Anthony Johnson said he was looking forward to representing Jamaica as the only officially invited guest from the island at the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States on January 20th.

Johnson, Jamaica's envoy to the US, said the State Department two months ago issued a release in which it stated that no heads of government would be officially invited to the ceremony since it is a local event. As such, ambassadors and their spouses were asked to represent their respective countries.

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President of the Atlanta-based Benevolent Mission of Atlanta (BMA), Gail Dunwell, has said that the new 12-member board, which took office on January 1, will place emphasis on partnering with other Diaspora organisations in the United States, in order to provide a more holistic approach to addressing the plight of Jamaican children

"We will also be concentrating our efforts on schools in dire need in Jamaica and focussing on mentoring to Atlanta's elementary and middles schools," she stated.

The Honourable Olivia "Babsy" Grange, Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, has announced that Mrs. Donna-Marie Rowe has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS).

Mrs. Rowe, who was the candidate selected by the Services Commission from a number of persons who had applied for the CEO position, has been appointed on a three-year contract, effective 2nd January 2009.

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