Great ambiance, vibrant hosts, one vision and a ‘long bench’ were enough to set the tone for the first ever live outside broadcast transmitted from the Office of the Governor-General at King’s House on Sunday, July 28.
Radio Jamaica’s afternoon programme ‘Palav’, hosted by Mr. Gerry McDaniel, invaded the grounds of King’s House to celebrate and share the Governor-General’s I Believe Initiative programme, the final chapter of their July feature ‘Believe in Jamaica’.
Since its inception, the IBI programme has been lobbying for well thinking Jamaicans to believe in their innate potential and thus contribute to national development. The three pillars of IBI are youth, family and education.
Individuals who have visibly embraced this concept and have been actively involved in transmitting the mantra of the IBI, were invited to share with the “Palav” listeners their experiences as well as the good things about Jamaica that can be used to fix what is wrong with Jamaica.
Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, during his interview on the programme stated that the IBI mantra reflects his abiding faith in the people of Jamaica. Sir Patrick said he believes that the abundant creativity and resilience of the people of Jamaica are examples of what can be used to fix the problems that confront us as a nation.
The Governor-General also spoke about the significant achievements of the I Believe Initiative, that is how it has helped to transform the lives of youth across Jamaica and improve communities at large. One of the main areas highlighted by Sir Patrick Allen was the tremendous success of the Youth Consultative and National Youth Conferences that have so far provided a solid foundation to aid budding entrepreneurs to create opportunities for themselves.
Also interviewed on “Palav” were “I Believe” Ambassadors Khary Sharpe (CEO of Backari Digital), Heneka Watkis-Porter (CEO of Patwa Apparel) and Janelle deFreitas (Career Advisor/Manager, Choices Career and Education Advice). These are among the group of young adults who committed to sharing the I Believe concept with the youth they encounter daily.
Her Excellency the Most Honourable Lady Allen told listeners in radio-land how her belief stirred her to become involved with several organisations that have sought to uplift and enhance the lives of Jamaicans. One of her passions, she stressed during the interview, was her work with the Bustamante Hospital for Children, of which she is the patron. By collaborating with corporate Jamaica, especially Digicel Jamaica Limited and the Sagicor Group of Companies, funding was allocated to purchase life-saving equipment for the Bustamante Hospital.
Another strong advocate, Ms. Yaneek Page, host of the TV show ‘the Innovators’, was also on hand to share some of her experiences as she guided young entrepreneurs to grow their business. “Every day is a learning experience for me,” said Ms. Page.
Some of the highlights of the evening were the official pinning of newly appointed IBI Ambassadors, namely popular gospel artiste Kevin Downswell and host of the ‘Palav’ programme Gerry McDaniel, by The Governor-General.