Credit: Publisher: JK Productions • Editor in Chief: Janice K. Maxwell • Art Director: Conrad Guthrie

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Page 1: Sponsors Essay Contest Winners Page 2: Essay Contest Winners continues JN Foundation Did You Know?

Where is your Cultural PridePage 3: ? Worldnet Investment Jamaica

Credit: Publisher: JK Productions • Editor in Chief: Janice K. Maxwell • Art Director: Conrad Guthrie

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The legal profession has widely been praised because of the prestige that is attached to it and also due to the fact that it is a well-respected profession. In the words of my role model Johnnie Cochran Jr. in his book Journey to Justice, “Defense of the innocent is an obligation more intimate and individual than even a physician bears. Unchecked disease, after all, destroys only the body; injustice unimpeded can maim its victim’s very soul.” My profound interest in the study of law lies in the lives that I will be able to touch. I want to be an advocate for justice, justice not only for the rich but justice for the poor who are unable to afford legal counsel

Monique James

Annual Delroy Facy Essay Contest. The topic was: My major benefits the Jamaican Community

Simeon Kerr: Certified Public Accountant

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… school supplies and paying tuition. Lawyers are often not considered in the same category as Doctors who are seen as “life savers,” but I do believe that lawyers have been touching many lives both directly and indirectly through voluntary service, a necessary part of giving back to society, something that is innate for me as; I have worked with disabled students by compiling research and academic material at the Office of Special Student Services at the University of the West Indies Mona. A legal career will undoubtedly open up a myriad of career opportunities and becoming a business woman is not out of the question. The level of unemployment in Jamaica has escalated and I would like to make my contribution to curbing this problem by creating sustainable jobs for the unemployed. This not only creates a viable workforce but it also gives individuals something positive to do with their lives. These are just few of the things that I would like to do in order to positively give back to my society once I have successfully positioned myself as I am a true believer of the axiom that “no man is an island” and it takes one to reach one.

. It would be my desire to give back to my society by providing Pro bono services to those who are in need of legal services but are unable to afford it. Working Pro bono is the one community service that only a lawyer can perform and it would be a public service to help meet the legal needs of the poor. Too often has the innocent being wrongly tried because they are at a disadvantage due to financial constraints. I believe that the scales of justice can be evenly balanced if everyone is given a fair and equal chance as persons who are unable to pay for good legal services are usually “left behind.” It is my desire to give students the opportunity to realize their dreams in the legal profession. I would like to give back to my alma mater by establishing scholarships that will be awarded to students who face financial difficulties in realizing their dreams, a charitable foundation that caters in assisting students with the buying of…

Credit: Publisher: JK Productions • Editor in Chief: Janice K. Maxwell • Art Director: Conrad Guthrie

I think the role played by biochemist in the modern medical world is of great significant as we are now in the age of biochemistry. By pursuing a degree in biochemistry at the University of the West Indies, I would be able to be market myself for the job market as biochemistry covers a wide area. I would be able to offer aid to my community and country at large with the knowledge that is attained over the period of my study. My community would benefit from my field of study as I would be able to assist in resolving environmental issues which may…

… arise in the community. In this instance I may be able to shed light on what may be the source of the problem. I would also be able to help in increasing the awareness of my fellow community members and those I come in contact with about certain illnesses and what may be the cause and how they can be cure or prevented. The field of biochemistry is a vast area to be in. Biochemist helps to create vaccines for both human and animals, study the human genome to increase the understanding of the cellular makeup and the test therapeutic products to see how it affects the body and our metabolism. With these in mind I decided to pursue a career in biochemistry as there would be much that I will be able to give back.

Clayton Hamilton

? DID YOU KNOW

Did you know this about Jamaica? All the James Bond novels were written in Jamaica by Ian Flemming at his home, Firefly.

JAMAICA NATIONAL – FOUNDATION The JN Foundation works with internal and external partners to identify, develop and provide technical and financial support to projects and programmes that focus on issues relating to rural development, health, housing, education, youth and community. Mission: The JN Foundation works with internal and external partners to identify, develop and provide technical and financial support to projects and programmes that focus on issues relating to rural development, health, housing, education, youth and community and crime and safety.

Annual Delroy Facy Essay Contest. The topic was: My major benefits the Jamaican Community

Credit: Publisher: JK Productions • Editor in Chief: Janice K. Maxwell • Art Director: Conrad Guthrie

“Jahfakans” Where is your Cultural Pride?

By Myrna Loy

While I was sitting distribution copies of “Blackbright Magazine” at the carnival, I noticed three noisy Black men. One of them was wearing a red, yellow and green t-shirt with the herb symbol on the front. He was holding a bottle of Remy Martin to his mouth and was gulping greedily. Another wore dreadlocks and was waving a half consumed bottle of whiskey over his head while being held around the neck by the third, who was wearing a t-shirt with the words “Jamaica – Irie Mon” on the front. If you hadn’t seen them laughing minutes before, you would thought they were fighting.

They were generally drawing attention to themselves and obviously under the influence. What infuriated me was that they were imitating Jamaican patios, wore symbols that identify them as Jamaicans when they were obviously not Jamaicans, and worse their conduct was doing Jamaicans a disservice. Even though their impersonation was poor, any non-Blacks or non-Jamaicans could erroneously categories them as Jamaicans. These men are what some call “Jafakans” i.e. fake Jamaicans. Their imitation of the Jamaican identity would not be so offensive if it did not negatively implicate Jamaicans, but it does! Onlooker seemed genuinely concerned of the affray. I was concerned as well, but for a different reason. I was worried that non Blacks may not know that Africa is divided into 43 countries and there are approximately 21 Caribbean island territories, so that these men could have come from any one of them! I didn’t like the idea that if the affray was reported and descriptions were requested, “Witnessed” (being none the wiser), could easily say: “they were definitely Jamaican I could tell by their accent!” Hence the rap: “H’enting dat gwann a foreign, de yardie get the blame”. A Jamaican cannot be defined nor categorized.

Jamaicans include Lord Ouseley, who is a member of the House of Lords; Delroy Lindo, who is a famous actor;

Lennox Lewis, who is a World Heavy with Champion; Naomi Campbell or Tyson Beckford, who are supermodels; Patrick Ewing and Donovan Bailey, who are sportsmen; Dian Abbot, who is a Politician; Bob Marley, Busta Rhymes, Harry Belafonte, who are musicians to name a few. But for some reason, Jamaicans are seldom associated with high achievers, the famous and the infamous. Because of biased media coverage that results in stereotyping and bigotry, the un-informed usually think of Jamaicans as trouble maker, aggressors, wear dread locks, smoke weed, sell coke and are gun- proud. As a result Jamaicans get a bad reputation and end up being apprehended (or blamed) for many criminal misdemeanors when the offence could have been committed by someone from another island or country pretending to be Jamaican. I am not sure why non Jamaicans try to implicate Jamaicans by mimicking their accent and their stance. Maybe they don’t realize that they are doing it or maybe, subconsciously, they lack cultural pride. All I can say is that if you from Africa claim your African-ness. If you are from one of the island territories of the Caribbean- claim your true heritage. If you are born in this country (UK) – maintain your parent’s culture and don’t borrow someone else’s’. Everyone should be proud of tier heritage, their language and their culture and while “playing Jamaican” can be fun, if a non-Jamaican is not behaving in a law abiding fashion yet imitation a Jamaican, they are reinforcing the negative stereotypes and making it difficult for Jamaicans to gain respect.

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Credit: Publisher: JK Productions • Editor in Chief: Janice K. Maxwell • Art Director: Conrad Guthrie