About JNHT - Messages

Devon Dick (Chairman)

The book "Jamaica's Heritage an Untapped Resource" outlines the rich heritage of Jamaica that can be explored. This book, edited by Marguerite Curtin and published by the Mill Press, won the UNESCO Award at the 1993 Leipzig Book Fair. It is a challenge to our organization to preserve, promote, explore, and market our heritage in order to inspire Jamaicans at home and abroad and also visitors to the island and well wishers worldwide. Our heritage also has employment potential and we will collaborate with other sectors to provide sustainable development.

Jamaica's reggae music has inspired many people worldwide and has created opportunities through the efforts of Bob Marley and others. The material resources can reach the heights attained by our indigenous music. Every parish and every community has a story. Jamaica's history and heritage has been enriched by linkages in the Caribbean, Asia, Europe and Africa. This Jamaican extract has to be regulated and maintained properly for future generations.

Our goal is to showcase Jamaica's heritage to the world. We solicit information, ideas and artifacts from friends of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust.

God bless you all.

Rev. Devon M. Dick
Past Chairman (1999-2005)
Jamaica National Heritage Trust
Kingston, Jamaica
2001

Kenry Jackson (Past Exec Director)

As we look to a new century and a new millenium, it is extremely fitting that the Jamaica National Heritage Trust is taking the bold step of establishing this website. Now we are under the microscope of the world for all to see how well we are carrying out the mandate to preserve, protect, maintain and promote the nation's heritage.

The term global village has just become a reality for us as we join the information superhighway. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to show off the richness and diversity of our cultural heritage product. It is also an opportunity to share with the rest of the world, information on archaeological, historic and architectural research that we have been undertaking.

We intend to make full and effective use of technology as we seek to inform, raise awareness and celebrate the people, places and institutions that define us as individuals and as a nation.

Kenry Jackson
June 21, 1999

Ainsley Henriques (Past Chairman)

Ainsley Cohen Henriques - Past Chairman - Jamaica National Heritage Trust

Having been at the forefront of the Encounter, giving succour to Columbus and his crew of the Fourth Voyage for over a year; having been the unique Spanish colony without gold but providing the cattle, horses, lard, and other provisions for the conquest of America for one and a half centuries; having been the island that was England's foremost sugar producer by the end of the Seventeenth Century, giving rise to the phrase "as wealthy as a West Indian planter"; once being one of the largest importers of African people and today, boasting with the national motto "Out of Many One People"; Jamaica and Jamaicans can truly say that we have been leaders in the Americas.

We have a huge legacy to preserve and share, not only with our fellow Americans, but also with Europeans whose lives we have changed and indeed, with the rest of the world. It is good that we can do this today with the technology that allows us to visit with you and not only you with us. I commend this web site to the understanding of our past, and to the rich future that will result from this understanding, beginning on the eve of the new millennium.