35 new Jamaican citizens sworn in at New York consulate

NEW YORK:

Some 35 new Jamaican citizens, including a one-year old, were sworn in last Thursday at the Jamaican Consulate in Manhattan, New York. At the same function, six persons from the Jamaican community were presented with the Consul General’s Heritage Award.

Tania Kinsella, the highest-ranking woman in the New York Police Department with the rank of first deputy police commissioner, and whose father is Jamaican, was among those who were presented with the Consul General’s Heritage Award last Thursday.

The other awardees are: Dr Trevor Dixon, head of Jah Jah Foundation, which undertakes medical missions to Jamaica; Dr Roy Streete, head of Overseas International Development (OID); Valerie Bailey, attorney-at-law; Dr Camelia Lawrence, and journalist Lester Hinds.

The majority of the new Jamaican citizens were presented with citizenship certificates, as well as their Jamaican passports at the swearing ceremony. The others are to be presented with their passports at a later date.

Consul General Alsion Wilson, in welcoming the new Jamaican citizens, urged them to make good use of their citizenship by giving back to the country.

“On behalf of the Government of Jamaica, I take this moment to congratulate the persons represented here on their wonderful achievement of attaining Jamaican citizenship. As of today, you all can proudly say ‘I am Jamaican!’

Ladies and gentlemen, you are the representation of Vision 20230 for Jamaica: the place of choice to work, live, raise families, and do business.

With that said, I also take this opportunity to encourage you all to invest in our homeland. Jamaica is open and ready for business, and the upgrading of Jamaica’s credit rating by Moody’s is another testament to the effectiveness of the government’s policy framework in improving the country’s economic independence and creating an attractive environment for investment that supports jobs and growth,” the consul general told the new Jamaican citizens.

“I ... look forward to our continued dialogue as we remain committed to building a better, stronger, and brighter Jamaica,” she said.

AWARDEES

The heritage awardees were each highlighted at the ceremony. First Deputy Police Commissioner Tania I. Kinsella, whose father is Jamaican, embarked on her distinguished law enforcement career as a police officer in July 2003. Since then, she has made significant contributions across various precincts and bureaus within the NYPD. In her current role as first deputy police commissioner, she is tasked with the oversight of industry-leading tactics, training initiatives, and a robust disciplinary system, in order to foster professionalism and fairness among the 55,000-member police force. Commissioner Kinsella’s vision is to create a cohesive and responsible police department, one that upholds the principles of justice while maintaining the safety and security of New York City’s residents.

Dr Dixon is currently an attending physician at the Jacobi & North Central Bronx Health and Hospital Corporation of New York, director of Emergency Ultrasound, and assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

In 2007, he started his journey in giving back to Jamaica when he held the first Emergency Ultrasound Conference at the Kingston Public Hospital. He later founded the Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans At Home (JAHJAH) Foundation, a registered non- profit in New Jersey, since 2011, and Jamaica, in 2014. The JAHJAH Foundation has been successful in improving infrastructure in public hospitals and schools across the island. Over the years, the foundation has donated millions of dollars in medical, dental and educational supplies and equipment. Dr Dixon conceptualised the Jamaica Emergency Medical Services (JEMS) Negril First Responder Pilot Project, a community-based ambulance service.

Dr Camelia Lawrence, MD, FACS, is a board-certified surgeon specialising in benign and malignant breast disease. She has fellowship training in advanced breast cancer surgery, including skin- and nipple-sparing mastectomy, sentinel node biopsy, and oncoplastic techniques. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and her medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine. She completed her residency at New York Medical College and then entered her fellowship training in breast surgical oncology.

Consul and Administrative Assistant to the Consul General, Donna Brown, was master of ceremonies at the function.