Jehovah's Witness convention begins today (In Jamaica)

by Elsewhere 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  Elsewhere

  http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20040715T170000-0500_62847_OBS_JEHOVAH_S_WITNESS_CONVENTION_BEGINS_TODAY.asp Jehovah's Witness convention begins today

  Vivian Tyson, Observer staff reporter Friday, July 16, 2004

  
  

  The Montego Bay Cricket Club, newly painted courtesy of the Jehovah's Witness religious group. (Photos: Vivian Tyson)

  WESTERN BUREAU - Montego Bay's premier sporting facility, Jarrett Park, and the neighbouring Montego Bay Cricket Club will be transformed into a convention centre between today and Sunday, as Jehovah's Witnesses from across the western parishes and St Ann stage their annual convention.

  The theme of this year's conference is 'Walk with God'. According to Brian Boothe, one of the overseers of the convention, the event is geared towards devising ways in which persons from different communities can adjust their way of life and thinking. Over the next three days, a number of speakers will be addressing the audience which is expected to exceed 7,000.

  There will also be symposia and role playing to bring out the principles of the Bible. This, conference organisers hope, will pave the way for better communities.

  
  GRANT. since they have come here they have spent at least $7 to $8 million to upgrade the facilities
  The programme begins at 9:15 am each day. Delegates from St Ann, Trelawny, St James, Westmoreland and Hanover are expected to attend. Another convention which will be simultaneously held in Kingston will be attended by persons from the other parishes. Admission for the conferences is free of charge. This is the fourth year that the Jehovah's Witnesses are staging the event at the two Montego Bay locations which, as usual, have been spruced up for the three-day rally.

  This year, thousands of dollars have been spent to paint the stands at Jarrett Park as well as the Montego Bay Cricket Club.

  "Each year when (members of the church group) get here, they bring the place up to a standard that it had never been before," said chairman of the Jarrett Park Management Committee and president of the Montego Bay Cricket Club Adrian Grant. "We tried to do our best but the funds are limited, but when they came on board they assisted us immensely."

  In lieu of a fee for the use of the facilities, the religious group - which has a 10-year contract to use both locations - is asked to repair the venues.

  Grant said that over the past four years the religious group has spent more than $7 million to upgrade the two facilities.

  "I would say since they have come here they have spent at least $7 million to $8 million - each time they come they have always spent more and more. Even in our (Cricket Club) board room they have been putting in air conditioning units," he said.

  They have also installed cushioned chairs at the Montego Bay Cricket Club and have completed a number of offices on the ground floor. In addition, they have refurbished the grounds of the Barracks Road and Corinaldi Avenue Primary schools which are used as parking lots for conference attendees.
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  Been there

  The "WWW Donations" in action! I always wondered what they did with it. Sprucing up the country club for weekend get aways in Jamaica? Money well spent if you ask me.
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  Stephanus

  Personally, I think that there are worse ways the 'Tower can spend its dough, than in upgrading the sporting facilities in a poor country.

  I must admit, however, that I was thrown by just HOW generous they were being: "7 or 8 million"??? Then I suddenly realised that this figure would be in Jamaican Dollars. Sure enough, when I checked, there are about 60 Jamaican Dollars to the $US.
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  johnny cip

  in new york we have a heavy jamacian population. and it's rare to find jamacian jw's . seems they are very close knit culturally. but i have ran into a few that are jw's . in the last year or so. and talked with a few at lenght. on thing i got out of them ,was that in jamacia the mag's and books are still being sold for a fixed price. they gave me the old well in different counties yiou have different laws, line. i asked them if there is a law in jamacia about giving away something ie mag;s , food , money, anything. they had no answer. john
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  gumby

  According to Brian Boothe, one of the overseers of the convention, the event is geared towards devising ways in which persons from different communities can adjust their way of life and thinking.

  Damn straight! Soon these new converts won't have to think at all as they will learn to think like their new leaders. Their way of life will be from rolling ganja in thin paper, to buying paper to give away freely in the form of two magazines that will pay for their new renovation. I'd take the ganja

  will pave the way for better communities.

  Yes ...in time as they grow......Dfed Jamacians will have their families torn apart just like real civilised dubs.........not that's a better community.
  

  GRANT. since they have come here they have spent at least $7 to $8 million to upgrade the facilities

  They'll spend any amount that will bring eventual revenue. They'll get it all back and a hundredfold more if they last. * we need jamaican exdubbastards to start some stuff*

  If the contract was only for this one assembly.......how much would they have spent? Would they bother to even have a patriotic flag removed like they don't do here for a short rental visit?

  Check out the facilities! Damn heathen dubs can gamble their arses off in the late evenings when the loyal dubs are dreamin bout paradise.

  Cricket Club Disco

  The Cricket Club has a large dance floor, ample seating and a bar. Special events take place here. We watched the Lennox Lewis ? Mike Tyson fight in the Cricket Club. Imagine, a large screen television, standing room only, the majority of guests from the United Kingdom and Jamaica - majority of guests for Lennox Lewis and a minority of Americans for Mike Tyson. It was crazy and fun! The next morning British flags were hanging from balconies. The Cricket Club is a great place to gather for a fun and active evening.

  Casino

  The Wyndham Rose Hall Resort has a small casino with slot machines. Guests purchase tokens for use in the machines. There are no gaming tables as they are not legal in Jamaica.

  Gumby
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  Soledad

  Grant said that over the past four years the religious group has spent more than $7 million to upgrade the two facilities.

  "I would say since they have come here they have spent at least $7 million to $8 million - each time they come they have always spent more and more. Even in our (Cricket Club) board room they have been putting in air conditioning units," he said.

  They have also installed cushioned chairs at the Montego Bay Cricket Club and have completed a number of offices on the ground floor. In addition, they have refurbished the grounds of the Barracks Road and Corinaldi Avenue Primary schools which are used as parking lots for conference attendees

  bad like yaz!! dem bredren mash it up well!!
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  minimus

  I was under the impression that ALL countries are now on the donation system.
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  Stephanus

  I was under the impression that ALL countries are now on the donation system.

  My belief is that the donation system only exists in countries that levy a GST/VAT style sales tax, that the Tower would have to pay if they were "selling" the mags. But in countries that don't have such things, they are happy to charge a set price for them.
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  minimus

  If this is true, Stephanus, what we were told at an elder's meeting with the CO & DO a few years back was untrue. Of course, I know they lie but I do remember them saying that everyone will be "united" all over the world in this "arrangement".
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  Soledad

  that is true minimus. I visited relatives in South Amer not too long ago and they do have set pricing on literature there.