THROUGH MY LENS

GIVING THANKS FOR TODAY 16.12.09

2009-12-16T23:31:00.001-05:00

Fishing in Ontario, Canada

2009-07-14T20:40:00.003-05:00

I have been missing in action for a few months but I still have some gorgeous pictures to share. Below are some pictures taken recently on a fishing trip in Ontario Canada. I wish I could say I caught the fish below, but I didn't. That was the handy work of my daughter! She caught 11 fishes that day! I'm so proud of her!

Hampton Reunion 2008

2008-08-26T15:50:00.000-05:00

It was wonderful to relive the Hamptonian experience in July. For those of you Hamptonians who couldn't make it, you missed an amazing weekend. You must plan to join us at the next event. Why not join us at www.facebook.com to view additional photos and to hear others share their experience.

Below is my favourite shot of the weekend. Enjoy!

Hampton School Celebrates 150th Anniversary

2008-02-29T08:48:00.000-05:00

Hampton School, St Elizabeth, Jamaica.

Join us as we celebrate our 150th annivesary. For a list of activities click on the link below:http://www.hamptonschool.edu.jm/SoA.html

Also join us on FACEBOOK : search for HAMPTONIANS or click on this link :

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7404775978

SUMMA VIRTUTE ET HUMANITATE

Hampton School - Badly Damaged

2007-08-31T02:53:00.000-05:00

HAMPTON SCHOOL, my alma mater has once again sustained extensive damage in the recent hurricane. Valhalla was badly damaged along with many of the pianos as well as the computer lab with over 100 machines. The Principal's residence, the tennis court and many class rooms will have to be repaired.

Below are some pictures showing some of the damage.

If anyone can extend a helping hand or send donations please contact: Mrs. Heather Murray, Principal, Hampton School, Malvern P.O., St Elizabeth. Tel : 876 966 5163 Fax: 876 9665115.

Let us make every effort to restore our legacy. If you require more information please feel free to contact me.

DEIDRE S. POWELL

deidrepowell@gmail.com

How mi fi go to mi bed?

2007-08-19T18:33:00.000-05:00

Lord mi know mi should go to bed
But mi sit here with mi hand pon mi head
Mi ears tune into the radio
And mi realize Dean naw show wi nuh favour
Yes to di the south the eye shift
But that nuh stops roofs from lift
In Liganeau a house drop
And all now the rain and breeze won’t stop
Manchester seem to be getting it hard
And that near near to my parent’s yard
Di last time mi talk to mi family dem safe and sound
But nuff nuff tree drop to the ground
Lord mi hope nobody nuh dead
Fah lawd Dean is all and more than mi dread
Lawd how mi fe sleep
When wid every new bulletin my heart leap
Mi hafi stay up all night
And keep watch til morning light
And hope seh onuh all batten down
And nothing more drop to di ground

Dean Naw Change Course at all

2007-08-19T07:15:00.000-05:00

Mi wake up dis morning wid pain ina mi heart
Hurricane Dean not changing its path
It on its course
Threatening to take on Jamaica and lick down all wi light post

Mi turn on di radio and TV
Jesus dem people in a di UK just a focus pon dem own business
No detail news from yard
Pure tings bout Europe and India an all

So mi heart start hurt me
Mi too far from mi yard
Mi family sleeping
And mi hopping mad

Den mi turn to the internet
God bless the inventa
And thank God that America near
So dem will pay likkle attention to wi affairs

Mi watch all the news and weather forecast
Mi heart beating fast fast
Lord save mi poor island
And mek Dean stay far

The news nuh look or sound so good
Mi tuning into power 106
Thank God fi dem
Mi get live coverage

Mi listening keenly
Mi kneeling down on my knees
Mi begging God
Fi hear our humble pleas

So mi family and friends
Nuh tink Dean easy at all
Cause from what mi hearing
It gaining strength and It naw change course at all!

(c) DEIDRE S. POWELL

POWER 106 FM : http://www.go-jamaica.com/power/index.html

JAMAICA: HURRICANE DEAN NOT CHANGING COURSE!

2007-08-18T16:27:00.000-05:00

Adrian Lester - Jamaican Heritage

2007-08-06T15:07:00.000-05:00

My favourite BBC Television show is Hustle. I always found Adrian Lester's character to be strong and articulate. Thereafter I began watching other movies that Adrian appeared in. Yes, I became an Adrian Lester fan! I later discovered that his parents were Jamaicans.

BBC TV has a programme called "Empire's Children" . It traces the history of Britian's famous . Tonight they are featuring Adrian Lester and I wish you could watch it too. It was quite interesting and I loved the nostalgic feeling of seeing the images from home and listening to the good ole Jamaican talk.

The documentary traces his family history which took him to St Mary. You could see he liked the lush greenery, but he seemed to have appreciated the sacrifices his grandfather made start a new life in Britain. He now understood his roots and the significance of the name "Lester."

It was interesting to see the documents which were unearthed in Birmingham which showed the attitudes of British people towards "coloured immigrants".

Adrian's grandparents and mother were from Lester Hill, St Mary. He was born in Birmingham and now lives in South East London.

Protecting Coral Reef

2007-08-06T05:35:00.000-05:00

I now realize I have to upgrade my camera to get one that is waterproof. I was totally amazed at the beauty which lay beneath the sea. I'm so drawn to corals and their unique colours and beauty.

I'm just hoping that people will become more aware of their fragile nature and will make every effort to protect them.

Here are some tips on how to protect our Coral Reef.

Educate yourself about coral reefs and the creatures they support. Find out about their usefulness. The medicines that have been developed from them

Do not empty waste into the ocean or rivers. If you are a boat owner ensure that you do all that is necessary to ensure that waste or pollutants do not escape from our boat into the water.

When you dive do not touch the coral or step on them. They are fragile living organisms. Take only pictures of them. Leave nothing behind to destroy them.

Do not leave trash behind when you go to the beach ad pick up trash when you see them. Help be the eyes and ears of the reef! Your involvement can make a big difference.

Don’t anchor on the reef. If you are boating near a coral reef, use mooring buoy systems when they are available.

When exploring the reefs use a trained and certified diver.

7. Spread the word. Get your friends and family involved. The more enthusiastic you are about preserving these fragile creatures the more you will get others to care too.

Schedule for the 1st Batallion Jamaica Regiment

2007-08-01T03:23:00.000-05:00

Source of Photo: http://www.jdfmil.org/

As we celebrate our 45th anniversary of independence in Jamaica and celebrate Emancipation Day, we are faced once again with the incredible thinking of those who lead our country.

The Jamaican Battalion are here in London to be part of the Queen's guards and provide entertainment for the Queen's adoring fans at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen's Guard is scheduled to change at Buckingham Palace at 1130 hours and the ceremony finishes at 12 noon.

The Jamaican Battalion will appear on the following dates:

Friday, the 3rd day of August

Tuesday, the 7th day of August

Saturday, the 11th day of August

Friday, the 17th day of August

Tuesday, the 21st day of August

Tobago Tours

2007-07-21T11:10:00.000-05:00

I have fond memories of Tobago. I'll never forget the sense of peace and calm that I experienced. I met some generous people who just loved life! I think some of this rub off on me and I'm grateful.

I must say special thanks to my Waterfalls and Rain Forest Tour Guide, Wayne. Thanks for your a well informed tour and for your patience, as I stopped to capture the wonderful scenery with my camera. Should you visit Tobago call him up and tell him I recommended him.

His contact information is :

Tel: 868 780 7020

Email waynegray23@hotmail.com
Website : www.waynesworld-tours.com

What is the Point of this? We are Independent!!!

2007-07-18T08:08:00.000-05:00

I had to share this piece of news with you my friends. I only hope that the Queen is paying for all this !

Jamaican regiment to guard Buckingham Palace
Published on Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Print Version
LONDON, England (AFP):

The Jamaican Defence Force is to guard Queen Elizabeth II's Buckingham Palace for a month starting Thursday, a military chief said, as the island celebrates 45 years of independence. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion Jamaican Regiment will mount The Queen's Guard at the monarch's official residence on alternate days.

Though Queen Elizabeth is the head of state of Britain, Jamaica and 14 other realms and territories, it is rare for overseas troops to mount The Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace. Jamaica, a former British colony, obtained its independence on August 6, 1962. "Competition for the opportunity of coming to London to mount The Queen's Guard has been fierce, training has been intense and the best of my men are looking forward to the honour of guarding Her Majesty," said the regiment's commander Colonel Derek Robinson.

They will also stand guard at Windsor Castle at the end of July. The centuries-old castle west of London is widely seen as her favourite residence. A 34-strong military and regimental band will accompany the soldiers on their trip to Britain, and will entertain London with traditional military tunes and Jamaican reggae numbers.

The band will play in St James's Park, next to Buckingham Palace, on Emancipation Day, August 1 and Independence Day.

Promoting CSME

2007-07-04T13:54:00.000-05:00

As I traverse the hilly landscape of St Vincent, one thing that was evident was that the Government, with the support of the UNDP, was making efforts to promote CARICOM and CSME.

The above picture shows one of the many signs that was posted throughout the island. I wonder why I don't see the same happening in other islands?

Profile of a Caribbean Woman

2007-06-29T10:33:00.000-05:00

Profile: Lady Scotland

Thursday June 28, 2007

Guardian Unlimited

If Lady Scotland had heeded the advice of a lecturer at London University she might not have been where she is today.

One of 12 children born in Dominica to a family of rich Caribbean landowners, she was brought to Britain when she was three.

She studied law despite a lecturer's warning that being black and female might be too big a hurdle to overcome.

How wrong he was, now that Gordon Brown has named her attorney general, the chief legal adviser to the government - the first woman to hold the post.

After her legal studies, Lady Scotland practised family law - not a field noted for high-flyers - as a barrister.

Yet even then, her talents were noticed. She was officially nudged by the last Conservative lord chancellor, Lord Mackay, to apply for silk at the unusually early age of 35, years before she herself would have thought of applying. He was intent on making her the country's first woman high court judge.

But Tony Blair beat him to the punch by nominating her for a life peerage on a Labour party list of working peers.

Patricia Scotland became Baroness Scotland of Asthal - the Oxfordshire village where she and her barrister husband live with their two sons. In due course she became the first black woman appointed a minister in the government.

She was reckoned to have been a good Lords performer in her Foreign Office job as junior minister responsible for the Caribbean and Britain's overseas territories. During her time there, she did no harm to her image by abseiling down a crevasse while on a foreign office trip to Antarctica.

Her next job was altogether tougher. The first woman lawyer to be made a minister of state in the lord chancellor's department, she assumed responsibility for the department's bills in the upper house.

She had the daunting task of defending the government's criminal justice bill plans for judge-only trials in serious and complex fraud cases.

Some thought she was too nice for the job and wondered whether she could deal with peers highly versed on such legal matters.

But she was confident, good at her job, on top of her brief; she worked hard and held her own. In the words of one veteran lobby correspondent, although Lady Scotland had been in the Lords for only five minutes, she looked as if she had been there for generations. In 2004, Channel 4 voted her "peer of the year".

................................................................................

Source of Photograph: 100 Great Black Britons - Baroness Patricia Scotland

Parlatuvier Bay - Tobago

2007-06-26T18:44:00.000-05:00

Tobago is indeed an ideal spot for a honeymoon. There were several "hideaway" spots and unspoilt beaches. Perfect to just relax and enjoy the moment with someone special.

Above is my favourite view of all - Parlatuvier Bay. It's located on the Caribbean Sea side of the island. Off the coast you'll find Sisters Rocks!

Don't forget to visit the amazing Bucco Reef ! Take a trip on one of the party boats and swim in the amazing "pool of youth".

Have breakfast at the House of Pancakes!

Independence Arch and Cuffy Monument

2007-06-18T18:08:00.000-05:00

MORE RESTRICTIONS ON JAMAICANS

2007-06-15T07:06:00.000-05:00

Costa Rica imposes visa on Jamaicans

Jamaica Gleaner

Friday June 15, 2007

Jamaicans wishing to travel to Costa Rica will need to obtain visas.
However, Jamaicans who have valid visas to enter the United States or countries within Europe are excluded, the Costa Rican Embassy said.

The embassy further advised that all persons wishing to enter Costa Rica must have a valid certificate of vaccination against yellow fever.

Photo Source: www.virtourist.com

Kaieture Falls - Guyana

2007-06-12T22:21:00.000-05:00

I spent last weekend in Guyana. I had a wonderful experience meeting and sharing with the people there. I took about 100 photos and it is now difficult to choose just one picture that captures the essence of Guyana. I hope you like my choice. I will upload others when I find some more time.

Celebrating our People!

2007-06-12T08:13:00.000-05:00

I'm always pleased when my people do well. I believe when we encourage each other as individuals, then we gain collectively!

So today, I say congratulations to another woman of Jamaican heritage: Diane Abbott . She is celebrating her anniversary as being the first Black Female British Member of Parliament.

.......................................
Abbott marks 20 years as first black British MP
published: Tuesday June 12, 2007
British Member of Parliament Diane Abbott
Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Born of Jamaican parents from Smithville in Clarendon, British Member of Parliament Diane Abbott, yesterday reached a milestone in political history as she celebrated her 20th anniversary since becoming the United Kingdom’s first black female MP.

“I cannot believe that it is 20 years since I was first elected,” Ms. Abbott said in a release. “The years seem to have gone by in the twinkling of an eye. One of my proudest moments was election day in 1987. I was the first black woman ever elected to Parliament.”Ms. Abbott reminisced that, throughout the campaign period, people kept telling her she would not have been victorious.

Only two black women still “When they announced the result in Hackney Town Hall it felt like a dream,” she said. “My mother was there at the count and she was ready to burst with pride. My biggest regret is that, after 20 years, there are still only two black women.”

Since that time, Ms. Abbott, who has represented the constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has become recognised as both an advocate for local issues and a staunch supporter of international campaigns.

Over the course of her political career she has spoken out against the Iraq war, stop and search powers, nuclear weapons and the Guantanamo Bay detention centres.

She has waged long-standing campaigns on black educational underachievement, gun crime, and gender and racial discrimination. She has since built a distinguished career as a parliamentarian, broadcaster and commentator.

We cannot afford to be blacklisted

2007-06-05T04:26:00.000-05:00

As I browse the papers this morning, I observed that following the arrest of the men who allegedly were involved in a plot to blow up the JFK, that our beautiful region is now being blacklisted. The region depends on foreign investment and the stability of our economy and therefore we can not afford to be accused of being a region that breeds terrorist.

Trinidad and Guyana has a large Indian population, many of who are practicing Muslims. Does that make them terrorist? Do they have the means or the inclination? I say no! Our people are not extremist or fanatics.

As the region marches towards uniting under the CSME, we are fully aware of the various stereotypes against us individually. Many persons from the region face the ordeal of going through the stress of obtaining a visa and sometimes to be sniffed upon with dogs as we travel. Often times our people are viewed as guilty until proven innocent. Just imagine what it would be like to have the added stigma of being terrorists!

We can not afford to be blacklisted as a region. We depend on foreign investment, trade and tourism to survive.

I trust that the CARICOM Heads of Government are meeting immediately to formulate a united strategy to protect our region.

Pitch Lake - Trinidad

2007-06-02T23:29:00.000-05:00

The Pitch Lake in Trinidad is one of the 3 natural asphalt/ tar reserves in the world. The others may be found in California and Venezuela.

It is located approximately 45 minutes south of San Fernando in an area known as La Brea, off the south western coast of Trinidad.

According to our tour guide, the area was discovered by Sir Walter Raleigh in the 1500's and he used the tar from the area to "patch" his ships.

The pitch is "mined" 2 times per day and is processed in nearby plant and then exported to make asphalt for road surfaces, batteries, etc. Although the tar is mined regularly the area naturally refills itself in a matter of hours.

The lake spew tar and water at the same time and the water is pumped from the lake on a regular basis.

Many view that bathing in the lake has therapeutic values. Our tour guide referred to it as "the fountain of youth". We could see the yellow sulphuric acid bubbling up to the surface in various spot. They believe that if you bathe and wash your hair in this water, skin aliments and dandruff problems would disappear.

The official our cost is TT$30/ US$5, so beware of unofficial tour guides who charge as much as US$25!

For additional information click:
http://www.trinidadlakeasphalt.com/the_pitch_lake_of_la_brea.html

Your Right to Vote in Jamaica

2007-06-01T12:48:00.000-05:00

Know Your Right to Vote in Jamaica's General Election

Source: www.jamaicans.com

The next general elections are expected to take place within six months in Jamaica. However, there is much concern about the provisions being made for certain persons who are qualified to vote under the laws of Jamaica. Every Jamaican should know their rights and seek to ensure that they exercise them.

Click link above for Full Article.

Female Chief Justice for Jamaica

2007-05-31T08:01:00.000-05:00

Justice Zallia McCalla has been appointed the first female Chief Justice of Jamaica with effect from June 27, 2007.

Congratulations! Another woman leads Jamaica. Let's hope that with this appointment comes radical and much need change within our judicial system.

I trust that one of the first issues on My Lady's agenda is the Caribbean Court of Justice!

Source of Photo: http://www.jis.gov.jm

My Journey to Toco - Trinidad

2007-05-30T12:02:00.000-05:00

When I arrived in Trinidad, I received rave reviews about Toco, which is the North Eastern section of the island. I heard how beautiful the beaches were and how it was the most ideal place to visit on the island.

Being the adventurer I am, I decided to hitch a ride to the area. ( With someone from work). We departed at 5:30 am from Port of Spain.

On my way up, Raymond became my tour guide. He graciously stopped at the various hideaway spots to show me the beautiful spots along the way. These included Matura Bay, Salybia Bay , Cumana Bay , Galeria Point and another Salybia Bay. Why there were 2 Salybia Bays in the same area was beyond me. Did they run out of names?

Most of the beaches were unspoilt! Some would say under developed. But it was an awesome feeling to experience the natural beauty of the rugged beaches.

We arrived at his mother's home which over looked Mission Bay. She gave us breakfast and then we went "a touring " with her as she visited Toco Radio station and a few other places to do her usual community work.

The plan was that they would drop me off at one of the villa's nearby. However, Miss Gloria decided to take me on and play my mother for the weekend. I am eternally grateful to her for taking me into her home and sharing her life and family with me.