Sunday 28 February 2010

A Jamaican Ministry to relocate to new facilities, inclusive of new library space

Title: Foreign affairs' $450-m move
Source: Jamaica Observer
Date published: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
URL: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business/Foreign-affairs---450-m-move_7440468

Abstract:
Article reports on an initiative to relocate the Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to new headquarters. The new location will be in a part of Kingston that is much cheaper, saving the Government millions of dollars. A part of the plan for the new facility is the construction of a library space.

Excerpt:
THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will spend an initial $450 million to relocate its head office downtown in the next fiscal year.

The move is part of Government's cost-saving measure to relocate ministry's and agencies to cheaper offices downtown.

"The final cost of the building is still to be determined as the project is still at the preliminary stage. The initial estimate of the cost is $447 million," stated Wilton Dyer, public relations officer at the ministry. The amount includes the price of the land, initial geological assessments and architectural surveys and design; and tendering for local consultants. Of the total amount, the "Chinese government will offer $292 million as a grant" and the Jamaican government will finance the remainder. The new building will be on Port Royal Street downtown and will contain among other things: Conference rooms, training facilities, parking lots, lounges, canteen, a library, and holding area for children.

Saturday 20 February 2010

Letter to Newspaper calls for a Rex Nettleford museum at UWI

Author: Patrick A. Gallimore
Title: Rex Nettleford museum for UWI?
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
Date Published: Saturday, February 20, 2010
URL: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100220/letters/letters5.html

Abstract:
This letter to the editor of the Jamaican Gleaner, calls for a museum to honour the late Rex Nettleford. The author gives his justification why a musuem and initiative of this nature is important.

Excerpt:

I THINK it would be a most befitting and beneficial tribute and symbol to the life and works of the late Prof Rex Nettleford if a museum in his honour were established by the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Such a museum could be placed at a suitable location on his beloved campus and become the permanent home and intellectual/cultural showpiece of Prof Nettleford's numerous speeches, interviews, books, photographs, awards, achievements, etc. This museum would serve to symbolically and meaningfully celebrate and showcase the life of one of Jamaica's and the Caribbean's greatest sons and would, in no small measure, help to motivate and instill a deeper sense of pride in persons of all ages and from all walks of life, particularly the youth.

A Call in Trinindad and Tobago for a Museum of Carnival Costumes

Author: Yvonne Webb
Title: South Queen calls for Carnival museum
Source: Trinidad and Tobago Guardian
Date Published: 19 Feb 2010
URL: http://guardian.co.tt/news/general/2010/02/19/south-queen-calls-carnival-museum


Abstract:
The article reports on an interview with the reigning south Queen of Carnival Rosemarie Kuru-Jagessar. In that interview, Kuru-Jagessar suggests that there is a need for establishing a museum to display Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival costumes entered in the national Carnival costume competition.

Excerpt:

Reigning south Queen of Carnival Rosemarie Kuru-Jagessar is calling for the establishment of a Carnival museum to display costumes that were exhibited in the national competition. Kuru-Jagessar said in an interview yesterday that the majority of people only got a glimpse of these elaborate costumes during their short appearance during the competition stages. She said many of them were eliminated after the preliminary stage and never see the light of day again. Pointing out that a lot of money, time and thought, were invested in these costumes Kuru-Jagessar said it was almost a sin to discard them without people getting an opportunity to appreciate their real beauty and craft.

“I would like to see a Carnival museum where locals and tourists can see costumes, whether they win or not, on display long after Carnival.”

Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's new museum of Jamaican musical instruments

Title: New Look JCDC Unveiled
Source: Jamaica Information Service (JIS): KINGSTON
Date published: Friday, February 19, 2010
URL: http://www.jis.gov.jm/MYSC/html/20100219T090000-0500_22948_JIS_NEW_LOOK_JCDC_UNVEILED_TODAY.asp

Abstract:
Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) has a rebranding ceremony to celebrate its newly refurbished and renovated facilities. This article reports on that ceremony and some of the new changes and rebranding that the agency is experiencing. One such facility of interest that has been mentioned in the article's report is the JCDC's museum of traditional musical instruments and information on Jamaican traditional folk forms.


Excerpt:
In addition to a well appointed staff lounge, the JCDC offices have been refurbished to include a souvenir gift shop, and a museum of musical instruments and information on traditional folk forms.

Sunday 14 February 2010

The impressive Mallalieu's Car museum in Barbados

Author: BARRY ALLEYNE
Title: Mallalieu's hot wheels
Source: Barbados Nation News
Date published on: January 31, 2010
URL: http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/car-museum-feature-copy-for-web

Abstract:
The article reports on a vintage car museum in Barbados. The article also entails information about how the museum began, its collection, the curator, and the types of visitors that are attracted to the museum.

Excerpt:
WHEN BILL MALLALIEU was a little boy, he loved playing with little toy cars.

Now that he's a big man, Mallalieu plays with big toy cars.

The result of his love affair with wheels, engines and motoring history is Barbados' lone old car museum.

But in fact, the Mallalieu Auto Collection is more than a place where locals, visitors, even primary school children can take a peek at some of the greatest vehicles ever assembled on the planet.

In the 40-foot car room at the collection's Pavilion Court, Hastings, Christ Church site there is also a sense of history that could blow even non-car-lovers away.

Trinidad and Tobago celebrates its oil industry, steel pan and jewellery

Title: National Museum shows Oil, Steel, Style
Source: Trinidad and Tobago Guardian
Date published: February 12, 2010
Photographs by: Andre Alexander
URL: http://guardian.co.tt/multimedia/flash/national-museum-shows-oil-steel-style

Abstract:
An exhibition entitled ‘Oil, Steel, Style,’ opens in Port-of-Spain in Trinidad and Tobago at the National Museum and Art Gallery. This exhibition features a collection of "steelpan inspired jewellery" by Liz Mannette. It also commemorates the Steel Pan and Trinidad and Tobago's Oil industry. Information about the exhibition is provided along with photographs.

Excerpt:
According to Val Lewis, curator, [of] [t]he National Museum Services, it is a fitting tribute to the steelpan (from the early oil drum) and to the jewellery it has inspired.

Visitors to the exhibition will be treated to an assortment of about 100 pieces featuring all the various instruments that consist of the family of pans.

‘Oil, Steel, Style,’ which is also in commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the production of oil in T&T, will run at the National Museum until February 15.

Trinidad and Tobao launches QP Oval Cricket Heritage Museum

Author: KERN RAMLOCHAN
Title: QP Oval Cricket Heritage Museum a tourism ‘gem’
Source: Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday
Date published: Saturday, January 16 2010
URL: http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,114281.html

Abstract:
The article reports on the official launch of the Queen Park's Oval Cricket Heritage Museum. It provides information about the collection and the information that the Cricket Museum houses.

Also, the article reports on some of the objects that the museum houses that have potential value for attracting visitors. In addition, the funding and support from the Ministry of Sport in Trinidad and Tobago is mentioned. Plans for future expansion and development of the museum are also discussed in the article

Expectations, hopes and aspirations for the museum to attract tourists are also expressed by the Minister of Tourism. Statements also reveal the target market segments for the museum. Also mentioned are the fees charged for museum tours.


Excerpt:
QUEEN’S Park Cricket Club has officially launched The Oval Cricket Heritage Museum at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

The Cricket Heritage Museum contains invaluable historical documents charting the progress of the Queen’s Park Cricket Club from their humble beginnings in 1891 when it was known as the “Sovereign” Cricket Club as well as West Indian cricket.

Thus far the Ministry of Sport has injected $300,000 to finance the museum as well as train the tour and site guides and produce tour manuals.

New Cricket Museum now open in Trinidad and Tobago

Author: Nicholas Clarke
Title: New cricket museum opens at Oval
Source: Trinidad and Tobago Guardian
Date Published: 20 Jan 2010
URL:http://guardian.co.tt/news/cricket/2010/01/20/new-cricket-museum-opens-oval

Abstract:
The article reports on the new Cricket Heritage Museum opened to the public in Trinidad and Tobago. Its mission and the persons/organisations responsible for its maintenance, funding and management are mentioned. Rates and fees for the museum, as well as the scope of its collection are highlighted in the article.

Excerpt:
"The Queen’s Park Oval’s Cricket Heritage Museum was opened to the public at the Brian Lara Pavilion on Tragarete Road, Port-of-Spain recently. It had been officially launched on November 25th.

The museum is a collaborative effort between the Queen’s Park Cricket Club and the Ministry of Tourism, which pledged $300,000 towards the project. It showcases the history of cricket in T&T and in the West Indies from the early 20th century, with special attention to the events that took place at the Queen’s Park Oval."

Trinidad and Tobago's National Museum to be relocated

Author: Lara Pickford-Gordon
Title: National Museum moves to Knowsley
Source: Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday
Date Published: Saturday, January 30 2010
URL: http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,115008.html

Abstract:
The article reports on the plans to relocate the National Museum of Trinidad and Tobago to a refurbished historical building. The rationale behind the relocation is also mentioned.

Excerpt:
“the rationale is to have all the cultural centres located together in the same vicinity so you have the National Academy for Performing Arts. Then you’ll have the museum, and then the administrative buildings related to culture and the National Cultural Centre which is also planned.”

...the move to the new space will be an impetus for the museum which has been in the same location for several years...the relocation to Knowsley will bring new life to the museum.

Barbadian School gets new mobile library, institutionalises reading

Author: MICHELLE SPRINGER
Title: Reading - food for thought
Source: Barbadian Nation News
Date Published on: January 26, 2010
URL: http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/new-library-for-George-Lamming-School-copy-for-web

Abstract:
The article reports on the visit of a Barbadian author to pupils of the George Lamming Primary School, which was named in his honour. The students received the visit from the writer George Lamming, who was there to open and formally launch the mobile library. Excerpts of the speech that he gave encouraging the habit of reading is recorded in the article.

Plans to instutionalise the habit of reading in the school are also mentioned, including the production of a school magazine to be written and edited by students.

Finally, Lamming pledges to donate 700 books to the school library. The delight of the Principal at this new library is also expressed.


Excerpt:
Senior teacher at the school, Anthony Coward, said it was hoped that out of a centralised culture of reading the school would produce a magazine of poetry and prose, which would be written and edited by the students.

Lamming concluded his opening remarks by telling pupils that he would assist the school in providing 700 books to the library, the same number as the school's enrolment.

Principal Barbara Grant described the new library as "a long cherished dream".

A Barbadian political party blamed for National library's neglect

Author: (TY)
Title: BLP blamed for library's neglect
Source: Barbadian Nation News
Date Published on: February 3, 2010
URL: http://www.nationnews.com/story/HOUSE--Todd-knocks-Eastmond-copy-for-web


Abstract:
In a debate in Parliament over the Archives (Amendment) Bill 2010, the opposition's political party was criticised for its neglect of the National Library of Barbados, that lead to poor working conditions and the exposure of library materials and publications to harm ad possible devastation. The article also reports on the view expressed by a Member of Parliament about the value of the National Library to the nation.

Excerpt:

"I would hope that the original free library in Coleridge Street can be cleaned and put back to perfection because it is part of our culture.

"It brings nostalgia to a lot of us who used to go in there and we have to get the type of expertise that can restore that free library to its former glory."