Impacting Jamaica

Giving up wasn’t an option for Nayana Williams despite the struggles to get business going 18 years ago. She had no money, and financial institutions were unwilling to help. Notwithstanding, she started a bottled water company – Lifespan – in Portland after returning home from abroad with her husband. Today she and her team – which moved from three to over 150 – are celeb

Counselling psychologist Kevin Bailey is urging men to always be open and willing to adjust to thrive. “Don’t make a bad situation worse…be ready to make changes,” he told a group of men at a recent virtual health and wellness summit. He told them too that “we must have a mission statement of our personal life”; and that there is need for good mental health to cope in c

On National Heroes Day, October 17, 2022, Dr Amina Blackwood-Meeks will accept the conferment of the Order of Distinction, in the Rank of Officer, for her outstanding contribution to arts and culture. Dr Blackwood-Meeks is happy that she is being recognised for her stellar work, especially storytelling, that is world-renowned, especially in Africa. The highly acclaimed internationa

With the impact of motor vehicle emissions on climate change becoming more obvious throughout the world, the switch to electric vehicles from traditional petrol-powered ones is set to accelerate in coming years. Jamaica’s electricity provider, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), is playing a critical role in this change. In this episode of the Impacting Jamaica podcast seri

The electricity bill is a source of angst and frustration for many Jamaicans as the cost of this indispensable commodity continues to soar. Efforts to keep electricity costs under control have been futile for many. But here on the Impacting Jamaica podcast Ruthlyn Johnson, Customer Service Manager for Area East at JPS, breaks down your light bill in simple terms - what aspects you

Jamaica is set to feel the impact from what is being described as its largest Social Transformation and Renewal initiative - Project STAR. Project STAR is an initiative of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) in partnership with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and a plethora of non-governmental and civil society organisations. The $2 billion, five-year project is commun

The advent of big tech companies like Amazon and Google have significantly influenced consumer behaviour and expectations worldwide, including in Jamaica. COVID-19 pandemic has also reduced access to in-person interactions and hastened the transition to online services. Electricity provider JPS has been adjusting to its customers’ changing needs, by digitalizing its Customer Serv

“Listen with your eyes and your heart” when dealing with suicidal persons; that’s the advice from Dr. Donovan Thomas, founder, and president of Choose Life International, a non-profit organisation that has been working with suicidal persons since 2008. Dr. Thomas, who is also the author of the book, ‘Confronting Suicide: Helping Teens at Risk’, also warns parents against

Rhenay Harris is excited that her life-long dream of building a library and literacy centre for children in her community of Pusey District, in Point Hill, St. Catherine, has been realised. The facility, funded from her own pockets, was built in memory of her grandparents, Lucille, and Bertram Pinnock, who played an integral role in her early childhood development. Harris joins Imp

Principal of Great Start Academy Sheron Bent is passionate about doing all she can to help students fulfil their greatest potential. Mrs. Bent has countless stories of how just a little dedication can shape a positive outcome for students who may be ‘lagging behind.’ As we take on the summer holidays, she advises that the programmes should be well structured and focus on both t