CaribPR Wire

Octavia McIntosh of ibex Jamaica to Join Panel Discussion

ibex Sponsors Outsource2Jamaica Conference 2023

The event is taking place from May 10-11 in St. James, Jamaica.

CARIBPR WIRE, KINGSTON, Jamaica, May 10, 2023: ibex (NASDAQ: IBEX), a leading global provider of business process outsourcing (BPO) and customer engagement technology solutions, today announced its sponsorship of the Outsource2Jamaica Conference 2023 in St. James, Jamaica, May 10-11, 2023. In addition, ibex Senior Director of Talent Acquisition Octavia McIntosh will participate in the Destination Dialogue Panel to discuss Jamaica’s potential as a hub for the global services sector.

“As a global leader and innovator in delivering customer experience (CX) solutions geared for the digital-first marketplace, we are pleased to sponsor the Outsource2Jamaica Conference and support the growing outsourcing sector on the island,” said Tamara Ricketts-Brown, VP of Operations and Jamaica Country Manager, ibex. “Jamaica has earned a place as one of the top markets for BPOs around the globe. ibex views Jamaica as an excellent outsourcing market based on its well-educated English-speaking talent pool, robust infrastructure, and stable government. We continue to invest in growing our operations in Jamaica, where we currently have six sites and more than 7,500 employees.”

The Outsource2Jamaica Conference and Exposition, which is the largest event focused on Jamaica’s Global Services Sector (GSS), is presented by the (GSAJ). GSAJ is the leading representative body serving the Information, Communications Technology, Logistics Outsourcing and Business Process Outsourcing (Contact Center) sectors in Jamaica.

The theme for this year’s Outsource2Jamaica is “Ahead of the Curve”. The program is designed to showcase the resilience, growth and determination of this sector, illustrate how members in Jamaica have grown and pivoted, and promote Jamaica as the leading English-speaking outsourcing hub of the Caribbean.

“ibex is a long-standing and proud member of the GSAJ and will continue to be a champion in the effort to grow the outsourcing industry in Jamaica and bring higher value CX services and support opportunities to the island,” added Ricketts-Brown.

For more information about Outsource2Jaim, please visit https://outsource2jamaica.com/.

About ibex
ibex delivers innovative business process outsourcing (BPO), smart digital marketing, online acquisition technology, and end-to-end customer engagement solutions to help companies acquire, engage, and retain valuable customers. Today, ibex operates a global CX delivery center model consisting of 34 operations facilities around the world, while deploying next-generation technology to drive superior customer experiences for many of the world’s leading companies across retail, e-commerce, healthcare, fintech, utilities and logistics.

ibex leverages its diverse global team of over 30,000 employees together with industry-leading technology, including its Wave X platform, to manage nearly 200 million critical customer interactions, adding over $2.2B in lifetime customer revenue each year and driving a truly differentiated customer experience. To learn more, visit our website at ibex.co and connect with us on LinkedIn.

iBEX auspicia Conferencia Outsource2Jamaica 2023

Octavia McIntosh de IBEX Jamaica se une al panel de debate

CARIBPR WIRE, KINGSTON, Jamaica, May 10, 2023: ibex (NASDAQ: IBEX), un proveedor líder mundial de outsourcing de procesos empresariales (BPO) y soluciones de tecnología de participación del cliente, anunció hoy su auspicio de la Conferencia Outsource2Jamaica 2023 en St. James, Jamaica, del 10 al 11 de mayo de 2023. Además, la directora sénior de adquisición de talento de ibex, Octavia McIntosh, participará en el panel de debate de destinos para abordar el potencial de Jamaica como centro para el sector de servicios globales.

“Como líder mundial e innovador en ofrecer soluciones de experiencia del cliente (CX) orientadas al mercado digital, nos complace auspiciar la Conferencia Outsource2Jamaica y apoyar el creciente sector de outsourcing en la isla”, dijo Tamara Ricketts-Brown, vicepresidenta de operaciones y gerente de país de Jamaica para ibex. “Jamaica obtuvo un lugar como uno de los principales mercados para BPO en todo el mundo. ibex percibe a Jamaica como es un excelente mercado de outsourcing basado en su grupo de talentos de habla inglesa y bien educados, infraestructura sólida y gobierno estable. Continuamos invirtiendo en el crecimiento de nuestras operaciones en Jamaica, donde actualmente tenemos seis localidades y más de 7,500 empleados”.

La Conferencia y Exposición Outsource2Jamaica, que es el mayor evento centrado en el Sector de Servicios Globales (GSS) de Jamaica, es presentada por el (GSAJ). GSAJ es el organismo representativo líder dedicado a servir a los sectores de información, tecnología de comunicaciones, outsourcing de logística y outsourcing de procesos empresariales (Centro de Contacto) en Jamaica.

El tema de Outsource2Jamaica de este año es “Ahead of the Curve” (adelantarse a los acontecimientos). El programa está diseñado para demostrar la resiliencia, crecimiento y determinación de este sector, ilustrar cómo los miembros en Jamaica han crecido y pivotado, y promover a Jamaica como el principal centro de externalización de habla inglesa del Caribe.

“IBEX es un miembro orgulloso y de larga tradición del GSAJ y continuará siendo un campeón en el esfuerzo por avanzar el sector de outsourcing en Jamaica y ofrecer servicios de CX de mayor valor y oportunidades de soporte a la isla”, agregó Ricketts-Brown.

Para más información acerca de Outsource2Jaim, visite https://outsource2jamaica.com/.

Acerca de ibex
ibex ofrece outsourcing de procesos de negocios (BPO) innovadores, marketing digital inteligente, tecnología de adquisición en línea y soluciones de participación del cliente de extremo a extremo para ayudar a las empresas en la adquisición, participación y retención de clientes valiosos. Hoy, ibex opera un modelo de centro de entrega de experiencia del cliente (CX) global que consiste de 34 instalaciones de operaciones en todo el mundo, al mismo tiempo que implementa tecnología de última generación para promover experiencias superiores para el cliente para muchas de las empresas líderes mundiales en los sectores minorista, comercio electrónico, atención médica, tecnología financiera (fintech), servicios públicos y logística.

ibex aprovecha su diverso equipo global de más de 30.000 empleados junto con tecnología líder en el sector, incluyendo su plataforma Wave X, para la gestión de cerca de 200 millones de interacciones críticas con clientes, añadiendo más de $2.2 mil millones en ingresos vitalicios de clientes cada año e impulsando una experiencia de cliente verdaderamente diferenciada. Para más información, visite nuestro sitio web ibex.co y conéctese con nosotros en LinkedIn.

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GUADALAJARA, Mexico, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – Airports Council International (ACI) is pleased to announce the accreditation of all the airports that are part of Grupo AeroportuarIo del Pacífico (GAP) in the ACI Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) programme. GAP becomes the first airport group in the world to successfully accredit all its airports in the AHA program.

ACI’s Airport Health Accreditation programme supports airports assessing the new health measures and procedures introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with ICAO Council Aviation Restart Task Force (CART) recommendations and in alignment with the joint EASA and ECDC Aviation Health Safety Protocol.

The AHA program recognizes airports’ commitment to the safety of passengers, airport employees, and the general public. All passenger areas and processes are considered including terminal access, check-in areas, security screening, boarding gates, lounges, retail, food and beverages, gate equipment such as boarding bridges, escalators and elevators, border control areas and facilities (in collaboration with authorities), baggage claim area and arrivals exit.

“Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico reaffirms its commitment to the health and safety of passengers and employees by accrediting the 14 airports of the group (12 in México and 2 in Jamaica) in the ACI Accreditation of Sanitary Measures (AHA) program. GAP becomes the first Airport Group in the world to demonstrate that all its airports have successfully implemented their health measures in accordance with the recommendations of the ICAO CART and aligned with the best practices of the industry”, said Rafael Echevarne, Director General of ACI-LAC.

“Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico’s priority is to give its passengers a safe and pleasant travel experience. As proof of this is the present accreditation, which keeps us in the leadership of health security at an international level, applying the best protocols and measures in all our airports”, added Raúl Revuelta, CEO of Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico.

About ACI
Airports Council International (ACI) is the international airport organization, with 1,960 airports in 176 countries. The Latin American and Caribbean office (ACI-LAC) has 270 airports in 34 countries that manage 95% of air traffic in the region.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, S.A.B. of C.V. (GAP) is a Mexican company that develops its activity in the airport sector. GAP operates 12 international airports in Mexico and two in Jamaica, serving more than 300 destinations, through 35 airlines. Its shares are listed on the stock exchanges of Mexico and New York.

In 2019, GAP served 48.7 million passengers, 8.4% more than in 2018.

The airports managed by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico are located at:

• Guadalajara and Tijuana, serving the main metropolitan areas.
• Mexicali, Hermosillo, Los Mochis, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato and Morelia, serving medium-sized developing cities.
• La Paz, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo and Montego Bay, serving some of the most important tourist destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean.
• On October 10, 2018, GAP signed the concession contract with the government of Jamaica in order to operate, modernize and expand the Norman Manley International Airport (”KIN”) located in the city of Kingston.

The airports managed by GAP in Mexico are owned by the Mexican government and have been allocated in a 50-year concession starting in 1998, as part of a domestic initiative to privatize and improve the quality and security of the country’s airport services.

In Jamaica, the government owns the Montego Bay Airport and the concession granted for its operation is for a 30-year period, which will conclude on April 2033. The Kingston Airport was granted for a 25-year concession. GAP took control of the operation and administration this past October 2019.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico believes in the value of each individual and seeks to trigger his or her potential through education. Better-educated Mexicans will raise their quality of life and contribute towards the country’s development. GAP, in line with its business model and through its Foundation, is committed to be a factor of change. We work on two strategic pillars: work with the community, through the GAP Schools, and on training the airport community, with Community Training Centers.

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The new “Ocean Coral Spring by H10 Hotels” of approximately 120,000 m² of construction, will be an avant-garde complex with an imposing design composed of two phases, a wide range of entertainment spaces for all ages.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – Grupo Therrestra, under the leadership of Engineer Hugo Pérez Ovalles, continues to intensify its presence throughout the entire Caribbean region with the execution of the new project “Ocean Coral Spring by H10 Hotels”. This project represents a new sign of success for the group which specializes in Design, Construction and Supervision, recognized in the region for executing tourism projects of the most demanding and high end hotel chains in the world with quality and within a short period of time.

For the New Ocean Coral Spring, Therrestra will employ values that characterize the organization, which are: talent, adaptability and the confidence that H10 Hotels placed for the development of 957 rooms to be executed in two phases with a total of approximately 120,000 m² of construction.

The first phase, with 75,000 m² of construction, will conclude by the end of 2019 and will have 513 rooms in an urbanized environment with an impressive main building which has a great Gastronomic offer, Theaters, Convention Center, Bowling area and others. Will also have a luxurious Spa and other 14 service buildings to enrich the experience.

The second phase, with 45,000 m² of construction and 444 rooms will be the ideal environment for adults and it is scheduled to open by the end of 2020. Will have a main building and a lobby along with thematic restaurants and other specialized suitable areas for an environment to rest and relaxation.

The president of the Group, Hugo Pérez Ovalles, is thankful for the confidence deposited in Therrestra by the hotel chain, affirming its commitment with the development of high-quality projects and to continue being an ally of the tourism sector with the execution of hotel projects that exalt the Caribbean as an elite destination.

Satisfied with the projects carried out to date and grateful for this new challenge, Perez Ovalles confirmed that “The new Ocean Coral Spring by H10 Hotels is called to be a World Leader in tourism in the Caribbean and we are proud to be part of this initiative”.

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CaribPR Wire, DENVER, March 20, 2019: Starbuds, one of the world’s largest cannabis retailers, is pleased to announce its expansion into Jamaica. With plans to open in late Spring of 2019, Starbuds will become one of only 4 dispensaries to open its doors in the Jamaican capital of Kingston.

Through this licensing agreement, Starbuds will partner with Jamaican native Jonathan Harris to bring its exceptional customer service, industry knowledge and cannabis education to what is often thought of as the mecca of cannabis.

“Jamaica has a reputation as the birthplace of cannabis. It only makes sense that the market will continue to expand through International partnerships with more established companies and Starbuds is proud to be among the first.” says Brian Ruden, founder of Starbuds. “Through our unique owner-operator model, we have been able to provide an unprecedented level of customer service and industry know how while catering to the local demographic of each individual location. We strive to continue this model in Jamaica by pairing our history of experience in the industry with Jonathan’s connection to the community and the island’s affinity for the plant.”

“In Jamaica, I’ve always been surrounded by cannabis,” says Jonathan Harris, Starbuds Jamaica owner operator.  “It wasn’t until I started understanding the medicinal benefits of the plant and what cannabis can actually do, that I fell in love with it. I wanted to share the knowledge with my home country.”

Starbuds Kingston represents Starbuds’ first of many International ventures. Following the opening of Starbuds Kingston, Starbuds and Harris plan to partner on a second licensing agreement, to bring an additional Starbuds location to the Northern Coast of the island.

About Starbuds

Starbuds is changing the way people think about cannabis. Founded in 2013, Starbuds was among the first retail outlets to receive licensing when Colorado legalized recreational cannabis. Starbuds intends to establish its footprint as one of the largest internationally-operating cannabis retail companies.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This communication contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and forecasts, as well as the beliefs and assumptions of Starbuds’ management, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict.  Many factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated, including: risks and uncertainties discussed in this communication. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

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KINGSTON, Jamaica, Feb. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – Jamaica is participating in Routes Americas in Quebec, Canada between 12 and 14 February to promote the country as a tourism and business destination. Routes Americas is top leading summit in the Western Hemisphere for the development of new routes and airlift attended by airline and airport executives from across the region.

Jamaica’s objective at the event is to attract new flights and airlines to this leading Caribbean destination. The promotion of destination Jamaica is being supported by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), which operates Jamaica’s leading international gateway, Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, and as incoming operator of Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

Meetings have been scheduled with 20 airlines based in Canada, the US, the EU and Latin America, including American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, British Airways, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Southwest, United Airlines and TUI, among several others.

Routes Americas will get the industry geared up for the World Routes 2019 summit to be held in Adelaide, Australia in September, where GAP will intensify the promotion of Jamaica as an investment and tourism destination. The World Routes summit in Adelaide will have a global reach with the participation of airlines based in the EU, Africa, Asia and Australia, many of which do not typically participate in Routes Americas.

GAP is committed to promoting Jamaica as an extraordinary destination with countless natural wonders and an excellent tourism product, as well as for its attractiveness as a destination for foreign investment that promotes the sustainable economic and social development of the country.

About Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, S.A.B. de C.V. (GAP) is a leading airport operator based in Mexico. GAP holds concessions for the operation of 12 international airports in Mexico and two in Jamaica, providing service to more than 300 destinations via 35 airlines. The company’s shares are listed in Mexico and in New York.

GAP served 40.7m passengers in 2017, an 11.4% increase over 2016.

Airports operated by GAP are based in:

• Guadalajara and Tijuana, serving the principal metropolitan areas;
• Mexicali, Hermosillo, Los Mochis, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato and Morelia, serving these medium-size developing cities;
• La Paz, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo and Montego Bay, leading tourism destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean;
• On October 10^th, 2018, GAP announced it had closed the public-private-partnership to operate, modernize and expand Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica.

Airports operated by GAP in Mexico are owned by the Mexican government and operated under a 50-year concession that commenced in 1998 as part of a national initiative to privatize and improve the quality of service and security at airports across the country.

Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay is owned by the Government of Jamaica and operated under a 30-year concession by MBJ Airports, a partnership between GAP and Vantage Airport Group. GAP was awarded a 25-year concession to operate Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston commencing in October 2019.

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Dr. Monty Alexander, CD. (PHOTO CREDIT: Joe Martinez/Jazz at Lincoln Center)

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Dec. 12, 2018: Jamaican-born, Grammy-nominated international jazz maestro, Monty Alexander, CD, is set to make his first US performance this holiday as a newly-minted honorary Doctorate of Letters of the University of the West Indies Mona Campus.

Alexander, who has made his mark globally for his own brand of jazz, will celebrate the holidays at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, (JCAL), 153-10 Jamaica Avenue, Queens, NY 11432, on December 15, 2018 at 7 p.m. under the theme: “Love Notes.”

The performance is sure to feature the maestro’s mashup of jazz with calypso, reggae, mento and other island music from his Grammy-nominated album, and leave many fans tapping their feet, straight up dancing or make converts of the staid.

Tickets are US$20 for adults and $15 for students and can be obtained here or on Event Brite.

Born Montgomery Bernard Alexander on D-Day in Kingston, Jamaica in 1944, the musical virtuoso has five decades of performances and over 70 CDs under his belt.  Alexander began his musical career at age four by playing Christmas carols by ear. He is now most widely known as an upper echelon master of the swinging piano trio function as he has demonstrated with several top-shelf groups, including iconic units with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, and with the legendary bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis.

Alexander also performs frequently with Harlem-Kingston Express, a double trio in which he coalesces his love for hard-swinging jazz with musical flavors that reflect his Jamaican heritage, shifting between an acoustic trio and master Jamaican practitioners of electric bass and drums.

At 74, he continues to tour the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful message.

For more on the Monty Alexander and his amazing brand of jazz, visit him on YouTube or at montyalexander.com. You can also like him on Facebook at facebook.com/officialmontyalexander or keep up to date on his performance on Twitter at @montyHKE.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Felicia Persaud

Hard Beat Communications

718-476-3616

[email protected]

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Oct. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The most honorable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica hosted the Norman Manley International Airport Public-Private Partnership Execution of the Concession Agreement to Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP).

GAP is a Mexican corporation that operates thirteen international airports in large metropolitan areas, industrial centers, and world-class leisure destinations of Mexico and Jamaica. In the last 18 years, the Group has invested over $1.2 billion US Dollars in the airports, positioning itself as one of the fastest growing airport groups of its size in the world. During 2017, the airports of the Group managed 40.7 million of passengers.

In April 2015, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico assumed operational control of Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, investing over 191 million US Dollars to acquire a 74.5% stake in this airport. This was the largest investment of the Group outside Mexico.

GAP has developed a culture committed to customer service. One of the main objectives of the Group once it takes control of the operations of the Norman Manley International Airport next year, will be to improve the infrastructure and equipment to fulfill passengers’ needs.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, manages airports based on establishing strong partnerships with the airport owner, the passengers, the airlines, business developers, members in the air transportation industry and notably, with the local authorities.

“We will collaborate with the government of Jamaica in identifying tourism development opportunities and possible investors from Mexico; as well as explore potential growth for new resorts, tourism facilities and time-share business in parts of the country where the connectivity provided by the airport could be a catalyst”, mentioned Raul Revuelta, Chief Executive Officer of the Group during the ceremony in which participated Hon. Robert Montague, Minister of Transport & Mining.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, S.A.B. de C.V. (GAP) is a Mexican company that operates 13 international airports in the Pacific and Central Regions of Mexico and in the Caribbean:

• Guadalajara and Tijuana, serving the main metropolitan areas.
• Mexicali, Hermosillo, Los Mochis, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato and Morelia, serving mid-sized and developing cities.
• La Paz, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo and Montego Bay, serving some of the leading tourist destinations.

In Mexico, the airports are owned by the Mexican government and were assigned 50-year concessions as part of a national initiative to privatize and improve the quality and safety of the country’s airport services. In the last 18 years, GAP has invested over $1.2 billion USD in the airports. During 2017, the airports of the Group managed 40.7 million passengers.

In April 2015, GAP assumed operational control of the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.

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Award-winning Jamaican Jazz Maestro Monty Alexander (PHOTO CREDIT: Joe Martinez/Jazz at Lincoln Center)

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. June 7, 2018: Over five decades of performances and more than 70 CDs later, award-winning Jamaican jazz maestro, Monty Alexander, is still thrilling jazz fans and introducing newbies to the genre with style. And this June, he is getting ready to do it all over again, as he gears up for a busy National Caribbean American Heritage Month in the United States.

The man, who singer extraordinaire, Tony Bennett, has declared put on one of the “best jazz shows” he has ever seen, is getting ready to play venues across the US as well as in Canada this June.

His month will kick off in Phoenix, Arizona on June 21^st as the man considered to be one of the top five jazz pianists ever, will take his rhythmic, emotionally charged and virtuosic style of playing to Phoenix, Arizona’s Musical Instrument Museum, (MIM), at 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. Show time is 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $38.50–$48.50 and can be obtained here.

The Museum is the largest of its type in the world with a collection of over 15,000 musical instruments and associated objects includes examples from nearly 200 countries and territories. Alexander will join a long list of stellar artists who have performed at MIM, including jazz legend Ramsey Lewis, Grammy-award winner George Benson, Motown’s Martha Reeves, Lyle Lovett, American Idol winner Jordin Sparks and Ronnie Spector.

Then its off to the West Coast for a two-night LA performance at Catalina’s Jazz Club at 6725 W. Sunset Blvd. from June 22nd to the 23rd. Showtime will be 8:30 p.m. nightly and tickets are priced from $30 for the Friday night show and can be bought here while Saturday night’s performance will cost $5 more and can be secured here.

New York Performances

Alexander will celebrate jazz and Caribbean American Heritage Month in New York City with back-to-back shows from June 24 – 26^th at the popular NYC Jazz haunt, Blue Note, at 131 West 3rd Street in Manhattan. Show time nightly will be 8 p.m. and this special series of performance will be presented under the theme: “Love Notes: Jamaica To Jazz,” paying tribute to the maestro’s homeland, which he left behind 55 years ago but still holds in his heart and honors with every performance.

Tickets start at $20 for a bar seat and $35 for a table reservation and can be obtained here.

Canada
The Jamaican and American classic will wrap up the month in Canada as he takes his unique brand of jazz to the groovy Montreal International Jazz Festival at Monument-National, 1182 St. Laurent Blvd. from 8 p.m. Tickets are $51.75 and can be secured here.

ABOUT ALEXANDER

Born on D-Day, June 6, 1944 in Kingston, Jamaica, Alexander was playing Christmas carols by ear at 4, entertaining neighbors and relatives by 5 and taking his first piano lessons at 6. He resisted formal instruction, but still, growing up in Kingston, absorbed all the musical flavors that comprise his mature sonic palette of today.

Alexander began playing in local Kingston clubs at 14, when he also made his first recordings, some as leader of a group called Monty and the Cyclones, and others as a sideman for such legendary producers as Ken Khouri (Federal Records), Duke Reid (Treasure Isle), and Clement Coxsone Dodd at Studio One.

These early sessions for Federal, which Alexander describes as “not calypso music, but the beginning of Ska,” included such subsequently famous talents as trombonist Don Drummond, tenor saxophonist Roland Alphonso and guitarist Ernest Ranglin.

Alexander is most widely known as an upper echelon master of the swinging piano trio function, as he has demonstrated with several top-shelf groups, including iconic units with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, and with the legendary bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis.

He also performs frequently with Harlem-Kingston Express, a double trio in which he coalesces his love for hard-swinging jazz with musical flavors that reflect his Jamaican heritage, shifting between an acoustic trio and master Jamaican practitioners of electric bass and drums. He debuted the project at Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2009 and documented it both on the Grammy-nominated 2011 CD, Harlem-Kingston Express: LIVE, and its 2014 Soultrain Award nominated follow-up, Harlem Kingston Express 2: The River Rolls On (Motéma).

For more on the Monty Alexander and his brand of jazz, visit him on YouTube or at montyalexander.com. You can also like him on Facebook at facebook.com/officialmontyalexander or keep up to date on his performance on Twitter at @montyHKE.

Media Contact:

Felicia Persaud

Hard Beat Communications

718-476-3616

[email protected]

WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Pennsylvania, May 14, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — ASTM International, one of the world’s leading standards organizations, announced today that it will host several events in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana as part of the “Caribbean Roadshow,” June 4-8.

The roadshow includes outreach, training, and education focused on the growing use of ASTM International standards and International Code Council (ICC) codes. The team will highlight longstanding Caribbean partnerships and focus on how standards and codes are the foundation for quality and safety in construction projects.

Activities also include industry workshops and meetings with high-profile groups in Kingston (June 4-5), Port of Spain (June 6), and Georgetown (June 7-8). Speakers will include Mark Johnson, executive vice president of ICC, and R. Christopher Mathis, ASTM International board member and president of MC2 Mathis Consulting.

“This partnership involves unprecedented outreach and networking aimed at finding solutions to sustainable construction challenges,” said ASTM International director of external relations, James Olshefsky. “We look forward to highlighting the many members and dozens of partners who increasingly use ASTM’s high-quality standards throughout the region.”

In addition, the roadshow will include student forums during which students will learn about ASTM’s academic offerings, and laboratory roundtables, where ASTM staff will present information about ASTM’s laboratory services.

ASTM International has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) as well as all of its member states including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana. These agreements encourage participation of technical experts worldwide in the standards development process, while also broadening the global acceptance of ASTM International standards.

The “Caribbean Roadshow” follows a similar roadshow in September 2017 to El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama.

Over the past 17 years, ASTM International has signed 109 MOUs with national standards bodies worldwide. As a result, its standards have been referenced more than 7,500 times outside the United States in laws, regulations, codes, and elsewhere. For more information on this program, visit www.astm.org/GLOBAL/mou.html.

Follow the Road Show on Facebook and Twitter (#ASTMRoadShow).

About ASTM International

Committed to serving global societal needs, ASTM International positively impacts public health and safety, consumer confidence, and overall quality of life. We integrate consensus standards – developed with our international membership of volunteer technical experts – and innovate services to improve lives… Helping our world work better.

Roadshow Contact: James Olshefsky, tel +1.610.832.9714; [email protected]

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CaribPR Wire, TORONTO, May 08, 2018: As part of their recently launched Flying Start program, Sunwing Foundation is joining forces with Books Give Us Wings (a Toronto-based charity established by seasoned North York elementary school teacher and Jamaican-born, Myrna Gabbidon, that promotes children’s literacy in the Caribbean) to fly just under 3,000 new and gently used children’s books to Jamaica in time for Read Across Jamaica Day (May 8^th).

A quantity of books donated were collected as part of the Sunwing Foundation’s Flying start program that seeks to provide children with all the necessary supplies for learning in destinations served by the travel company. A large part of today’s donation was coordinated by Ms. Gabbidon who reached out to students at several schools across Toronto for help in order that a special delivery could be made in time for the national reading awareness day.

Ms. Gabbidon and the books collected were flown down on Sunwing Airlines to Jamaica yesterday. Sunwing’s local destination team, Sunwing Experiences, will be coordinating deliveries of the books to select local elementary schools throughout Jamaica with Ms. Gabbidon today, May 8^th, and May 9^th.

“My primary goal with this initiative is to ensure every child owns a book, as I believe literacy and art are both key to helping children become successful in their education and develop into contributing members of society,” says Gabbidon. “When you give a child a book, you give them wings; enabling their imagination to take flight and to become passionate and curious about the world.”

The Sunwing Foundation established the Flying Start program earlier this year to support students in the Caribbean by providing them with books and education supplies. Today’s donation is expected to positively impact thousands of Jamaican students.

“The Sunwing Foundation is committed to supporting youth and education projects in the destinations we serve.” says Stephen Hunter, CEO of Sunwing Travel Group. “We are pleased to help promote literacy on Jamaica’s National Reading Day.”

For more information on the Sunwing foundation, please visit www.sunwingfoundation.com.

About The Sunwing Foundation

A charitable initiative established by the Hunter family, the Sunwing Foundation reflects the Sunwing Travel Group’s enduring commitment to the support and development of youth in the communities where it operates in the form of project funding or the transport of humanitarian aid. The Sunwing Foundation passes on 100% of the charitable donations it raises to the communities that need it the most, funding educational and skills development projects to provide a direct, impactful, and sustainable improvement to quality of life for years to come.

About Books Give Us Wings
Books Give Us Wings is a charitable initiative created and led by seasoned school teacher from the North York area of Toronto, Myrna Gibbon. The idea for Books Give Us Wings was sparked in 2011 when Marguerite Jackson, Director of North York Board of Education at the time, collaborated with a number of educators, including Myrna, to provide each elementary classroom a bin of books the students could relate to—both fiction and non-fiction. The initiative received such a strong and positive response, Myrna decided to take the initiative further. Thus, Books Give Us Wings was born.

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La fundación Sunwing Foundation se asocia con Books Give Us Wings para fomentar el amor por la lectura en el evento Read Across Jamaica Day

CaribPR Wire, TORONTO, May 09, 2018: Como parte de su programa Flying Start de reciente lanzamiento, la fundación Sunwing Foundation trabaja junto con Books Give Us Wings (una organización benéfica con sede en Toronto, creada por la experimentada maestra de escuela primaria de North York, la jamaiquina Myrna Gabbidon, que promueve la alfabetización de los niños en el Caribe) para enviar por avión casi 3000 libros para niños nuevos y usados en buen estado a Jamaica a tiempo para el día de fomento de la lectura Read Across Jamaica Day (el 8 de mayo).

Una gran cantidad de libros donados se recolectó como parte del programa Flying Start de Sunwing Foundation, que busca brindar a los niños todos los elementos necesarios para el aprendizaje en los destinos a los que vuela la empresa de viajes. Gran parte de la donación de hoy fue coordinada por la Sra. Gabbidon, quien se comunicó con estudiantes de muchas escuelas de Toronto para pedirles ayuda para que esta entrega especial pudiera realizarse a tiempo para el día nacional de fomento de la lectura.

La Sra. Gabbidon y los libros recolectados volaron ayer a Jamaica en Sunwing Airlines. El equipo local de Sunwing, Sunwing Experiences, coordinará la entrega de los libros a escuelas primarias seleccionadas en todo el territorio jamaiquino junto con la Srta. Gabbidon, el 8 y 9 de mayo.

“Mi principal objetivo con esta iniciativa es garantizar que cada niño posea un libro, ya que creo que la lectura y el arte son clave para ayudar a los niños a triunfar en el aprendizaje y a desarrollarse como miembros activos de la sociedad”, expresó la Sra. Gabbidon. “Darle un libro a un niño es darle alas; esto permite que su imaginación vuele, le da entusiasmo y despierta su curiosidad con respecto al mundo”.

Sunwing Foundation lanzó a principios de este año el programa Flying Start para apoyar a los estudiantes del Caribe mediante la provisión de libros y suministros para la educación. Se espera que la donación de hoy tenga un impacto positivo en miles de estudiantes jamaiquinos.

“Sunwing Foundation se ha comprometido a apoyar a los jóvenes y a los proyectos educativos en los destinos a los que viaja”, comentó Stephen Hunter, director ejecutivo de Sunwing Travel Group. “Nos complace ayudar a promover la lectura en el Día Nacional de la Lectura de Jamaica”.

Si desea obtener más información sobre Sunwing Foundation, visite www.sunwingfoundation.com.

Acerca de Sunwing Foundation

Sunwing Foundation, una iniciativa benéfica creada por la familia Hunter, refleja el inquebrantable compromiso del Sunwing Travel Group de apoyar a los jóvenes en las comunidades donde opera mediante la financiación de proyectos o el transporte de ayuda humanitaria. Sunwing Foundation destina el 100 % de las donaciones que recauda a las comunidades que más lo necesitan a través de la financiación de programas educativos y de desarrollo de habilidades con el fin de crear mejoras directas, concretas y sostenibles en la calidad de vida de los años venideros.

Acerca de Books Give Us Wings
Books Give Us Wings es una iniciativa benéfica creada y liderada por Myrna Gabbidon, una experimentada maestra de North York, en el área de Toronto. La idea de Books Give Us Wings surgió en 2011 cuando Marguerite Jackson, directora de la Junta de Educación de North York en aquel momento, colaboraba con algunos educadores, incluida Myrna, para brindar a cada clase de la escuela primaria una caja de libros, de ficción y de no ficción, con los que los niños pudieran sentirse identificados. La iniciativa tuvo una respuesta contundente y positiva, pero Myrna decidió ampliar esta iniciativa. Así surgió Books Give Us Wings.

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Grammy Nominated Legendary Jamaican Jazz Great Monty Alexander.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Mar. 30, 2018: Jamaica’s Grammy-nominated jazz maestro, Monty Alexander, is set to return for a four-night performance next week in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., after a four-year absence.

Alexander is slated to perform at the legendary Blues Alley, located at 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Washington, D.C., from Thursday, April 5^th to Sunday, April 8^th.  The show has been billed as: “Monty Alexander – From Kingston to Harlem,” and fans will certainly be taken on this extraordinary musical journey with the star musician, who not only treats his audience to a spectacular performance, but to a captivating tale of his rise from a self-taught young man in Kingston, to the globetrotting, in demand performer he is today.

“I have been playing at Blues Alley off and on since 1971, so this will be my 47th year there and I am looking forward to returning,” commented Alexander.

Showtimes are 8 and 10 p.m. nightly and tickets start at US $46 and can be purchased directly by logging on here or at https://www.bluesalleylive.com/?fuseaction=home.artist&VenueID=3&artistid=2145

Blues Alley has been around since 1965 in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood. It is the nation’s oldest continuing jazz supper club. Jazz musicians who have recorded a Live at Blues Alley album include Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis and Grover Washington, Jr. Blues Alley offers its patrons a unique ambiance, reminiscent of the jazz clubs of the 1920’s and 30’s.

ABOUT ALEXANDER

Alexander is a Jamaican and an American classic. Since moving to the US 55 years ago, he has continued to tour the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his vibrant personality and soulful message. Like his “eternal inspiration,” Erroll Garner, Alexander – listed at Number 5 in ‘The Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time,’ gives the hardcore-jazz-obsessed much to dig into while also communicating the message to the squarest “civilian “along with his Harlem-Kingston Express. In live performances with his band, Alexander spontaneously orchestrates, switching-off from straight-ahead to two-worlds-meet.

Born on D-Day, June 6, 1944, Alexander was playing Christmas carols by ear at 4, entertaining neighbors and relatives by 5 and taking his first piano lessons at 6. He resisted formal instruction, but still, growing up in Kingston, absorbed all the musical flavors that comprise his mature sonic palette of today.

For more on the Monty Alexander and his brand of jazz, visit him on YouTube or at montyalexander.com. You can also like him on Facebook at facebook.com/officialmontyalexander or keep up to date on his performance on Twitter at @montyHKE.

Media Contact:

Felicia J. Persaud

Hard Beat Communications

718-476-3616

[email protected]

…. As Alexander Gears Up For Six-City Tour

Grammy Nominated Legendary Jamaican Jazz Great Monty Alexander.

CaribPR Wire, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Aug. 16, 2017: A French journalist’s comparison of the fluidity of the strides of recently retired Jamaican Olympic legend Usain Bolt to the agile hands of Grammy-nominated, Jamaican jazz great, Monty Alexander, on a piano, has left the virtuoso speechless.

Alexander said he was shocked recently, when while reading journalist David Gakunzi’s piece, ‘Bolt: La course manqué,’ he realized the writer had compared his hands, furiously playing one of his classics, ‘Take The A Train,’ to the strides of the world’s greatest athlete.

“To conquer the sky once more … his steps as fluid as the agile hands of Monty Alexander revisiting ‘Take the A train’ on a furious piano, marking history one last time,” Gakunzi wrote in French in his August 14, 2017 piece in La Regle Du Jeu.

“It is definitely a unique comparison,” Alexander commented recently. “I never thought of it that way but I know for me, similarly to Usain Bolt, I want to help to bring more good will and see Jamaica rise to its highest potential wherever I go.”

Alexander, who has been presented with the Commander In The Order Of Distinction for outstanding services to his homeland as a worldwide music ambassador, is set for a six-city tour across the US, beginning tomorrow, August 17^th.

The one-of-a-kind musician will play the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 17, 2017. Tickets for this one-time performance are $43.50 – $48.50 and can be purchased here.

On Friday, August 18^th, Alexander will play one show only at the Smith Center in Las Vegas from 7 p.m. Tickets are $39 – $59 and can be purchased here. On Saturday, August 19^th, the man widely known as an upper echelon master of the swinging piano trio function, will travel to California for three performances. On Saturday night at 5 and 8 p.m., respectively, he will play the Lesher Theatre. Tickets are on sale now and can be bought here.

On Sunday August 20^th, Alexander will play a sold-out matinee show at Jazz at Filoli in Woodwide, CA and on Monday, August 21^st, the top pianist will play the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in n Santa Cruz, CA from 7 p.m. Tickets are $30-35 and can be purchased here.

Alexander will wrap up his six-city performance with back-to-back shows at Dazzle’s Jazz in Denver, CO from Tuesday August 22^nd to Wednesday, Aug. 23^rd. Showtime nightly is 8:30 p.m. and tickets from $20 – $45 can be obtained here now.

ABOUT ALEXANDER

Alexander is one of the most sought after jazz pianists in the world and is ranked in the top five in ‘The Fifty Greatest Piano Players of All Time.’ Soon after moving to the U.S. from his native Jamaica, his amazing talent caught the ears of Frank Sinatra and Jilly Rizzo, and he was hired as house pianist at Jilly’s, New York City’s famed club, where he worked with some of the top names in jazz. Fifty-five years after he moved to the United States from Kingston, Jamaica, he has become an American classic. Whether playing straight jazz, Jamaican Reggae, Soul, or the music of his idols, Nat ‘King’ Cole and Frank Sinatra, Alexander’s energy and vibrancy, coupled with his musical prowess on the piano, will astound fans anywhere. He tours the world relentlessly with various projects, delighting a global audience drawn to his effervescent personality and soulful message. His spirited conception is one informed by the timeless verities: endless melody-making, effervescent grooves, sophisticated voicings, a romantic spirit, and a consistent predisposition. As Alexander, himself, sums it up: “To build up the heat and kick up a storm.”

For more on Monty Alexander and his music visit him on YouTube or at montyalexander.com. You can also like him on Facebook at facebook.com/officialmontyalexander or keep up to date on his performance on Twitter at @montyHKE.

Media Contact:

Felicia Persaud

Hard Beat Communications

718-476-3616

[email protected]

CaribPR Wire, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 18, 2017: The Government of Jamaica and Christel House last week entered into a Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement, which facilitates the development of a new learning center on the island – the second most-impoverished in the Caribbean.  Christel House, an international NGO with a proven track record of breaking the cycle of poverty for severely at-risk children, will build its facility on a 10 acre parcel of land near Kingston, which the Jamaican government is contributing as part of a public private partnership.   At its own expense, Christel House will construct a facility which will serve approximately 840 students from the severely impoverished area.

Minister of Education, Youth & Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, applauds the decision of Christel House to invest in Jamaica. “This proposed development will be a significant addition to the many safe housing facilities available for the children under our watchful care,” says Reid. “This will be a home where the children will experience love, care and security, while their education and development needs are being addressed.”

Christel House Jamaica plans to begin operations no later than August, 2019.  The school will be built in phases, with the first phase to accommodate grades KG – 2.  Each year thereafter an additional 60 kindergarten students will be admitted, and the school will grow organically until it reaches capacity at grade 13.  Admission to the tuition-free school is needs-based. In addition to academics, leadership and character education, students will receive books, uniforms, transportation, breakfast, lunch and a snack daily and health services.

Christel House Founder and CEO, Christel DeHaan, is delighted with the expansion announcement.  “Breaking the cycle of poverty is the only way to unleash human potential and to build better societies.  We are thrilled to bring a Christel House to Jamaica and we thank the Ministry of Education for its support and belief in our model and our mission.”

Fundraising initiatives will be pursued both on-island and around the world, but particularly in the U.S., where Christel House International is based.  Christel House Jamaica is a Jamaican legal entity, with an independent board of directors, and its nonprofit tax status is expected to be received shortly.  The organizations have no political or religious affiliations.

See a video about Christel House Jamaica

About Christel House International

The mission of Christel House is to transform the lives of impoverished children around the world—breaking the cycle of poverty and building self-sufficient, contributing members of society. A focus on academic excellence through a robust K–12 curriculum is combined with a strong character development program to give students the skills and competencies necessary to compete successfully in complex 21st Century society.

Much more than a school, Christel House was established in 1998 by Founder and CEO Christel DeHaan, and currently serves over 4,600 impoverished students through eight learning centers—located in India, Mexico, South Africa and the U.S.A. Christel House students maintain a 99% graduation exam pass rate, and the majority of its graduates go on to pursue higher education. They become productive citizens, and many secure employment with top multinational corporations. Christel House graduates are confident, hardworking, responsible and ethical, with a passion for giving back to their communities and caring for their families.

For more information, please visit www.christelhouse.org and follow us on social media: www.facebook.com/christelhouse; www.twitter.com/christelhouse

Attachments:

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Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/62d47922-4b5e-4239-858a-ed9f7b0b0e3b