Philly Caribbean Link Up!!!

From: CULTUre040@AOL.COM
To: SOCA-L@LISTSERV.TEMPLE.EDU (Student Organization for Caribbean Awareness)

U're invited to take a peek @ http://www.rogerculture.com aka http://phillyreggaevibes.com for the Philadelphia Caribbean Community; it's still a work in progress, best viewed with broadband.

Your thougths please?

Big up to s.o.c.a massive; done know Roger Culture from TU original s.o.c.a massive.

bless

NYTimes: "In Africa, Free Schools Feed a Different Hunger"

Students throughout the Third World must be able to pay fees in order to attend primary school. In Kenya, the annual fee is $16, the equivalent of what an American family of three might pay for a meal together at McDonalds. Studies by the World Bank have shown that such fees are enough to keep many poor families from sending their children to school. political candidates in democratizing African countries been successful in generating popular support by promising to make school free to all. But as foreign correspondent for the New York Times Celia W. Drugger documents, 'free school' is anything but 'free and easy' for Kenyan teachers.

Lloyd Wilks on Hayfield and Bowden Pen

From: "JOCAD" <jodmfaja@cwjamaica.com>
Re: Hurricane Ivan's Impacts in Portland and St. Thomas
To: "Mike Dorn" <mdorn@temple.edu>

Hi Mike,

I am sorry but I have to confirm your initial impressions concerning Hayfield. Yes it was hit very hard with an awful lot of collateral damage particularly to crops and infrastructure. The trail has been affected very badly by uprooted trees and broken limbs throughout. The natural habitat for many of natures flora and fauna has changed and the significance of this is already visible. The natural environment has changed.

The fact is it will require a lot of work to clear and restore the trail. There is extensive damage throughout the community of Hayfield, with considerable loss and damage to homes and community infrastructure. Work in the community is going to require a lot of human and capital resources.

Bowden Pen reflects a similar story except that the damage to homes and community infrastructure is less extensive. The trail however and the road to Bowden Pen from Millbank was blocked but with good community support and collaboration between the Farmers Association and the wider community much of the way has been cleared to the Cabins. On the way there it was evident that the wind was far more potent and the evidence was literally strewn across the road/track.

The roof of the cabins were also damaged while the washrooms and toilet totally destroyed. There are several fallen trees and other vegetation which have been affected but these can be replanted.

The road beyond this point remains a stern challenge with huge trees and boulders blocking the way. Work is ongoing based primarily on community efforts and it is expected to continue in this vein. The trail can and will be restored but will require considerable effort which regrettably, will not be funded by Government sources. There remains great enthusiasm amongst the people and a sense of pride in what they see as being their community and livelihood. I am confident that efforts will be sustained to restore things as best they can. Thankfully further assessments are being done as we speak on the trails but the initial impression is that it can be restored albeit with considerable inputs of human labour and some capital resources.

The partnership which exists between the Bowden Pen Farmers association and yourselves will be once again tested and there is every hope amongst the people that we shall prevail.

Everyone send their love Mike to you and the team and are all looking forward to seeing you in December. If you cannot come, anyway! Our systems have been down for some time now but thankfully Ivan sort of inspired the powers that be to act differently. Now I get my email messages! Thanks a lot Mike and I hope you and your family are fine. Nuff respect and plenty love mon. See you soon.

Lloyd.

News from Linnette Wilks via Brenda Cushner-George of Ancestral Memories. Our little corner of Shangri-La, the Ambassabeth Cottages at Bowden Pen, sustained serious damage from Hurricane Ivan. The Bowden Pen farmers are making efforts to clear the principal trails, but more funds will be necessary to complete the work and the rebuild the damaged cottages. 

concern over our friends in Hayfield

After our return trip over the Cunha Cunha Pass, we were welcomed back to the Maroon village of Hayfield by Sylvan Sutherland (a.k.a. "Shaggy") and his family. It was a Sunday afternoon and residents were enjoying the fine mountain air. Along the road I stopped to have a conversation to Shaggy's grandfather. With the arrival to Jamaica of Hurricane Ivan a week and a half ago, family's residence was destroyed, and Shaggy's grandparents had to take refuge with Shaggy's sister near Retreat, along the coast.

placing the blame: hurricanes and global warming

Caribbean editors and bloggers are seeking to place partial responsibility for the rash of hurricanes this month on the United States. Does this constitute a collective displacement of blame onto another country? Or is it a case of appealing for international solidarity at a time of great trauma and loss? I'll let you decide, but as with many of these climate-related debates, the jury is clearly still out. For the British Left's perspective, see reportage in the Manchester Guardian. For an American Free Market approach, see the blog called Tech Central Station. Of course the cloudy state of scientific discourse on this issue won't deter editorial writers for the Jamaica Gleaner or a blogger from Trinidad from offering their two cents.

Turn to the Edu-Tourism blog for further coverage of this raging debate.

death toll in haiti surpasses two thousand

It has been a difficult hurricane season in the Caribbean. Americans take notice of Hurricane Jean as it approaches Florida and the East Coast. Yet any student of development will quickly recognize that Jeanne's fury is felt more intensely in countries like Haiti and Jamaica, where infrastructure and building codes are not up the par, and houses cling to steep mountain slopes. You may want to check out the New York Times for the most recent events in Gonaïves.

news of hayfield and bowden pen

Sylveen Sutherland called me last night, and I returned his call today. His family has lost their residences to Hurricane Ivan. Shaggy also lost his farm. The grandparents are living with his sister near Retreat, the same place he was staying when he visited us at the Whispering Bamboo Cove Resort. Given the crowding at his sister’s, I assume he is what we might call ‘marginally housed’ right now. Approximately ¼ of the houses in Hayfield were lost in the storm, and they are yet to receive any assistance from the government or from Bath. Through their own efforts they were able to clear the many large trees that blocked the Bath – Hayfield Road. The Cunha Cunha Pass trail is still very rough – many downed trees need to be removed. Shaggy has been down to Bowden Pen - apparently damage was sustained at the Ambassabeth Cottages but they should be ready for visitors by December if not sooner.

I also just now got off the phone with 3D Projects, where I spoke with Valerie. She lives in Airy Castle – they experienced damage, but not as much as Hayfield. She is still without power and water.

A group of 2004 Edu-Tourism alumni hopes to meet on Sunday, October 3, to discuss fundraising activities at the residence of Nelson and Novella Keith in Germantown.

Mike

Theresa Heinz Kerry on Hurricane Aid

Interesting story on relief efforts being organized in New York.

jamaican hurricane ivan relief fund

[from the SOCA listserv] Hey everyone, I hope all is well. As we all should know by now, Hurricane Ivan has created great havoc in the Caribbean and experts have predicted that it will do the same devastation in other areas. As a request authorized by the Jamaican Embassy in Washington, DC via Dr. Alston B. Meade, Honorary Consul to Philadelphia, the Jamaican government is asking for your financial support to assist the Hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica. Please send checks or money order to Consulate of Jamaica, P.O.

Box 24174, Phila. PA 19139 and should make payable to: Jamaican Hurricane Ivan Relief Fund 2004.

Also, please be reminded that Professor Gordon Shirley, Jamaica's Ambassador to the United States will be in town on Thursday, September 16, 2004 at the Bryn Mawr Ave. New Testament Church of God, located at 2227 Bryn Mawr Ave. (in the Wynnefield section of Phila.) and you invited to come join him in a "Community Meet & Greet". The Ambassador will discuss Jamaican hurricane Ivan victims, damage The Hurricane caused and the relief efforts. Doors open at 6:30pm and event starts at 7pm. For more information, please email me at jm-sunshine@yahoo.com.

Thanks.
Judi Martin

Novella's news from Jamaica

Hello everyone,
thanks to those who have been thinking and sending good thoughts about Jamaica as it's been going through this. We've just heard from Dave, Nelson's brother, who says he and family members are fine and (in his characteristic fashion) "it wasn't that bad." He was able to speak on the cell phone with the man who takes care of our new "Center for Global Understanding" in St.Thomas, who told him that there was only fairly minimal damage -- so we hope that's also true for all our new and old friends in the Parish. Of course, those who suffer most usually are the many who don't live in well-built houses -- but that's all the news we have for now.
Novella

ivan sideswipes jamaica overnight

It appears that Ivan thankfully took a turn to follow the southern coast of Jamaica last night, delivering punches of intense wind and rain to St. Thomas and Kingston, but avoiding the devastation that would have occurred if the hurricane's eye had made landfill. Some newspaper reports have speculated that Jamaica's high mountains are partially responsible for the change in Ivan's course. Check out an updated storm track.

hurricane ivan updates

• Jamaica Gleaner, 9/10 - Temorary Hurricane Site
• Jamaica Observer, 9/10 - 500,000 Ordered to Evacuate
• The Trinidad Guardian
• USA Today, 2:00 pm, 9/10 - 'Ivan' takes aim at Jamaica after devastating Grenada
• Weather Channel, 2:00 pm, 9/10 - Video report from Kingston, Jamaica

Additional News Sites:

• Relief Web, Jamaica Latest Updates

jamaica prepares for hurricane ivan

BARRING an 11th hour shift in its direction, Hurricane Ivan, having already wreaked havoc in the southern Caribbean, was on course to hit Jamaica with a thumping blow by tomorrow and forecasters warned that its impact could be more ferocious than Gilbert 16 years ago." Our thoughts and prayers are with our friends in St. Thomas.

Penn State student group active in Jamaica, Engineers Without Frontiers

Thursday, July 15, 2004
University Park, Pa. -- Penn State engineering students, as members of Engineers Without Frontiers (EWF), continue to travel and successfully engage in design/build and research projects in developing communities -- this time, in the poorest areas of El Salvador and Jamaica. more on this story

hurricane matters

hello all ,,,

For those of you are wondering how Jamaica was impacted by Hurricane
Charley, see
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20040814/lead/lead1.html

aug 11 brown bag talk: edu-tourism and developmental disabilities in jamaica

Dr. Germaine Edwards, Mary Jane Lovett and I will be presenting an Institute on Disabilities brown bag lunch on Wednesday, August 11 (12 noon to 1:15 pm). LOCATION: 303 Ritter Hall. The topic will be the initiatives of the Philadelphia-based NGO Edu-Tourism in rural Jamaica, focusing on our involvement with 3D Projects (Community Based Rehabilitation Services for Persons with Disabilities) in Morant Bay. We invite you to bring your lunch and participate in the discussion.

For basic information on Edu-Tourism, visit http://www.edu-tourism.org

Thanks,

Mike

geographic research in the news

My colleague Susan Mains (Ph.D. University of Kentucky, 2000) has received a prestigious fellowship from the Association of American Geographers to research the Jamaican diaspora.  Enjoy these Jamaica Observer and Caribbean Net News profiles of the globe-trotting geographer!  If you are luckly, you may get to meet her on one of our future trips. 

hotelier appointed st. thomas' first female custos

Marcia Bennett, owner of the Whispering Bamboo Cove Resort, was sworn in yesterday as Custos, or "Justice of the Peace" for the parish of St. Thomas. Coverage of the ceremony was provided by Novia McDonald-Whyte for the Jamaica Observer. We enjoyed our stay at Ms. Bennett's resort last month. Whispering Bamboo is located along the coastal highway east of Morant Bay in the community of Retreat.

expanding computer and internet access

Both of Jamaica's major newspapers today discuss initiatives to expand computer and internet access across the island. The Jamaica Observer discusses the government's plan to tax the major telecoms Cable & Wireless and Digcel to help subsidize the expense of expanding broadband access. The Jamaica Gleaner shows how American philanthropic activity is creating the necessary facilities and curriculum for computer training in Westmoreland.