to measure it. I mean, how then do you formally measure the income and wealth at the macro level of a man who rears chicken and sells to his neighbour? He doesn’t pay taxes and he is not formally engaged; he is not willing, able and actively seeking employment. Aside from his birth records, the government has no clue he exists. It is obvious that there is significant wealth in Jamaica.

Wealth of a nation

Take a look at the houses, cars and the spending that takes place at events. However, that assessment is not in line with the level of tax collected and employment statistics. However, this can only be attributed to a large informal economy. It is correct to note that informal activity is being reflected in the formal economy. This may occur via spending on consumption and investment. Bills have to be paid and food has to be eaten right? But even with a clear understanding of this, why haven’t we developed as we should? You might be able to justify the rut that we are in to our insatiable taste and demand for foreign products. I suppose it doesn’t matter to some persons that our preferences will also affect our economic performance. You see, when the local demand is focused on foreign imports it stifles the local producers, funding options become more expensive, and unfortunately this drives many competitors out of the market. Since our professionals invest and bank outside of our borders, this too decreases the supply of money with a consequently increase in inflation, and the exchange rates in favour of the US dollars. So why blame solely the government? On another point, what must be clear is that the more

equity in terms of wealth distribution that exists in society the more developed a society should be. The view is that your wealth will be determined on whether you were born rich – meritrocity is of little concern. No matter how much formal education you had access to, or how hard you worked, the social climb is still impossible, largely owing to the ‘clubs’ and red-tapes that exist. Friends and family tend to keep the wealth amongst them. In that past era, the acquisition of wealth by anyone was a remote possibility; it served to emphasise the difference between those born rich and the others. But there are ways to accumulate wealth and do so while relying on personal merit. Mind you, nepotism has its place but although uncommon, there are self made persons out there. Wealth cannot only be viewed with theoretical underpinnings. The focus must be expansive. If you consider per capita wealth then that will not give a true picture especially given the disparity as it concerns income distribution. Wealth then has to consider freedom, access to resources, and greater disposable income as well, but also health, education, business opportunities and merit. It is only then that we might start experiencing development.

FINANCE

Pictures. Profiles. Personalities

(l-r) Branch Manager of Sagicor Insurance Brokers Dave Hill and clients Natalie and Michael Buckle share lens time at Sagicor Insurance Brokers’ cocktail reception held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday, September 30. Hill shared advice on the power of annuities during a brief presentation at the cocktail reception.

Delroy Allman (c) has the attention of Bridgette Broderick Lawson (r) at Sagicor Life Jamaica’s Employee Retirement Planning Breakfast at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Monday, October 13. Looking on is Steve Virgo.

Adam and Eve Spatastic Ladies Kimesha Walker and Nyoka Smiley shares lens time with CME's Deon Baker and Keli-Anne Pounall.

Chairman, Creative Media and Events, Garth Walker, Sales and Marketing Manager Simone Riley are all smiles at the the Jamaica Observer Business Leader Awards press launch.

Senior Investment Advisors at Sagicor Investments, Nicole Silvera and Bianca Nam, pose on the red carpet prior to the event at the Women’s Leadership Initiative 10th Anniversary Awards.

Lovely belles from Sagicor Investments, (l-r) Tara Nunes, Bianca Nam, Sancia Thompson and Nicole Silvera greet our lens with matching smiles at the Women’s Leadership Initiative 10th Anniversary Awards.

(L-R) Sponsor representatives Tshani Jaja (second left), marketing manager, Jamaica Yellow Pages; Trisha Williams Singh (third left), senior corporate relations manager, Digicel; Monique Todd (second right), vice-president, marketing, public and corporate affairs, Scotiabank Jamaica; and Gary Dixon (right), head of marketing, J Wray and Nephew, with Jamaica Observer Deputy Chairman and CEO Adam Stewart (third right), and Moses Jackson, chair of the Jamaica Observer Business Leader Awards press launch.

White Lotus Bridal in partnership with Kingston Bridal Week presents the BLUSHING HEROINE BRIDAL campaign. One lucky bride who has survived or is currently fighting breast cancer will have the opportunity to win a FREE Bridal dress rental and accessories from White Lotus Bridal Boutique as well as wedding day package from the Salon!

Minister of State at Industry, Ministry of Investment and Commerce, Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams, Minister of Industry, Investment & Commerce, the Hon. Anthony Hylton, Senior General Manager for Retial Banking, NCB, Audrey Tugwell Henry,Marketing and Sales Manager at Fidelity Motors, Leslie Nembhard at the launch of the mobile business clinic.

Cheif Executive Officer, Jamaica Business Development Corporation, Valerie Veira speaking with corporate executive at the human resource management Seminar.

Make-up artist Paul March applies make-up to Sagicor Public Relations & Social Media Officer, Courtnie Watson (r) at their Money, Make-Up & Mojitos event held at Spanish Court Hotel.

Sagicor financial advisor Meila McKitty shows off her handbag during a game of ‘What’s In Your Purse’ at Sagicor Investments’ Money, Make-Up & Mojitos events held in September at Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston.

Sagicor Group Jamaica Limited announced the purchase and donation of a Fever Scan machine to the Ministry of National Security to aid the detection of Ebola. The body scanning machine is valued at US$38,000, it uses infrared technology to detect individuals with elevated body temperatures.

(Right) Cecil Smith, Group Brand Manager Rums, J Wray & Nephew and colegue pose for the camera at the Q is the key Press launch. Mrs. Becky Stockhausen, Executive Director of AMCHAM poses with Steven Woodham, first place winner in the category of Arts & Culture posts with his award.

Dianna Marley, Laura Facey (second place winner of Arts and Culture at the AMCHAM Awards) and Wendy Facey all smile for the camera at the cocktail hour before the awards.

Gary Dixon, Marketing Director, J Wray & Nephew shares a drink with Christopher Barnes of the Gleaner at the Q is the Key Press launch.

Book us now for your next corporate event. Contact: tricia@cmeja.com or (876) 754-2075. For full album visit www.facebook.com/wealthmagja

Jamaica Yellow Pages Advertising Consultants (from left) Lisann Evans, Aron Edwards and Kimona Smith are joined by Keisha-Maria Cools-Lartigue, Assistant Product Marketing Manager and Tshani Jaja, Marketing Manager(center) as they support the Jamaica Customer Service Association Excellence Conference.

Jamaica Customer Service Association Excellence Conference’s special guest speaker, Jim ‘Mr Energy’ Smith Jr., shares a witty moment with Jamaica Yellow Pages Advertising Consultant Colleen Wright

Mr. Mauricio Pulido, CEO, of GB Energy - Texaco presents Richard Byles, President & CEO of Sagicor Group Jamaica with the 2014 award for Individual Excellence in Civic Leadership at the AmCham Awards held at recently.

Badia Business Development Manager Kathy Riveira, Ms. Jennifer Lumley – Director at Foodie Focused Limited, Badia Regional Sales Director – Jose Menendez Don Wehby, Chief Executive Office Grace Kennedy Ltd; Harry Smith, Director of Hardware & Lumber Ltd; M. Audrey Hinchcliffe, Director of Hardware & Lumber Ltd and Dion Gardner, Loss Prevention Manager Hardware & Lumber Ltd.

Miss Donna Doran - Acting CEO at Rapid True Value

Badia Brand Endorser Chef Brian Lumley and Miss Jamaica Global Category Manager -Grace Kennedy Limited Mrs. Andrea Reynolds, Pettrine Harris Badia’s Brand Manager – Universe 2014 Kaci Fennel. World Brands Services, Christopher Goulbourne, Sara Lawrence Former Miss Jamaica World and Khalil Harris

Students from Charles Chin-Loy Early Childhood Development Centre enjoy the Barita Education Foundation learning centre at the Foundation's 10th Anniversary Breakfast celebrations.

Elated recipients of the Barita Education Foundation bursaries, 1st Row L-R: Lateto Wilson - Teacher, Mennonite Basic; Angelique Morrison - Parent, Mennonite Basic; Titania Lopez - Parent, Galilee Basic; Shelly-Ann Gordon - Teacher, Burke Road Basic; and Althea Binning - Teacher, Galilee Basic pose with the Foundation's Board of Directors, 2nd Row L-R: PetaRose Hall, Marie Hitchins, Donna Leslie, Rita Humphries-Lewin and Carlton Francis.

Health & Wellness

Healthy= Relationships Good Health

By Dr. Sandra Knight nce again researchers have made the link between the relationships we keep and our health. Linkages that cause heightened stress and anxiety apparently is as deleterious on your body as diabetes or smoking.

We are not only talking about personal relationships but business relations too! So important is this phenomenon that the John Hopkins School of Business has introduced a "healthy morality" module to their MBA. This part of the curriculum apparently is to teach eager entrepreneurs to engage in healthy business relationships by maintaining healthy business practices. Yes, owning your own business could literally kill you but it can also make you a better person. To prevent premature deaths please follow these tips.

Maintain optimum physical health

This will help you to withstand the challenges that having a business might bring. Adequate nutrition and physical exercise is a must in the fight against stress. If stress goes unmanaged you are at higher risk for heart disease and high blood pressure. If you get ill you will not be able to manage your business effectively.

Ensure that you have downtime EVERYDAY

Your brain has enormous capacities to create amazing things, solve problems and define well placed plans and strategies. Your neurons, however need to rest, reboot if you may, if not there will be diminishing returns on your mental ability. Rest at nights and take at least 5-minute deep breathing moments during work; this will go a long way in reviving your brain cells. Try it! It works!

Make healthy business relationships a part of your business goals This must include clean business practises that must be communicated throughout the company. Needless to say doing business with reputable companies is also highly recommended. Everyone has a conscience; if you practise unscrupulous business habits it will gnaw at you, and eventually affect your physical health. It's all about recognising the "value of values".

Encourage your staff to form healthy habits

Members of your staff must be healthy to be able to maximise their output to keep your business growing. Apart from healthcare insurance, find a space to put an exercise room, if not invest in discounted rates at a nearby gym and of course it's always beneficial for staff to be able to get healthy food on site. All this may seem like a large investment but having a happy, comfortable, healthy, and productive staff will mean big profits.

Don't forget your homes and families

Invest in your families as much as you invest in your business. The peace of mind knowing that members of your family are doing well during those overseas trips and long work hours removes unnecessary stress and anxiety. In the end, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about having healthy individuals working to build healthy companies. This may go a long way towards making your business profitable. Remember healthy relationships equal good health. Have a good one!

Health & Wellness

Bob Marley's Nephew Charles Mattocks and His Diabetes Mission in Jamaica

n November 14, 2014, the International Diabetes Federation’s Blue Circle Champion Charles Mattocks and his team put together an event to rival many across the world. November 14th has a special significance as it is World Diabetes Day and designed to bring greater awareness for diabetes worldwide. Usually Charles would be on CNN, The Today Show or Dr. Ozz to celebrate World Diabetes Day, however with diabetes being a leading cause of death in the country, Charles felt this was an event that needed to happen in Jamaica. Wealth Magazine was a proud sponsor of the event. “Our World Diabetes Day 2014 celebrations was a first in Jamaica and to have the strong support of the many sponsors, including Wealth Magazine and Adam & Eve Day Spa, and all who came out to help and be part of this was so amazing. This was about educating the next generation.” We have a responsibility to do this and we hope it pushes the other agencies to cut the red tape and just get things done. If our team of three persons can put this together in just twenty days, then the various governmental and non-governmental agencies who ought to be doing this year round should be

able to bring this together more often" said Charles. Many are unaware that the international symbol for diabetes awareness is the Blue Circle and Charles is the face of diabetes around with world. A type II diabetic himself, the Orlando-based nephew of the late reggae legend Bob Marley is a Blue Circle Champion for the International Diabetes Federation and author of a new cook book with the American Diabetes Association in addition to his children’s cookbook which is an Amazon best-seller. He is also the producer of a documentary based on diabetes that he and his team have been shooting around the world titled "The Diabetic You". Charles has also embarked on the first ever Diabetes reality TV show, “Reversed”. Reversed will take eight people into Charles’ home and will bring together the best in diabetes from around the world to help them live their best life despite having diabetes. With the theme of this year’s World Diabetes Day laid out from the IDF as "Diabetes: Protect Our Future”, Stella Maris Prep School was chosen as the host institution. Charles stated: “They are like family and very easy to work with, the children are also very receptive to healthy eating and the location is easy for all to attend. We also plan on doing this in other schools across the island as well.” With many big names

in attendance such as the Gleanerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Terri-Karelle Reid who hosted the event, Miss Universe Jamaica Kaci Fennell working with the children and popular fitness expert Kamila McDonald leading a fitness segment for all in attendance, this was an amazing event done with the right partners who joined hands with Charles this year on his quest to raise awareness for diabetes and education in Jamaica.

The event was also highlighted by a healthy cooking demonstration by Latoya Panton and her team of young chefs all below age 12. Her eight chefs prepared breakfast items that blew the judges away and wowed the audience. There were rewarded with many prizes provided by the Rainforest's Seafoods, Chas E Ramson, Lasco and Guardian Group. The event was also endorsed by the Ministry of Health, Jamaica and the National Health Fund.

2014 World Diabetes Day Highlights

The Children of Stella Maris Preparatory listening keenly as the presenter Kamila MacDonald speak to the importance of Exercise.

Celebrity Chef Charles Mattocks with Kaci Fennel Miss Universe Jamaica at the official function celebrating World Diabetes Day.

Learning about diabetes is fun and important. Kyle Dixon student of Stella Maris Preparatoy caught our lens with his smile.

Celebrity Chef Charles Mattock pins Simone RIley Sales and Marketing Manager of Wealth Magazine.

Rainforest sponsored Kids Cook off demonstrating a healthy breakfast.

Our camera caught celebrity chef Charles Mattocks with Miss Jamaica Universe Kaci Fennell and Wisynco's Janine Josephs at the breakfast event hosted by Mattocks for students of Stella Maris Prep School to mark International Diabetes Day on Friday, November 14.

Networking with a purpose!

Cadeem Mullings, account executive of Creative Media and Events has the attention of a Corporate Mingle Guest

Happy Feet! Robert Richards receives fashionably trendy socks from Mark Scott of Mark Anthony Designs.

Scotia team giving a brite masterCard smile.

Corporate Power Ladies of Scotiabank and JIIC are all smiles.

Chef Brian lumley sharing cooking tips..perhaps?

Double take for these beauties. Tanya Lee of Sportsmax and Simone Riley of Wealth Magazine.

A Wealth of Smiles at Corporate Mingle

Thats so Funny. Business Access Host, Allison Watson with Shelly Ann Weeks.

Garth Walker is sandwiched by JIIC Beauties Elizabeth Chung and Tamara Hussey.

Kaysia Johnson Vaughan of Scotiabank networking with Dave Dacosta.

"Das Auto" ....Team Volkswagen representing at Corporate Mingle

Media Link Up! Christopher 'Johnny' Daley, Allison Watson and Garth Williams caught in an animated pose.

Say Cheese. Junior Darrell and Tanya Lee.

NETWORKING: Giving connects two people, the giver and the receiver, and this connection gives birth to a new sense of belonging. - Deepak Chopra

If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Ralph Waldo Emerson

Creative Industry team up. Performers (l-r) Chosen and Omari chats with Dwayne Virgo.

LIFESTYLE

Christmas in New York City By Laura Tanna Rockefella Centre in its glory at Christmas

hristmas in New York City is total excitement! From the world over people come to participate in the thrill of New York's bright lights, at no time brighter than the month of December when holiday decorations abound. Frederick Blake, a Jamaican taxi driver for more than 31 years in New York, told me what he likes best about New York at Christmas isn't only Manhattan's streets and storefront decorations but also driving by the brilliantly decorated homes on Long Island, in Queens, and in Brooklyn.

Radio City Music Hall's Christmas spectacular, in existence for more than 80 years with a flying Santa, catches visitors early, opening November 7th through December 31st at its 1260 Avenue of the America's 6th Avenue location, while Lord & Taylor Department store's famous traditional window displays at 39th Street on Fifth Avenue are free for all to see and will have a quarter of a million visitors between Thanksgiving and Christmas walking past to enjoy the store's 100th anniversary. The most famous event of Christmas in NYC is this year's December 3rd Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting ceremony televised on NBC at 7 pm. President of the American Friends of Jamaica, former Ambassador to Jamaica Brenda LaGrange Johnson, confided that before it became an internationally televised event her daughter Heather was invited to press the button setting the tree ablaze with over 25,000 lights. Nineteen buildings between 48th and 51st street in midtown Manhattan form Rockefeller Center. The festive tree towers over the center's iconic ice skating rink on the cafe concourse which is a must-see. Avoid the winter cold by shopping in the underground concourse or take an elevator to Top of the Rock for spectacular city views. Facing Fifth Avenue you're across from fabulous Sak's Fifth Avenue department store. Walking the 10 blocks north you'll have the most famous shopping in the world, with a special nod to Bergdorf Goodman, 58th at 5th, the unique, ultra-luxurious New York store whose window displays open November 17th. Check out their restaurant overlooking Central Park. Across the street find America's oldest and most famous toy store, FAO Schwartz. Whether you have children or not, this is the 11th most visited site in New York and you'll understand why once you enter! They even offer tours for up to 30 people before their official opening hour of 10 am. Of course Christmas offers a multitude of religious possibilities. You'll want to visit St Patrick's Cathedral, with Roman Catholic services at 5th and 50th, or at 5th and 53rd, St Thomas Episcopal Church with its renowned Choir of Men and Boys, famous for their musical concerts. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of The Holy Trinity at 319 East 74th Street holds a Candlelight

The Plaza Hotel's beaux arts dĂŠcor in the Palm Court Lobby, a favourite locale for afternoon tea.

Lobby of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Plaza's famous palm court lobby 2

Christmas Concert or celebrate with Harlem Spirituals, 690 8th Avenue, 2nd floor (www.harlemspirituals.com). The list of services and concerts throughout the five boroughs is huge so consult the internet for ones of your choice. An interfaith event combining bright lights and carols takes place the first Sunday of every December, this year on the 7th at 6:30 pm outside Brick Presbyterian Church, Park Avenue and 91st. Initiated in 1945 by parents who had lost sons in World War II, now continued through Fund for Park Avenue corporate and personal donations, two miles of Park Avenue's cherry trees and evergreens are decorated with lights. Southbound lanes between 89th and 93rd streets are closed for the lighting and carol sing between 6:30 and 7:30 which attracts hundreds, if not thousands of people. Sheet music can be downloaded on the internet so you'll know what songs will be shared in this very personal New York experience. Then on December 16th in front of the Plaza Hotel at 5th and 59th there will be the lighting of a 32 foot-high world's largest Hanukkah Menorah on display through December 24th. Completing New York's public festivities is the annual Ball Drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve when thousands go wild in merriment. Watch on television if you're afraid of crowds! I haven't even touched on the wonders that await you in the city's incredible museums. The Metropolitan Museum of Art at 5th Avenue and 82nd Street Photos rovided by Laura Tanna

Close up of clock decorated for the holidays in the lobby of the Waldorf Astoria. It was created for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, is nine feet tall and weighs two tons.

The Waldorf Astoria's Park Avenue Lobby decorated for the holidays

had 25 Special Exhibitions and New Installations in October, in addition to their permanent exhibitions. The lobby is always decorated for the holidays, their cafes and restaurants allow a rest between staggeringly exciting, mindopening, multi-cultural experiences while their museum store is great for unusual as well as educational gifts. Up on 88th and 5th the Frank Lloyd Wright Guggenheim Museum, or down at The Frick Collection on 5th and 70th Street make this stretch of the Upper East Side a concentration of cultural riches. Across Central Park at Central Park West at 79th Street, the American Museum of Natural History is a mind-blower in any season. Whether it's the popular dinosaurs, Hayden Planetarium, or my favourite North American Mammals, one of the special video shows or I Max and 3D movies, I guarantee you'll get lost in this entire block of a museum especially popular with families. Like the Metropolitan, Guggenheim and Frick, this is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Be sure to buy tickets ahead online and print them out to save time and sometimes money. Major hotels and restaurants all have their special meals and decor. Choose yours depending on your tastes and pocketbooks. My favourite New York hotel, home to world leaders and recently purchased for almost US$2 billion by a Chinese insurance firm, is The Waldorf Astoria between 48th and 49th at Park Avenue. It's a hotel which should be visited for its splendid art deco style lobby and elevator doors whether you're staying there or not. If you have wealth, you can do it all in New York. If not, button-up and enjoy exciting walks past colourful windows, through street decorations and neighbourhood musical moments, and don't forget to buy hot chestnuts from a street vendor.

Rockefella Centre Skate Rink

LIFESTYLE

Style Me Chic

By Toni Ho-Young

Women's Edition

Golden Jewel Look 1: A gorgeous gown usually epitomizes glitz & glamour. This one shoulder, free flowing chiffon beauty is by Zuhair Murad. It has the illusion of having brush strokes of metallic gold paint. Paired with gold jewels, gold tones and minimal makeup keeps this look very neutral, monochromatic yet playful & elegant.

The way she wears it This Temperley London Long Toledo Tulle Dress, is an out of the box choice for the holiday season. The prints and pattern play in combination with the embroidered velvet pumps solidifies this look as the perfect go to option for the festive season. Opt for earth tone makeup to balance out the colours in the garment. Step out the box and try something new! New Year, New You!

glam city

Men's Edition

Mr. Smooth A three piece tuxedo is always classic and dapper. This one is by Dolce & Gabbana and it is accented by patent leather shoes, and gold toned accessories to complement the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Golden Jewelâ&#x20AC;? lady counterpart.

Glitz & Glam

A three piece suit in royal blue screams debonair, elegant and sophisticated. This Dolce & Gabbana suit paired with a crisp white button up shirt and an unusual shiny gold bow tie adds an element of modernity and newness. Complete the look with complementary accessories.

CAREER

ussiness B tiquette E Holiday Office Party

By Anne Michelle

t's the festive season and tis' the season to be jolly, plus it's that time of year when holiday office parties are in full swing.

Holiday parties are all about celebrating and having fun, 'letting your hair down'; but there is one holiday party that requires some ground rules before you get carried away - the office party. Office parties can be a tricky subject point for many employees (many unsure of the general rules that apply); but there are a few rules to note when preparing for your office’s holiday party. At the very least, excess celebration and etiquette mistakes at the company’s office party can lead to days, months, and in some cases even years of story-telling for the office and even future parties. These stories will be a point of humour for the story-tellers but will only make the subjects of the stories embarrassed all over again. Here are a few important tips to ensure you don’t become the talk of the office after your company’s office party.

Dress code: Know and understand the dress code beforehand; you do not want to turn up looking out

of place or feel uncomfortable and awkward. If you are not sure what the stated dress code means, simply ask or do some research online. It is also best to play it safe by wearing a modest outfit; nothing too revealing and sexy. Women, it is not the place for cleavage showing and men, no one wants to see or know the colour of your underwear. Tip: women – you can hardly go wrong with a ‘little black dress’ or in the spirit of the season a ‘little red dress’; gents – a nice tailored blazer can do wonders for an outfit especially if the dress code calls for ‘casually elegant’. Jeans are one of the biggest nos.

Drinking: Pace yourself with the number of alcoholic

beverages you drink during the party. Always stick to one kind of drink and ensure to take breaks in between by drinking water or any non-alcoholic beverage (coconut water, cranberry juice etc). Keeping hydrated is key to avoiding a possible hangover. Tip: Have a snack before heading to the party so just in case the food is delayed and you choose to have a drink you will have something in your stomach and won’t feel hungry.

Food: Don't stuff your face. You're not there for the

food, don’t hang around the buffet, or if it is a sitdown dinner – pace yourself while you eat so you don’t come off as gluttonous. Remember you’re not at your

friend’s house party, it is still business, so avoid overeating or packing up leftovers. Tip: It may seem pretty simple and obvious – but do not talk with food in your mouth or wave your eating utensils around while speaking - this is a common mistake at social business events that should be avoided.

Conversations: Make an effort to strike up conversations

with people you don't know. Be engaged. Don't stand in the corner texting your friends or posting photos to Facebook. Don't just engage with the two people you sit next to everyday - mingle and let people know you're enjoying yourself. This is a great opportunity to get to know the people you work with outside of the regular work day as well as meeting other persons you may not work closely with on a regular basis. Tip: Keep abreast of current affairs and other socially engaging topics so that you can strike up interesting conversations and sound knowledgeable during discussions.

Bringing a Date/Spouse: If this is not stated on the invitation, find out from the relevant personnel (in most cases your Human Resources Manager) if you are allowed to bring a guest. It is not automatic that spouses and significant others are on the guest list. You do not want to show up with your significant other and be the only one in the room with someone else on your arm. Tip: Keep your dating life on the down-low, especially if you are dating

someone at the company, this is not the place to start showing it up by clinging to each other all night. Kissing under the mistletoe is a definite negative.

Courtesies: Be sure to exercise these very simple

courtesies, which are often taken for granted: • Arrive on time • Introduce yourself to the host (Managing Director, President, CEO etc) • Smile and be pleasant throughout the event • Say ‘thank you’ to those who coordinated the party • Say ‘good-bye’ when leaving Now that you are armed with the basics of surviving your holiday office party, go ahead and put your best face forward; ensure you have fun, but don’t forget your professional senses at home.

Happy Holidays & Best Wishes for a Successful 2015!

Live. Laugh. Love.

CAREER

Second Glance At Copyright In Employment and Professional Dealings

By Hodine Williams

reasonably robust employment contract would be crafted to reflect that all work done or executed by an employee in the course of his employment is the property of his employer.

It is often argued that, if an employment contract is silent as it concerns rights to work produced, then it is somewhat clear and often vehemently argued, that the employer owns the copyright in material output of the employee that is produced during the agreed working hours.

Issues such as these are now ripe. There have been several cases where employees utilise their personal computers and resources to create ‘work in the course of his employment’. Also, workplaces today offer substantial training opportunities and employees often gain significant knowledge and experience as their exposure increases. In the course of their engagement and training, employees will produce ‘work’ which may include: plans, reviews, analysis, computer programmes, reports, studies, opinions, proposals, articles, and books. These output draw on the wealth of knowledge and experience garnered over the years as well as their creative genius. That which we speak of, copyright, is a set of exclusive rights regulating the use of a particular expression of an idea or information. Simply put, it is “the right to copy” an original creation. Copyrightable works include literary works such as articles, stories, journals, or computer programmes, pictures and graphics as well as recordings.

Some savvy employees - especially in the United States - in an attempt to ensure that their ‘creative genius’ or intellectual property in an output produced for work remains with them, ensure that the said work is created in their own private time. On the flip side, the savvy employer will attempt to include in the contract of employment very detailed and comprehensive terms that purport to cover the intellectual property of any conceivable work produced. The employer will often state that they own all rights to any work that the employee may create during the life of the employment contract, whether or not the work was created during working hours or using the employer’s resources. Employees then should be cognisant of these provisions and clauses as generally, an employment engagement does not endow the employer with all conceivable rights to the work produced by an employee. After all, that is why a salary is paid right?

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The fact and general principle is that the primary owner of copyright has all rights over his work. That’s plain and simple - however, there are certain situations where an employer may validly claim rights over the works of an employee. The following are the usual robust criteria:

How to protect yourself and your work

• The existence of an employment contract detailing ownership of the applicable rights; • The work was created in the course of employment; and • No contract exists saying anything to the contrary.

©2014 Hodine Williams. All rights reserved. Or, © Hodine Williams 2014. All rights reserved. You may also wish to register your copyright to Jamaica Intellectual Property Office which will enable you to take legal action against those who violate your rights.

It is important to note that unless stated otherwise, independent contractors and entrepreneurs, consultants or persons (companies too) in formal business tend to remain owners of copyright of their works because such engagements are not of the nature of a master/servant relationship. In employment situations, some complications will arise when you consider copyright in work that is created in a person’s spare time or even in the spare time – using the company’s resources to ‘create’ material. Say for instance, a newspaper photographer whilst heading home shoots a photograph in traffic and publishes it. This creates several issues especially given the fact that the camera used to take the image is the property of the employer. The situation is far simpler if there is no direct link to the business of the entity at which the person is employed. For example, if an artist is engaged by a hotel to work in their Public Relations Unit then the employer could not claim any rights to any paintings the artist creates. So, we can agree then that where a piece of material or output is created by an employee ‘in the course of his employment’, his employer is the first owner of any copyright in the work. Of course, this would be subject to any agreement to the contrary.

Photographers

Section 10 of the Jamaican Copyright Act provides that copyright in any literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work expires at the end of the period of 50 years from the end of the year in which the author dies. This means that such a person then owns all rights to his images at the moment of creation. Thus he can sell, use, distribute, copy, publish, alter or destroy his work of art as he sees fit. Such rights begin at the time the image is captured and persists throughout the life of the photographer and 50 years after his death. So, in order to preserve your rights it is advisable to place a copyright notice on all of your published works. It should be noted that "publication" is not limited to the print media but also the Internet encompasses distribution via public sale, rental, and display with intent to sell.

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Place a copyright notice on your work. The copyright notice should take the form of:

Can ideas be copyrighted?

Yes and no. In order to copyright your work, specifically – ideas, you will have to reduce those ideas to written form and thereafter original expression of that idea is protected under law. If you are unsure or see it a great risk that your idea will be exploited then simply keep your idea to yourself.

Fair use

Now, notwithstanding that you have right to your original material, there are provisions within copyright law which makes it possible that under certain situations you will be barred from any claim for an infringement/unauthorised use of your copyrighted material. Persons should disabuse themselves of the notion that despite popular belief–once you are not utilising the material for profit, you can copy it. Totally untrue - that is still an infringement. If profit is involved it speaks to the quantum of damages but not liability. However there are areas where there is no need for permission to use copyrighted work. The concept is generally referred to as fair use. These include: using the material for teaching, criticisms, parodies, news, and reviews. Even when using the material for teaching purposes there might be peculiarities such as a limit on what can be copied and whether the organisation is a commercial or non profit one, or even a charity.

Bloggers and Social Media content owners

Marketing on social media and blogs is a new and exciting area. But I will caution you as there are many issues here as well. For one, you are the owner and the one who defines the content on these media pages hence, you have ultimate responsibility for every single character on the webpage. We have heard that the web is fair game and controlled by no single person or entity. While this has some element of truth to it, I would caution and say, issues relating to copyright and the web are a grey area. Most violations will occur due to ignorance. But we all know the adage. I will leave you with this -think twice before you commit to assigning your rights or publishing content.

CAREER

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Anika N. Smith

Assistant VP, Marketing Mayberry Investments Limited

Behind the Desk

1. Tell us about your current position. As the head of marketing, I am responsible for growing and managing our most important asset – our brand. To do this, I develop, implement and, with my team, execute our marketing plans and programmes. Of course, we operate in a niche market, so my job requires me to be quite creative in our strategic planning. 2. What motivated you to choose this field? I can still remember the moment I decided that this is what I want to do as a career. I was in the middle of a marketing project where I was creating something that was going to not only appeal to people, but also educate them. That process of convincing people to share in my enthusiasm about this creation was attractive to me. 3. Does social media play an important role in your job? Absolutely, it plays an extremely important role. Building a brand requires that people are able to interact with it. Social media allows for that interaction most efficiently. While traditional media is still the most effective way to reach consumers here in Jamaica, the reality is that if you want to control the image of your brand, you must lead the conversations about it. Those conversations are happening every day on social media, therefore we must first understand it, and definitely utilise it. 4. Tell us something about you that is not known to many people. There are so many things people would never know about me, but the one that I think generally shocks people is that I’m quite a home maker: I clean, do laundry, cook, iron – all of it. What’s more is that I actually enjoy doing all of it, and look forward to that part of my weekend. I’m a true country girl at heart! 5. How would you describe yourself? Competitive, principled, private, loyal. 6. Where do you see yourself in the next five years? Five years seem far away right now, but let’s just say the plan is to continue along this career path. What I will say is that I’m really enjoying my time at Mayberry where I get to work alongside some very creative and innovative people who I learn from every day. In this position, no two days are ever the same. Right now I’m still being challenged and that keeps me interested. 7. What advice would you give to young business professionals? I would say there is no circumventing hard work. So be prepared for a lifetime of that. Every successful person I have ever met has at some point in life worked very hard for those achievements. In your career, be patient, and always stay professional.

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CAREER

Aquired Skills

And Passion: the birth of an empire By Kimesha Walters

arly mornings, followed by all day toiling in the Jamaican sun, Dean Neversâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; only respite from the heat and the growing disappointments of not being able to secure a project was his red F150 pickup truck. Purchased new, it once held the place of a treasured ride. But now, the truck has been converted to a mobile office, bearing tools, proposals and ideas that Nevers was optimistic of using, as managing director for his new company, Konnexx Services Ltd. The year was 2003, and Nevers was fresh from the voluntary redundancy he took from the then Cable and Wireless Jamaica (now LIME), hoping to realise his dream as an entrepreneur, and create job opportunities locally. Fast forward to 2014, and Nevers has moved from his roving office to a 2000 square foot facility at the Trade Centre on Red Hills Road, St. Andrew, and from only one employee to more than 80, including sub-contractors across the island. This prodigy has been quietly growing Konnexx Services into in his own empire.

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Nevers makes it look easy to perfect several crafts, and still be able to commercialise and profit from them. His résumé speaks for itself, as Nevers boasts specials skills in telecommunications engineering, solar engineering, computer engineering, corporate security, risk management, among others. But, for the managing director, reaching this level was no easy feat. It took countless hours of honing his skills, studying, and working assiduously to perfect each. An added motivational factor was seeing his mother dabble in a variety of entrepreneurial gigs to ensure that the needs of her four children were met. “My mom was multi-skilled, and likewise, several of my family members. I figured that the best way to remain relevant and to always be gainfully employed was to acquire numerous skills, that way, if there are any changes in the economy, it will be easier to rebound.” And acquired he did. He proudly displays more than 30 certificates at the company office, covering various areas of achievement. These are not mere bragging rights, but are a critical part of sharing his story with his employees, and inspiring them to work hard to reach their goals. “I keep these to motivate my team, and to let them know that they should not settle. There are so many things to learn and talents to acquire, but it’s all up to the individual to reach for the top.” Konnexx Services has moved from its first client Columbus Communications (Flow), in 2005, to a portfolio that covers core functions such as telecommunications engineering and maintenance, providing 24-hour support services islandwide to utility clients, as well as those in solar engineering. Nevers explains that after 13 years of acquiring multiple skills at Cable and Wireless, with cash, a business name, and the services he wanted to offer, he was ready to begin his entrepreneurial journey. “Cable and Wireless set the tone for me as a young adult just out of school by giving me the opportunity to be certified in several areas, and I’m still grateful for that foundation.” Not one to rest on his laurels, Nevers complemented that initial training with studies in project management, facilities maintenance, aviation and solar engineering at various colleges and training centers in Germany, USA and Jamaica. He adds that a critical aspect of his push to start the company was his desire to create jobs locally, provide high quality services and train young, technical interests. “We had too many jobs that were being contracted to overseas companies.” To capitalise on local job creation, Nevers sources talents through graduates from Jamaica’s top local tertiary and training institutions, using locally certified engineers and project managers in employee selection. Once at Konnexx, he employs various methods of keeping them on par with industry standards. There is continuous

training in safety, project management, solar engineering and other skills required based on client demand. The staff also participates in the company’s outreach programme Konnectingminds, which was created in 2010 to inspire youths to overcome their educational and social difficulties and achieve their full life goals. The programme also aims to increase retention rates and job opportunities for youth who have dropped out of school, or were part of a marginalised population at risk of becoming dependent on Jamaica's social system. Nevers believes motivation is a critical aspect of employee development and self-actualisation. As such, he argues, he gets the best out of employees by treating them like family. “Rome was not built in a day so I continuously address their issues while keeping the communication channels open.” His democratic leadership style, and his relaxed relationship with his charges inevitably came out when Wealth Magazine visited his office, and gave credence to his statements. He poked fun at his employees, and they returned the favour, laughing as they bargained about how to get the work done, and what was needed to complete jobs promptly and with the best results. After the laughter subsided, Maurice Gordon, Fibre Optics Engineering Manager, who has been with the company since inception summarised the relationship between Nevers and his employees. “It’s good, I like it here. Dean gives us enough space to work, doesn’t breathe down our necks, the job is flexible, and as long as we get the work done, everything is fine.” Gordon recalled that the early days were “a bit chaotic” because of the uncertainties with new projects, but he is pleased that he stuck it out, having benefitted from training at Konnexx, and is attending university part-time. “I love what I do, fibre optics is my life, and I enjoy being part of the team here”, he added smiling. Kerrie-Anne Gray, Special Projects Manager concurred. Fresh from university with a Biochemistry degree, she found her place at Konnexx with the help of Nevers. Her journey, she said was a total transition. “I had to get used to working in an environment with mostly males, but Dean made everything much easier for me to settle in, doing regular progress checks, and making sure I was fine. I respect him for his good work ethic, he believes in us, and always encourages us to work hard and achieve more.” And it was a pleased Nevers who smiled as the accolades were heaped on him. “I make sure my employees are doing well in all spheres of their life because I want them to be comfortable and focused at work. My dream is for Konnexx Services to be the leading technical support services provider in the region, and to ultimately create more job opportunities.”

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CAREER

ts been 13 years since she joined the family at Red Stripe, however Marsha Lumley admits that it has been a wonderful and rewarding journey. She certainly is a trailblazer in her current position as Market Transformation Manager, a position created to drive the visibility and consumption of beer across Jamaica. The entire department was formed in 2013 and Marsha has been charged with turning around the beer category, a job she has lept into with enthusiasm. Skilled in the areas of marketing strategy, commercial management and inspirational leadership, Marsha is all about strengthening relations with customers and driving new occasions like Smirnoff Cocktail Fridays and Beer Wednesdays. To date with just little over a year in this role, Marsha has launched a pilot project which is tracking with double digit growth for the selected customers in the on trade nationally. Customers immediately admit that their business has grown through the impact of market transformation. “The customer is paramount here at Red Stripe and the centre of market transformation. I have entered into new partnerships and went about reinforcing existing arrangements by offering a mutually beneficial agreement that would transform outlets and attract more sales. We can’t continue to do things the same way with the same focus and expect to get the same results. Things change, people change, consumers tastes’ change, so we have to change as well. Our approach now is really different and the customer is the key component.”

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Marsha speaks passionately about her new position and what her department has achieved over the past few months. “Re-invigorating the beer category, getting people to drink beer again, while make solid investments in the outlets has really turned things around. Not only have chosen outlets been rebranded and renovated, more than 400 outlets have been involved in our new occasions and we have porvided functional point of sale items”, she explains. “We don’t do this alone, we don’t operate in a vacuum, we are well supported by the amazing team at Celebration Brands our distribution arm, marketing, finance and corporate relations have all contributed to our success, not to mention our willing customers, who too have invested.” Taking a holistic approach, Marsha meets with customers to get an idea of what each one needs to boost their business, and then creates a plan to achieve that. “My job is a lot of fun and hard work that ultimately pays off. I know there is going to be a great end result so I am continuously motivated, even when things may not seem to be going according to plan, I stick to it.” Obviously a very busy manager, Marsha finds that effective time management helps her to balance her personal and professional life. “My close friends, family and of course my son’s nanny have made it possible for me to function as I do, at my job. My team at Red Stripe is very understanding, the company is always promoting family life balance”.

After leaving university as an undergrad, Marsha quickly landed a job at the Ministry of Agriculture where she got her first taste of marketing by working with the dairy farmers, but when an opportunity came up at Red Stripe she jumped at. “Red Stripe stands out as one of the most loved, most admired companies, it was that way 13 years ago and still is today. My time here has helped to hone my skills, grow and learn a lot more. The exposure to different cultures, people, practises, has been tremendous!” Among her most memorable accomplishments, Marsha notes a one year secondment as Marketing Manager Caribbean & Central America – Venture, where she led the development of the cluster’s marketing strategy, growth drivers and investment prioritisation, and managed to create simple, executable plans for the 29 markets. She also led the re-launch of Captain Morgan Rum in US Virgin Islands, which delivered a net sales value target of more than £80,000 in the first three months of launch. Marsha served as the Brand Manager Spirits and Ready to Drink for an accumulated four years in Red Stripe. During her tenure, the spirits portfolio delivered cumulative growth of 300%. Recognised by her colleagues as a transformational leader and great people manager, she has won numerous awards, including Breakthrough Award for Spirits Performance, LAC Hero Award for Best Consumer Connection, LAC Hero Award for Smirnoff’s Application Brilliance and Brand Manager of the Year. Committed to enriching communities and impacting young lives, Marsha volunteers in The Diageo Learning For Life Programme. She confesses that she has a great passion for teaching and would like her legacy to be making an impact by mentoring and coaching. She holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Management Studies and International Relations from the University of the West Indies and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of New Orleans.

Marsha Lumley shares a smile with a member of her team as they discuss marketing strategies.

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CAREER

What Does Your Work Face Say about You? By Fabian Barracks

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ost corporate women are discovering the need for make-up on an everyday basis. You may not be a fashionista, but at least knowing the basics is essential to creating the appearance for a lasting impression. The workplace has many demands: board meetings, business lunches, courtesy calls etc. and in the era in which we live, looking good is a must! Let’s start from scratch...

Your Skin…

Your skin is the canvas on which you should paint the picture you want clients and coworkers to see. If you are troubled with stubborn acne, you need to find a routine and the products that will help to keep it under control and minimise outbreaks. Stick to the simple steps: exfoliate, cleanse and moisturise. This, if done with frequency will make your skin healthier and essentially make you less reliant on foundation. You may use a primer that will keep your face matted for a long wear. Try to avoid the oil-based primers; they tend to leave you greasy after the first hour.

Light foundation with sheer coverage will give you a fresh and natural look. Ensure you test the product before you buy it or consult a certified make-up artist for a recommendation. Use finishing powder: pressed palettes fit neatly into your handbag so you will always have it handy for touchups. Finishing powder will set your make-up and keep it in tact while you encounter harsh weather while on your way to the office and in between meetings. If you have a lot of blemishes, more coverage is needed, try a stick foundation or cream to powder. You do not want clients playing connect the dots on your face when they should be paying attention to what you are saying. Use a soft bronzer or blush to add some colour or dimension to your cheeks. It’s like magic; it gives your face a lift. Be sure to sweep the blush/bronzer towards your ears.

DO NOT go overboard with contouring, the glam make-up should be left for more dressy occasions. If you have excellent make-up skills, underdo your application, no need to be a barbie in the workplace.

Your eyes…

Eye contact is key in the business world, it is how you engage your associates and potentially sign a million dollar contract. When you communicate people look at

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your eyes to detect honesty and integrity, therefore you need to enhance them with a thin black line, whether using liquid or pencil liners. Stay away from coloured liners for the office. You may go ahead and apply a nude shadow, browns and tan or even create a subtle shadow with black will make your eyes pop. Use mascara to extend your lashes and brighten your eyes. When the lashes look longer and fuller they tend to make your eyes look bigger. Try Maybelline lash stilettos or L’Oreal lash blast. Again the work appropriate colour is black, no shimmer.

DO NOT overcrowd your eyes with a matching eye shadow/s as your blouse, this is often seen as tacky and inappropriate. If your outfit looks good, let your face be classy and professional.

Groom your brows!

If you are lucky enough to have full eye brows, wax or tweeze them periodically to give a perfect arch. Shaving may be a bit hazardous and cause irritation. Use a brown eyebrow pencil or dark brow fix powder to darken or highlight the brows so that they frame your face.

DO NOT extend brows or create a shape that is far off from your natural brows. Do not make your eyebrows too thin, this is not classy!

Your lips…

Your mouth is another important focal point. One common mistake women make when doing office make-up is to use too much gloss on the lips! It is good to give a pop of colour that compliments your outfit, but do not use a colour that will clash for example: a pink blouse and an orange lipstick, NO, NO!

DO NOT use untraditional colours or

varieties of the norm, stay away from the Nicki Minaj pink or the party lips: green, blue, yellow etc. unless you are the president of the clowns’ association. Look and feel confident at your next board meeting, colleagues will be peeping over their cubicles as you strut through the office with the perfect work face. Work it!

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REVIEW

Book Review

By Latoya West-Blackwood

The Caribbean Book Beat - Happy Holidays, Happy Reading!

It’s that time again when we look to close the current chapter and pen a new and more exciting version of life as we ring in a new year. The year 2014 strikes me as a particularly good one for Caribbean writers some of whom are barely known much less read at home – a wrong we must right. Some, like Kei Miller who just won the Forward Prize for poetry, had appeared to be off the radar (by that we mean officially becoming ‘Dr’, reading worldwide and writing more amazing stuff ) and others like Roland Watson-Grant did not disappoint with his eagerly anticipated follow up to his amazingly successful debut novel Sketcher. Then there’s Marlon James… I decided to be very biased in my pick of potential stocking stuffers this year. It is full time we support our very talented Jamaican/ Caribbean writers who continue to be internationally celebrated but hardly supported at home – yes, yes, there’s Calabash once per year. This is not a ‘sorry fah’ movement. Turn any of these pages and you will get why we need to share and support these hugely talented creatives.

Title: A Brief History of Seven Killings Author: Marlon James Publisher: Riverhead Books, 2014 ISBN: 978-1594486005; “How to describe Marlon James’s monumental new novel A Brief History of Seven Killings? It’s like a Tarantino remake of ‘The Harder They Come’ but with a soundtrack by Bob Marley and a script by Oliver Stone and William Faulkner, with maybe a little creative boost from some primo ganja. It’s epic in every sense of that word: sweeping, mythic, over-the-top, colossal and dizzyingly complex. It’s also raw, dense, violent, scalding, darkly comic, exhilarating and exhausting — a testament to Mr. James’s vaulting ambition and prodigious talent.” – New York Times

Title: Skid Author: Roland Watson-Grant Publisher:Alma Books, 2014 ISBN: 978-1-84688-319-4 ebook: 978-1-84688-326-2 ‘Right from the beginning this story pulls you straight into the action, told from the perspective of Skid. Watson-Grant's language and use of dialect is vibrant and rich. With believable characters and set against a wonderful backdrop, Skid is a very engaging and visual read, with funny dialogue and dramatic pace that builds up to an impressive ending. Skid is charming warm and funny and is a fantastic read for everyone. A page-turner that comes.’ – Janie Phillips for welovethisbook.com

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Title: Pepperpot – Best New Stories from the Caribbean Author: Preface by Olive Senior, Publisher:Peekash Press, 2014 ISBN: 978-1617752711 Pepperpot is an eclectic mix of adventure, humor, the spirit world, family relationships, and other subject matters which gives you something to think about.’ —Ski-wee’s Book Corner

Title: The Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion (Winner of the Forward Prize “Best Collection 2014″)

Author: Kei Miller Publisher:Carcanet Press, 2014

‘An extended dialogue between a cartographer and a “rastaman” over the nature and function of maps and mapmaking provides the central spine to Miller’s new collection about the politics and poetics of place. Underpinned by a voracious imperial appetite turning space into useable knowledge in order to master, conquer or to exploit, the cartographer’s abstract, scientific systems…’ – Gail Low

INTERNATIONAL PICK

Title: One More Thing – Stories and Other Stories Author: B.J. Novak Publisher:Knopf, 2014 ISBN: 978-0385351836 ‘…Mr. Novak is nimble at showing how easily the ordinary can morph into the extraordinary and adept at making us see the surreal in the everyday…A funny writer with a great ear, but also as a genuine storyteller with an observant eye and finely tuned emotional radar.’—Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times.

Special Pick For Young Readers

Title: All Over Again Author:A-dziko Simba Gegele Publisher:Blouse & Skirt Books ‘All Over Again is a fun, well-crafted story of one school year in the life of a twelve year old boy living in the Caribbean.’ – Caribbean Thoughts This book, written by Jamaican author A-dziko Simba Gegele, was the winner of the 2014 Burt Award for Caribbean Literature.

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