Herbology meets Rootsology was conceptualised to merge Denise Isis  Miller's  Rootsology program with the Indigenous healing plant culture of Jamaica.  With this in mind, a tour was born, to raise the  awareness of the populace, to holistic health, wellness and transformation. 

On Saturday, Feb 19, 2022 one leg of the tour merged beautifully with the launch of The Temple of Inner Peace Retreat conceptualised by Sharon Parris-Chambers and Theo Chambers, owner/operators. This Temple is a serene space in the woods of Mt. Airy, a little district on the tip of The Negril West End.

 Founded by Theo and Sharon Chambers, this place is designed to allow nature to assist in one's healing. So, there you can unwind and reconnect with your true self. It's a place where a food forest is being created within the natural flora of a rain forest Melodious birdsong and wind chimes serenade all day long in this tranquil space, dotted with hammocks  for relaxation. The earth is welcoming of your bare feet to ground and balance yourself. Steps built amidst rocks and greenery, lead  downwards to a large  firepit at the centre of the space. Beyond that  are more  trees and nooks to slip away and find your quietness in.

Saturday’s launch saw a lit firepit, to encourage one to burn away the sorrows, woes, and heavy energies that may assail. Saging of  guests by a  gracious hostess, Sharon Oshun Parris-Chambers. Drumming  by master drummers from the Indigenous Rasta Village. Entrepreneurs who use herbs, earth and roots  to offer healing products,  displayed  their wares. There were body treatments made from castor oil, charcoal and clay. Roots tonics from master herbalists. Vegan and raw vegan foods and fresh pressed juices  to nourish and delight.

After Hollywood in the USA, Bollywood in Bombay, Nollywood in Nigeria, a new movie city will be created in Zambia, and it will be called Zollywood. The project was initiated by Dr Ngoma, CEO of National Sugar Corporation (NSC), and he has invited the State of the African Diaspora (SOAD) to participate to the initiative.

The cooperation agreement stipulates: SOAD will help link up experts from Hollywood and Bollywood to join hands with NSC. A significant piece of land will be allocated by NSC to SOAD to create Zollywood City.

After signing the agreement, Dr Ngoma expressed his satisfaction to work with SOAD on this initiative:

“I am happy to join hands with the State of the African Diaspora, which has been long awaited. Through SOAD, Africa will be transformed. It is the best thing that has happened to Africa.  And I thank the leadership of the government for accepting to work with me on our Zollywood city”.

“Herbology Meets Rootsology” was coined, during the COVID Pandemic, by veteran broadcaster Denise Isis Miller, Host of Rootsology, a lively award-winning radio show heard on Roots 96.1FM 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Isis Miller indicated that while listening to a colleague journalist, Ka’bu Ma’at Kheru, speak on Jamaican herbs and their medicinal value in Jamaica, she realized, that Jamaicans were losing the knowledge and use of our indigenous herbs. Espousing the philosophy "Health, Wealth and Prosperity Are Our Natural Birthright!" she invited Sharon Oshun Parris-Chambers and her partner husband Theo Chambers, founders of the annual Caribbean Health Tourism & Spa Conference series, to join the Initiative and Herbology Meets Rootsology was born. Isis Miller also invited Nature Ellis who is scheduled to begin a tour of his new Album Revolution Choice (Ambassador of Choice Records) to join the Herbology team in search of the herbalists, producers of Natural herbal products and services across the island for the healing of the nation. 

The Herbology Meets Rootsology showcase, is produced by Denise Isis-Miller and Cover "Jah Stephen" Palmer representing their partnership ICAN Company in Association with Temple of Inner Peace, which is managed by Sharon and Theo Chambers. The Herbology showcase will feature well-known traditional herbalists such as Bongo Roche, Mama Lily; Dr Diane Robertson, Phytotherapist and Author; Dr Sherrill Chong, Minister of Family & Social Economy, The State of the African Diaspora and founder of Kingdom Shift Now; Chef Raymond Hansen, Sea Moss Specialist from London and others. 

The Showcase runs from February 4 through February 27, 2022. 

Ambassador Audrey Marks Welcomes Minister Edmund Bartlett

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 28, 2021:  Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, is encouraging members of the Diaspora to invest in the local tourism sector, which continues to drive Jamaica's economic recovery. 

Speaking yesterday during the 'Let's Connect with Ambassador Marks' online series, Bartlett noted that: "We have a Diaspora with enormous wealth, experience, capabilities, talent, skill, and connectivity with communities. We need to be investing in capital formation and new enterprises in Jamaica so that Jamaica can build its capacity to respond to the demand that tourism brings." 

He disclosed that one key sector that needs investment is agriculture. He also shared that Jamaica has not been able to produce the required agricultural supplies in the numbers, volume, consistency and at the price point required to supply the hotels. 

"The next element that we are moving in on very strongly is to build out the capacity of Jamaica in this current and post COVID-19 period to deliver more on the demand of tourism. We argue that tourism is an extractive industry because we have not been able to supply the agricultural demands of the industry," said Bartlett. 

Flights are scheduled to land in Montego Bay, St James, by TUI Belgium and TUI Netherlands by April of this year.

The development comes as Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and a small team participates in FITUR, currently the world's largest annual international travel and tourism trade show in Madrid, Spain.

“These flights bring back the Belgian and Netherlands tourism markets to where we were prior to the pandemic which is really good news,” said Bartlett.

“We are truly appreciative of the work of our team members in keeping Jamaica front and centre in these challenging times. Whilst we are on a roller coaster for the last two years, we have sought to ensure that the work to keep Jamaica firmly in the minds of our critical international partners is constantly reinforced,” added Bartlett.

Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right) presents a special award to Chief Operations Officer

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Wednesday, December 22, 2021: Against the background of tourism being the backbone of the recovering Jamaican economy, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has made an impassioned plea for the protection of the industry. 

As the tourism industry strengthens its resilience against the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister Bartlett said Jamaica had been recognized as one of the fastest recovering countries in the world and the fastest-growing tourism destination in the Caribbean. 

Speaking today at a breakfast appreciation function for workers at Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport (SIA), Minister Bartlett noted that there were ominous signs of COVID-19 variants and made an impassioned appeal for everyone to safeguard the industry and the national economy by helping to manage the pandemic by getting vaccinated and following the safety protocols. 

“I have travelled to more than ten of the largest and most important destinations for tourism as well as for trade and international financing in the last six months and in every instance the message is the same, vaccinate,” he said. 

Mandeville, Jamaica. December 23, 2021.   The announcement of Minister of Tourism, The Honourable Edmund Bartlett, on December 3, 2021 at the 24th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly in Madrid, Spain, of his intention to invest and promote Village Tourism in Jamaica is welcomed by all Community Tourism partners.   Delegates who approved the Redesigning Tourism for the Future Task Force agreed that this was a big victory for World Tourism.

BRAND Jamaica is known for being the home of the fastest man and the fastest woman on planet earth, Usain Bolt and Elaine Thompson-Herah, Reggae, Bob Marley and its first National Hero, Marcus Mosiah Garvey.  Jamaica is also the HOME OF COMMUNITY TOURISM, having given it birth some 47 years ago and been so branded in 1994 by Dr. Louis D’Amore, founder, International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT).  The title has since grown to include the Caribbean Region.  Community Tourism has in turn given birth to Villages as Businesses, a world recognized and acclaimed programme created in Jamaica and implemented and exported locally, regionally and internationally with a focus on community economic tourism.

The Tourism Minister’s announcement is in fact an award-winning decision based on the following truth: it is endorsing the passion, philosophy and commitment of Diana McIntyre-Pike, tourism pioneer, which has earned her and Villages as Businesses some 25 awards spanning 40 years. 

Hon. Edmund Bartlett

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 3, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett has emphasised that Jamaica is restructuring the tourism industry to ensure that more of the earnings from the sector go to the small and medium tourism enterprises. 

The Minister made the comment yesterday during a Ministerial Debate on Policies to Foster Tourism for Rural Development during the 24th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly in Madrid, Spain. 

"There are inequities we know to exist in those who are the real providers of tourism experiences and those who are the beneficiaries of the tourism spend. Globally, 80 per cent of tourism is driven by the small and medium players, but only 20 per cent of the returns go to them. We have to rebalance that asymmetry, and I think that the policy that Jamaica has adopted in this regard will go a long way in enabling this rebalancing," said Bartlett. 

He added that research has shown that people travel to experience culture not traditionally found in the resort areas but in rural communities. Therefore the Ministry will be focusing heavily on leveraging community tourism experiences, especially those focusing on the country's rich biodiversity. 

Editor’s Remarks: “Congratulations to Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, Ministry of Tourism and its team for another Big Win for BRAND Jamaica. May God bless our sterling efforts and may the nation continue to excel even during the Pandemic, growing from strength to strength .” Caribnewsroom Team.

Less than a month after topping the World Travel Awards Caribbean & North America 2021 Winners Day in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Jamaica scored big again on Thursday, November 11, at the 2021 Travvy Awards in Miami, Florida.

The country took home the gold for Caribbean’s Best Destination, Best Culinary Destination, Best Tourism Board, and Best Travel Agent Academy Program.

Jamaica also received Silver awards for best Caribbean Wedding Destination and Best Caribbean Honeymoon Destination.

The annual Travvy Awards were held at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

WEB Du Bois

In our series of letters from African journalists, Elizabeth Ohene looks at plans to build a state-of-the-art complex in Ghana to honour the pioneering US black civil rights activist William Edward Burghardt Du Bois.

A cadre of radical African-American intellectuals and artists moved to Ghana after its independence in 1957 and contributed to the invigorating atmosphere of those times.

WEB Du Bois - the famous African-American scholar and black activist - was probably the most high-profile figure among the coterie of African diasporans who came to live here.

The first African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard University in 1895, he fought prejudice and racism in the US, speaking out against lynching and calling for the equality for all citizens.

Oct. 7, 2021 - Tertiary Scholarship Award Recognition. Lf. to Rt. Front Row: Father Hollis Lynch and Angella Whitter, CEO, Joe & Angella Whitter Foundation. They are joined by Tertiary Students awardees. Photo Credit: Darren Grant

Joe & Angella Whitter Foundation is helping to fulfill the dreams of young men and women with vision through its mandate of providing scholarship to assist tertiary level students enrolled in select educational courses in Western Jamaica. To date the foundation, which earmarked $4 million for education and $1 million for medical needs, has awarded $2.9 million to 26 students enrolled in Caribbean Maritime University, Montego Bay Community College, University of the Commonwealth Caribbean, University of the West Indies and University of Technology, Jamaica.

The Foundation was launched December 2021 on the heels of the 10^th Anniversary Commemoration of the Whitter Village one of the flagship properties owned by Mrs. Angella Whitter and her late husband Slidie “Joe” Whitter, the main benefactors of the foundation. The foundation has as its mandate the awarding of annual scholarships to qualified students from Western Jamaica.

Students should be studying in the areas of entrepreneurship, business management, construction, building management, architecture and engineering with a Grade Point Average (GPA) more than 2.5.

Mrs. Angella Whitter, an ardent advocate for higher education, is passionate for developing nation building and in speaking to the foundation board recently said “the need of students in Western Jamaica far outweigh what the foundation can provide in 2021.  I thank each member of the foundation board for your achievements to date, yet challenge you to do more for 2022.”

What is the African Diaspora ?

It is a group of more than 350 millions inhabitants in the world. Some of them left Africa a few years ago as migrants, others left the continent as slaves as they were deported several centuries ago. All are people of African descent, living in Brazil, Jamaica, United States, France, India, etc. It is the third population in the world, after China and India, before United States and Indonesia.

What is the State of the African Diaspora ?

The State of the African Diaspora is an entity that has one goal : to reinforce Africa through the Diaspora, and the Diaspora through Africa.

Benin Bronze Images

On October 7 and 9, the Prime Minister of the State of the African Diaspora will be invited to the Africa-France Summit to deliver a speech on Restitution.

In this area, Dr Louis-Georges Tin and his parties have already accomplished many things: the law passed in France for the benefit of Benin and Senegal, the law passed in Belgium for the benefit of the DRC, and the resolution passed in respect of was the case. European Parliament for restitution and reparation. It is a historic movement, but it is certainly not enough.

ALL African countries should receive ALL their artifacts. This is why the Prime Minister wants the subject to be on the table during the French presidency of the European Union, from January 2022. This is now what he is discussing with the French authorities.

In the meantime, SOAD is launching a major campaign to give more impetus to the Prime Minister. On October 1 and 2, the government organized an international conference on restitution. Specific guests included Chief Fortune Charumbira, Speaker of the African Union Parliament, Co-chair of the Royal Chamber of DICO; the special representative of the President of the African Union, President Félix Tshisekedi; Daagbo Hounon, Supreme Leader of the Vodou Cult; Saliou Mamadou, grandson of the former President of Guinea, Sekou Touré.

Anse d'Arlet in Martinique

The world’s largest airline is relaunching another destination in the Caribbean: the French Caribbean island of Martinique, Caribbean Journal has learned.

On Nov. 6, the carrier will resume its nonstop service between Miami International Airport and Fort-de-France’s Aime Cesaire International Airport.

The flights will initially run weekly on Saturdays before increasing to at least thrice weekly, according to American Airlines.

American is operating the service on its Embraer 175 aircraft with 76 seats, the company confirmed. 

Welcome to the inauguration of our University. It was here that on July 1, International Day of the African Diaspora, we announced the upcoming opening of University of the State of African Diaspora (USOAD).

The theme this year is “Heritage for All”. For everyone in Europe, but also for the whole planet. Heritage is the heritage of everyone around the world. Especially to Africans who have created and endowed the planet with incredible treasures. African heritage must stop being despoiled and must be shared with Africans. Laws must decree as quickly as possible the return of all African heritage to Africa. Human remains, as an extension of what has been decreed for the return, for example of the Venus Hottentot, must be returned without delay.

We should think about a Pan-African heritage day which would allow us, following a careful inventory and identification of the goods of the past, to put in place actions for the future. A program that would determine: the conservation of its goods, the schedule of returns, the exhibitions to be made, the places, the circulation of works of art in a physical or digital way. Everyone should be able to enjoy it. We call for greater inclusion and recognition of diversity; review existing stories for better transmission to future generations.

Within the Faculty of Heritage, we will work on tangible and intangible heritage. On the origins of heritage. Make an inventory to better soak up each object of art.

Paris, September 15, 2021. September being a good time to speak about education, the State of the African Diaspora (SOAD) is pleased to announce that the SOAD Network of Pan-African Schools is now in existence. It includes more than 720 schools from different countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Guadeloupe, Gabon, Ghana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe, etc.

Different Pan-African schools exist in the world, but they are not very connected and operate in silos. That is why, for SOAD, it was necessary to create a real network. Thus, all over the world, Pan-African teachers will be able to share good practices, documents, contents, handbooks, exercises, and all kinds of educational resources: they will not have to reinvent the wheel every day.

Dr Tin, Prime Minister of SOAD made the following statement:

“As far as I can see, more and more Africans on the continent and in the diaspora are concerned about the quality of the education provided to their children, and oftentimes, ignoring who we are and where we are coming from. The curriculum of these schools brings a kind of alienation to our young children. This is the reason why it is so crucial to create a whole network of Pan-African schools. ”

The Caribbean countries of Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have gathered 3,500 kg of medical supplies to be sent to the largest country in the Caribbean, Cuba.

The news was announced this Friday by the regional integration bank on its Twitter account, where it acknowledged the role of the four English-speaking Caribbean nations in organizing the much-needed medical aid to the Cuban people in coordination with Conviasa.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba has sent international medical brigades to every country in the Caribbean to help the island nations confront and control the deadly virus; now, with Cuba facing one of its sharpest outbreaks in the 18 months since the novel coronavirus reached the nation's shores, it will humbly receive the donations from its brother nations through an international air bridges established through the ALBA regional integration mechanism.

Due to the United States' economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed against Cuba for more than sixty years, the largest of the Antilles had struggled to obtain crucial medical, food and sanitary inputs to meet the growing needs of the population. The generous donation from its Caribbean bretheren adds to those originating over the past months from numerous countries worldwide, such as Nicaragua, Russia, Italy, Japan and Bolivia.

Havana, Sep 3 (Prensa Latina) Cuba will present its three anti-Covid-19 vaccines to the World Health Organization (WHO) next week to begin the international recognition process, international media reported Thursday.

According to statements by the Pan American and World Health Organization (PAHO / WHO) Representative for Cuba José Moya, specialists from Havana, Geneva and Washington will have the opportunity to attend virtually the event, in order to share information, coordinate documentation and set up schedules.

'It is a good news,' Moya told AP agency and stressed that a working team will be created to review the results of the clinical trials, production processes and quality of Cuban vaccines.

He indicated that a working meeting was held on Thursday at the request of Cuba to initiate the mechanism with PAHO/WHO representation and directors of the Business Group of the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries of Cuba (BioCubaFarma), the Finlay Vaccine Institute ( IFV) and the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB).

In the aftermath of the Marcus Garvey Day (August 17), which is now on the State of the African Diaspora (SOAD) official calendar, we would like to thank Ambassador Sharon Parris-Chambers, who organized the event, which was a great success.

The day was marked by many highlights such as the panel discussion on women in the Back to Africa movement, the panel discussion on the Exodus Alliance, the alliance working to return to Africa, the documentary by RJ Mahdi and the presentation of the latest issue of the Label Diplomatique, the Pan-African magazine, which will also publish the panel presentations.

Musical interludes animated the meeting. Furthermore, as commemoration should not be a substitute for action, but rather a springboard for action, several concrete announcements were made, such as the trips to Africa organized by Lady Yaa, the Minister of Tourism of the State of the African Diaspora, trips that are naturally in line with the “Back to Africa” vision championed by Marcus Garvey.

But the highlight of the day was undoubtedly the message delivered by Dr. Julius Garvey, son of Marcus Garvey, and an Ambassador-at-Large of the State of the Diaspora.

The State of the African Diaspora expresses its gratitude to His Excellency, Chief Charumbira, President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) of the African Union (AU), who has accepted to have a representation of Marcus Garvey in Ethiopia and in South Africa, Headquarters of the AU and of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP).

As a matter of fact, the campaign was initiated by Dr Julius Garvey, Marcus Garvey’s son, a few months ago. Being an ambassador at large of the State of the African Diaspora (SOAD), Dr Garvey asked Dr Tin, Prime Minister of SOAD, to also support this initiative. During the Marcus Garvey Day, celebrated on August 17th, Dr Tin officially endorsed the campaign, and the day after, wrote to Chief Charumbira, who is also the co-chair of the Royal Chamber of SOAD.

Chief Charumbira’s answer to Dr Tin was very quick and very positive. First of all, he paid a tribute to the Pan-African spirit delivered by the great Marcus Garvey. Indeed, Marcus Garvey is great not only for his vision that created the movement  “Back to Africa”, but also for his capacity to mobilise. His organisation had more than 6 millions members in more than 40 countries, in Africa and in the Diaspora. It was the biggest black organisation ever.

Chief Charumbira made it very clear : "Please count me and Pan-African Parliament as having accepted the posting both at AU and PAP of the portrait of Marcus Garvey."