Hakka Chinese Jamaican

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FOR thousands of Jamaicans living within the Greater Toronto area of Canada, relief from the occasional bout of nostalgia does not always involve a four-hour journey on an aircraft. Nicey's Food Mart is an unabashedly Jamaican retail store in Scarborough, the ethnic community where most of the West Indies diaspora in that country can be found... click on "Nicey's Food Mart" in the News section.

Manning champions St George's College (StGC) cemented their status as the top Corporate Area schoolboy football team after recording a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Kingston College (KC) in the final of the Inter-Secondary Schools Association (ISSA)/Gatorade/Digicel Walker Cup knockout competition.... click on "St. G. C. Walker Cup" in the News section.

LEASA Industries Ltd, south Florida's prolific manufacturer and distributor of health food products, is the most memorable chapter in the story of one man who has lived multiple lives. With steely grit and iron will, George Yap exorcised the ghosts of his political and economic misfortunes in Jamaica, learned new skills and started afresh at the bottom of the pile in a foreign country. "I did not know what I was doing," Yap confesses. "In the first year I had revenues of US$5,000 and lost US$30,000. I was bankrupt and could not go back to Jamaica." ... click on "George Yap" in the News section.

Literary arts lovers cheered Jamaican writer Jean Lowrie-Chin at the launch of her book Souldance at the corporate offices of Ruder Finn Inc in midtown Manhattan, New York on Wednesday. The audience listened to readings of Lowrie Chin's favourite poems and writings... click on "Jean Lowrie-Chin" in the News section.

November is a month of many patriotic holidays in Panama and there are many parades to celebrate them. Needless to say they are all literally "traffic stoppers" as they close the town down to parade on the main streets.... click on "Panama Jack" in the Articles section.

If asked to consider the global impact of Jamaican organisations, the Missionaries of the Poor (MOP) would perhaps not come readily to mind to most persons. Instead, companies such as Grace Kennedy, Red Stripe and J. Wray and Nephew would be recalled with pride. Each has been led by a series of respected leaders who are legends in their own right. However, one of Jamaica's (and perhaps the world's) most legendary CEOs is Father Richard Ho Lung, founder of MOP... click on "Fr. Ho Lung" in the Articles section.

Jamaican audacity knows no bounds. Living up to their reputation for being found in just about every corner of the world, at least three Jamaicans currently reside in this war-torn Afghan capital, working with international aid organisations. As is also well known, wherever Jamaicans go they are sure to leave their mark. So it came as no surprise that one of the three 'Jamdowners' was instrumental in organising Afghanistan's first Jamaican-Caribbean style party as a way of bringing a piece of the sun-kissed region to this troubled Middle Eastern country... click on "Afghan Jam" in the Articles section.

Following my request for nostalgic photos are these circa ‘50’s generously provided by Ms. Simone Tai of her family at Hope Gardens with pond, swans and Long Mountains behind; along with a one of her dad at the beach. There is also a current shot for you back-home yardies, of a grey squirrel in my backyard fattening up for the winter. I am sure we all have albums chock-full of photos from JA in the good old days that we have lying around and taken for granted-well those photos are a treasure trove for me and anyone of similar nostalgic vein. Well I am begging you for these. I know there may be some that are too painful, intimate or personal but anything else please share with us... click on "Picture Appeal" in the Articles section.

Everyone knows that eight is lucky number for the Chinese. So it was no surprise that Tsung Tsin Association of Ontario's eighth Hakka Idol competition on October 22, 2011, was an exciting evening of eights. Eight singers, four men and four women, thrilled the audience. See if you can spot the lucky eights in each of their stories... click on "Hakka Idol" in the Articles section.

Read assorted info, this and that... click on "Dis ’n Dat"

Make Sweet and Sour Pork ... go to the Recipes page.

December 2011