Minutes of the Annual General Meeting
of the
Public Relations Society of Jamaica
March 28, 2011
Jampro Training Room,
18 Trafalgar Road, Kingston
Present
Past Presidents
Christine Ann Bell, Innovative IDEAS
Mark Thomas, Jampro
Patricia Gillings,
Trustees
Camille Taylor, LIME
Members
Akilah Maxwell , PIOJ
Carroll EdwardsUWI, Mona
Cheryl Smith, Min Finance and the Public Service
Christopher Benjamin, Communications Consultant
Claudette Myers, PIOJ
Delmares White, ODPEM
Gwyneth Davidson, OPM
Meris Haughton TAXARP
Opal Davis, NSWMA
Khorie Ann Beckford, Breakthrough Communications
Visitors
Sean Beckford, First Global Bank
N Joseph Tai, Bess100 FM
Pearl Smith, NSWMA
Teena Marie Tucker, PR student
Kim Colquhoun, Transport Authority
Apologies:
Janneth Mornan Green
Past Presidents Alison Christie Binger,
The meeting was called to order at 5:50 p.m. and Past President, Mark Thomas, the head of Jampro corporate communications gave an extensive presentation on the Private Sector of Jamaica/ Jampro commercial initiative to promote Jamaican products and services during the London 2012 activities.
The budget for the exercise has been outlined as $50 million and aims to:
Set the record straight on doing business in Jamaica
Partner with diaspora and other businesses interests.
The initiative was launched in Birmingham in March and featured the participation of 13 small businesspeople who were mentored by Jampro and sponsored by the Jamaica Public Service.
Jamaican spices are being heavily marketed and this is done with the groundwork already being laid of 450 thousand hectares of land already reserved for agriculture.
The meeting welcomed the initiative and declared that Jamaica had already lost out on marketing efforts for the Beijing Olympics and Berlin World Championships and looked forward to a major thrust for London 2011.
President’s Report
Membership
During the administrative year, membership was accepted for seven persons.
Associate Membership
• Nicole Morrison, Public Relations Manager, The Broadcasting Commission
Full Membership
• Cindy Allman, Marketing Coordinator, Microsoft Jamaica
• Khorie Ann Beckford, Public Relations Manager, Headline Entertainment.
• Kimberly Weller, PR Officer, ODPEM
• Cecil Thoms, Communications Director, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
• Stephanie Shaw Smith, PR Manager, Ministry of Health
• Fern White, PR and Media Laison, Visual Diplomacy, US Embassy
Events
The Society held five general meetings which featured guest speakers on topical issues:
Social violence expert and anthropologist Online marketer and broadcaster Karlette Deleon (May); Dr Herbert Gayle (June); political scientist and director of the National Integrity Action Forum, Professor Trevor Munroe (August); Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Mr Ronald Jackson (November); and Dr Lyndon Brown, head of the Earthquake Unit (January 2011).
The fund raising University Singers concert that was held in June was not financially successful due to the low turnout. It was noted that this was shortly after the Tivoli incursion and during the State of Emergency. Members with outstanding cash from tickets that are being held are asked to send in the cash if at all possible.
The society participated in the Lunch and Learn event of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Caribbean Chapter’s The event was held at the Wyndham Kingston Hotel on July 28, 2010. A special discount was offered to paid up members of the Association.
In December 2009 and 2010, the Society also participated in joint Christmas networking events with the IABC.
Activities
The society continued to maintain its blogs and websites. A monthly newsletter PR Brief was launched in January to promote peer recognition and promotion of the best values of the practice of public relations.
Finances
.
Opening Balances
Closing Balances
Election of Officers
Trustee Camille Taylor conducted the elections where the following members were declared officers by acclaim for 2011.
President, Delmares White
First Vice President, Christopher Benjamin
General Secretary, Cecil Thoms
Vice President Finance, Christine Ann Bell
Vice President Recruitment and Membership, Opal Davis
Vice President Special Events, Akilah Maxwell
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:45p.m.
Past President Dayner Clarke was accepted as a Trustee of the Society.
The meeting acknowledged the valuable contribution of Jampro through head of corporate communications, Mark Thomas for allowing the Society to host meetings in the Training Room throughout the year. Adjournment was done at approximately 8:00p.m.
/gd
