Corporate Jamaica bats for the children

As far as the eye could see on Saturday, January 4, members of corporate Jamaica were in full support of the Shaggy and Friends concert. That is, after they got over the time-consuming hurdle of actually entering the Jamaica House venue.

The wait at the Hope Road entrance was agonising. The pile-up was due largely in part to a long wait for a special official to enter. Many persons, tired of waiting, simply parked along the roadside and walked the long way to the venue. And once there, it was another lengthy delay to get armbands.

Major sponsors WATA, Digicel, and Scotiabank hosted their platinum guests in fine style from a box featuring many cosy nooks, full-service bars, and courteous hostesses and waiters at their beck and call. Well done, Innovative Signs and Deck Events!

Corporate sponsors went over the top, too, and were strategically positioned as per their levels of platinum, gold, and silver.

Businesswomen Ann Chen, who came in from Montego Bay, and Mandeville's Olive Smith and Doreen Lawson were among the early arrivals. Also making the trek from the tourist capital was CPJ's Tom Tyler.

Among others spotted were The Captain's Bakery's Horace Burrell; Island Grill's Thalia Lyn; Scotiabank's heavyweight, in from Trinidad, Anya Schnoor, plus Hugh Reid, Jackie Sharp and others. Former NCB exec Bernadette Barrow and hubby, Gary, were present as was American Friends of Jamaica's Caron Chung, who flew in from the cold for the event.

Supreme Ventures' Brian George and wife, Keneea, mingled as did Food For the Poor's Andrew Mafood, Wisynco's William Mahfood, Grog Shoppe's Gloria Palomino, Executive Motors' Sandra Lym Shue, Guardsman Group's Kenny Benjamin, Digicel's Trisha Williams-Singh, Shelly-Ann Harris, and Jackie Burrell-Clarke.

The entire Stewart's Automotives clan, David Lowe of CPJ, members of the Hussey family of the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel, Red Stripe's Cedric Blair, LIME'S Chris Dehring, Lorna Myers, the KFC clan and a host of others were in attendance.

Sponsors included Digicel, Scotiabank, WATA, J. Wray & Nephew, KFC, Pizza Hut, The Jamaica Pegasus, Stewart's Automotive Group, Jamaica Observer, Phoenix Printery, Fly Jamaica, iprint digital, Innovative Signs and Awnings, Image One, Red Stripe, RJR Communications Group, New Era Fencing Limited, Cannonball Café, KSAC, Solid Agency Company, MC Decor Rental & Supplies, CPJ, Rainforest, The Best Dressed Chicken, National Bakery, Eve, CB Chicken, Happy Ice, Minott Services, Atlas Group, Cubbies, Advertising & Marketing, and Lorraine Fung.

barbara.ellington@gleanerjm.com