Caribbean National Weekly receives Consulate of Jamaica Diaspora Honors
CNW Network / Caribbean National Weekly’s Hugh Ferguson are among ten Jamaicans residing in the Southern United States to have been selected for the Consulate of Jamaica Diaspora Honors 2017.
Jamaica’s Consul General to Miami, Franz Hall, announced the awardees on Wednesday.
Luminary Honor for Business Leadership
Ferguson has been awarded the Luminary Honor for Business Leadership. He founded the Caribbean National Weekly newspaper in South Florida in 2014. The newspaper is currently circulated throughout the Caribbean-American community.
The annual Diaspora Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2017, at the Sunrise Civic Center Theater, and will form part of the ongoing celebrations of Jamaica’s 55th Anniversary of Independence.
Based on approved criteria, a Jamaica Diaspora Honors Selection Committee evaluated and approved the final selection of awardees from the large number of exemplary nominations received.
Awardees positively impacted community
The presentation of the awards continues the tradition of recognizing Jamaicans in the Diaspora who have positively impacted their community. According to Consul General Hall “recognizing members of the Jamaican Diaspora for their indelible contributions to community development takes on a special significance this year, as the theme of Independence is “Celebrating Jamaicans at home and abroad.” Extending congratulations, Hall added that the awardees are being recognized for services directly supportive of Jamaica’s national development goals as well as community service to the positive mission of the Diaspora community positively impacting the local and wider international community.
Ten awards will be presented in the category of Luminaries including a Diaspora community organization, and one as Special Community Award. The names of the honorees will be inscribed on the Honor Roll of Jamaicans in the Southern United States of America.
The other awardees
The nine other Luminary Honors area for areas of Public Service presented to Ms. Merlene Barton, President and Co-Founder of the Thelma Gibson Health Initiative, Inc., Coconut Grove; and Ms. Georgia Robinson, Attorney and community activist; Faith and Religious Leadership, Rev. Dr. Wesley Green, Senior Pastor of the Christway Baptist Church, Miramar; Cultural Arts and Entertainment, performing artist and Executive Director of Rootz of Music, Inc., Mr. Eugene Grey; Philanthropy, Ms. Julie Mansfield, author, social activist and entrepreneur; Law and Justice to Jamaica’s Honorary Consul, Atlanta, Mrs. Jewel Scott, Attorney; and Education to Ms. Sandra Fatmi, Executive Director of United Association of Central Florida.
The Atlanta Jamaica Association (AJA) will be awarded for Outstanding Community Group. The AJA is this year celebrating 40 years as a community group.
The Special Community Honor will be presented to Dr. Malou Harrison, President of the Miami Dade College (MDC), North Campus and InterAmerican Campuses.
These awardees will now join the outstanding change makers, luminaries and vanguards who were previously recognized and who continue to render significant service to enhance the positive image of Jamaicans at home and in the Diaspora. Previous recipients of the honor can be accessed on the Consulate General’s website at: Jamaican Consul General’s List of Honorees
