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PR Brief Newsletter on the practice of Public Relations in Jamaica

Volume 2 August 2012

The Public Relations Society of

Jamaica will host the Information

Minister, Senator Sandrea Falconer, at

its August 28 meeting at the PCJ

Auditorium where she will outline the

government's expectations of

communicators on Jamaica 50 and the

achievements of the London 2012

Olympics.

The society's membership has been

discussing ways that communications

professionals can significantly

leverage the value of brand Jamaica to

the benefit of their clients, and

ultimately the nation.

Corporate Canapé

Camille Taylor is now head of

communications at PCJ having left LIME.

Melecia Brown will depart the National

Security Policy Coordinating Unit

of the Cabinet Office to purse studies.

Senator Falconer's address will

provide feedback and outline the

administration's vision for

successful positioning of national

values in different markets and

spheres both inside and outside

of the country.

Contd on page 2.…

Information Minister to address communicators on

imperatives following 2012 independence/Olympics

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Contd from page 1.…

At past meetings practitioners expressed a high

level of concern for greater collaboration in the

profession to leverage the strangths of the human

resource in Jamaica and also for internal and

external nation branding.

The PRSJ is the professional body that represents

Public Relations practitioners in Jamaica and

celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2011. PRSJ

Experience Jamaica at PRSJ

General Meeting

Ultra light refreshments

will be on sale

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Message Independence Day 2012

President of the Public Relations Society of Jamaica, Christopher Benjamin

Tom Dickens' signal novel, ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ gave us the memorable line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”. I recall this line now as we celebrate our 50th year of Independence since it encapsulates quite well our state of being. No question, Jamaica is replete with examples of things which are right and have recommended us highly to the rest of the world. So our sportsmen and women, the exponents of our creative industries, our cuisine, our intellectual prowess for instance have distinguished our nation way beyond our shores, stamping what it means to be Jamaican far and wide. However “Jamaicaness” is not limited to us here on the island. A very recent example of what I’m talking about – at our recent ‘World Reggae Dance Festival’ held as part of our Jamaica 50 celebrations, it was ‘Japan Squad’ out of Japan that took home the top prize! And of equal note is the fact that at our ‘Dancehall Queen’ contest held also recently in Montego Bay, entrants were present from all over the world and it was, you guessed it, a Japanese that took the runner-up position.

But even as we celebrate and embrace all the encomiums which have come our way as a result of these aspects of our culture, we can’t escape the unsavoury elements which continue to stifle our growth. So our crime rate continues to dwarf our achievements elsewhere; our unemployment rate is cause for concern; corruption in various spheres of our society sees us placing very low on the International Corruption Index and our economy has not recorded any positive growth for what seems like aeons. But all is not lost; indeed we have a future pregnant with positive possibilities. I want the Public Relations Society of Jamaica (PRSJ) to assist this nation in transforming some of those possibilities into reality. The Society has residing in our ranks some of the finest practitioners of our craft and I am confident that we can use our collective energies in having more of ‘the best of times’ and less of ‘the worst of times’. I am encouraging us to use this watershed moment in our nation’s history to pledge to have our voices heard on national issues; to lift the standard of our profession; to do our part in volunteerism efforts; to engage in activities that will assist in enhancing the potency of the brand that is called Jamaica. We in the Society have a great vantage point from which to do this. Let us seize the opportunity and run with it – history will judge us harshly if we drop this ball! Happy Jamaica 50 Independence.

Corporate Canapé The lead public relations and marketing practitioners for the Jamaica 50 Golden

Jubilee Village were Pauline Nelson and Angela Thame. Event Director was Lisa Ann Ogilvie and organsiser of the nightly shows was Joan Young Davis.

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Experience Jamaica at the PRSJ General Meeting on August 28 and be greeted by musical duo Andre Jones on flute and Hanief Lallo on violin.

Public Relations Society of Jamaica

P.O. Box 8240 CSO Kingston Jamaica

Email:prsj2009@gmail.com Blog: http://publicrelationssocietyofjamaica.blogspot.com/

Website: http://sites.google.com/site/gojamaicapr/home

Submissions for consideration are welcome

Corporate Canapé Pioneer broadcaster, Desmond Elliot

passed away on July 29. He is associated with the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation’s School

Challenge Quiz and sports programming.