MIGRATION AND THE ECONOMIC CRISIS. Dr. Harold Mignott (second right), immediate past chair of the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board/Northeast USA and a physician in residence at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, discusses the role of migrants and the diaspora community at a seminar hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria New York on Thursday, May 21, 2009. The outcome document from the seminar will be part of the UN Human Development Report due out in October this year. Panelists included (l-r); Sarah Rosengartner, UNITAR/NY; Prof. Lindsay Lowell, Georgetown University; Lorena Mucabuag, Migrant Forum in Asia; Mignott and Dominique Bush, Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR). - JIS Photo by Sharon Bennett.

THE MAKING OF FLIGHT 779. (l-r); Robin Hayes, Chief Corporate Officer/Jetblue Airline; Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism; Dave Barger, Chief Executive Officer/Jetblue Airline and John Lynch, Director of Tourism/Jamaica teamed up for the official announcement of Jetblue service to Montego Bay, Jamaica, starting with the inaugural flight on Thursday morning, May 21. An overflow crowd attended the launch reception at Thrillist Jam’n In The Sky, on Manhattan’s West Side on Wednesday evening and was treated to give-aways, refreshment by Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill and entertainment by the Kevin Bachelor ensemble. - JIS Photo by Sharon Bennett.

FOR SERVICE ABOVE SELF. The Queens/New York Chapter of the Jamaica ExPolice Association (JamExPol) used the occasion of its 12th Anniversary Dinner Dance on Saturday, May 23, 2009, to recognize a number of community leaders from its membership rank. Deputy Consul General of Jamaica in New York, Mrs. Tracey Blackwood (fourth right) who brought greetings on behalf of the Government, assisted with the presentations of citations from Councilmember Leroy Comrie’s office. Councilmember Leroy Comrie was represented by Mr. Wilkinson (left). In picture are (l-r); Gladstone Samuels, Sam Bartley, Marlyn Freemantle-Smith, Veronica E. Thompson-president, Venise Noble and Denzil Jackson. The event was held at the Elmont Jewish Center, Elmont, NY. - May 26, 2009 - JIS Photo by Sharon Bennett.

The second of a four part series of conversation on the progress of the Jamaican Diaspora took place at the Consulate General of Jamaica, Manhattan on Wednesday, January 7, 2009. The series which is being hosted by Consul General, Mrs. Geneive Brown Metzger (second right), on this occasion featured Professor Tjai M. Nielsen (left) and Liesl Riddle (second left), Associate Professor of International Business & Int’l Affairs, The George Washington University School of Business, Washington, DC. The series is an effort to inspire critical thinking among business and community leaders and is sponsored by Moet Hennessy with support from the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board/NE USA, the Organization for International Development (OID) and the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA). Dr. Basil Wilson, who served as moderator, is a right. - Photo By Sharon Bennett

REGGAE IN SYMPHONY. Reggae recording icons Freddie McGregor (left) and Lloyd Parkes (center), show of their US Congressional Proclamations during a break in performance at the Reggae in Symphony concert event at the Brooklyn College for the Performing Arts, Brooklyn, NY on Sunday, October 14, 2007. The sold out event also featured performances by John Holt, the We The People Band and The New York Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jamaican John Williams. Part proceeds form the concert – produced by Pat Chatani (second right), will benefit the American Cancer Society (October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month) and the Haile Selassie High School, Kingston, Jamaica. US Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (second left) of Brooklyn who made the presentations, praised the performers for their outstanding body of work and the development of the Jamaican popular culture overseas. DJ Roy (right) of Irie Jam Radio shared emcee duties with funnyman Oliver Samuels and Marie Garth, the former darling of Jamaica radio, then with RJR. Prior to the concert, Deputy Consul General of Jamaica in New York, Mrs. Lisa Bryan Smart presented Certificates of Merit to the performers also recognizing their contribution to the development of Jamaica’s popular culture locally and internationally. - Photo By JIS/NY.

ONCE YOU GO, YOU KNOW. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (at podium), on Tuesday afternoon (October 16), shared his vision for a much improved tourism product through 2010 with a mixed audience over lunch at the Jamaican-American Chamber of Commerce Autumn Luncheon Meeting at the 3 West Club, midtown Manhattan. The new thrust will be built on aggressive marketing, strong product development and direct investment on its way to becoming an export industry. The well attended event was generously supported by; Rollins Jamaica, Air Jamaica Ltd, Travel weekly Newspaper, FCB-New York, JTB and Ruder Finn. - Photo By JIS/NY.

Jamaican Olympian Greg Haughton (right), made a pit stop in New York City on Wednesday, January 14, 2009, with enough time for a few friends and associates to gather for a reception in his honour at the Jamaican Consulate, Manhattan. Haughton, the two time Summer Olympic Games medalist and outstanding quarter miler, got a warm reception and welcome from Mrs. Geneive brown Metzger (center), Consul General of Jamaica in New York, Olympian Byron LaBeach (left) and Gordon Tapper (absent). The event was a collaboration of the Consulate General of Jamaica and the Jamaica Overseas Olympic Organization (JOOO). - JIS/NYC

WELCOME TO BROOKLYN. Hugh Thomas (right) – Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency (PICA) specialist at the Consulate General of Jamaica, NY, responds to a question during February 6, 2009 meet & greet forum at the Freedom Hall Church of God, Brooklyn. The forum, hosted by Bishop Cecil G. Riley (left), afforded Consul General, Mrs. Geneive Brown Metzger (second left) and senior staffers, Tracey Blackwood-Deputy Consul General and Cecile Christie - Vice Consul, an opportunity to meet and greet the community and to hear their concerns on a range of topics, including the new CARICOM Passports which went into general use on January 2, this year. - Photo by Sharon Bennett, Source JIS.

LACKLUSTER JAMAICA. Like St. Jago schoolboy sprint ace Nickel Ashmeade (second left) and schoolmate Andre Walsh (second right) in the Men’s U-23 60 meters sprint, the Jamaicans – Vonette Dixon, Natasha Ruddock, SherriAnn Brook and Korrine Hinds – trailed the field in their respective events at the 102nd staging at the Millrose Games in Track & Field Athletics, held at Madison Square Gardens, NYC on Friday, January 30, 2009. With the exception of Hinds who elected to be the ‘rabbit’ in the Womens’ 1 mile (11 laps), dropping out after five laps, the best finish by a Jamaica was Ashmeade’s 4th place finish. - Photo by Sharon Bennett, Source JIS.