US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON1884

UNCLAS KINGSTON 001884 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR ECA/PE/C/WHA/EAP RHARVEY, INFO WHA/PDA EDETTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SCUL, OEXC, KPAO, JM 
SUBJECT: 2005 CULTURE CONNECT SPORTS ENVOYS 
 
1.  Summary:  PAS Kingston hosted Culture Connect Sports 
Envoys RaMell Ross and Alvin Green.  Four basketball clinics 
were organized mainly for kids between 6 and 12 years of 
age, although several individuals between the ages of 13 and 
25 also participated in each clinic.  A total of 240 
Jamaican children and 80 young adults, mainly from 
Kingston's inner-city communities, enthusiastically 
participated in the clinics.  In addition to demonstrating 
the techniques involved in the game of basketball, Ross and 
Green (who both recently graduated from U.S. universities) 
"connected" with all participants, with whom they held frank 
discussions about setting goals in life and achieving them 
in spite of whatever obstacles they might face; the need to 
stay in school in order to receive a solid education; and 
ensuring a balanced diet to maintain good health.  PAS 
Kingston videotaped the first clinic that was organized by 
the Jamaica Basketball Association and took photographs.  A 
young writer from a leading daily newspaper attended two of 
the clinics and interviewed the Sports Envoys, 
representatives from the sponsoring local organizations, and 
the police.  End summary. 
 
2.  Dates:  July 27-29, 2005, Q4, FY-2005. 
 
3.  MPP Goal:  Democracy and Human Rights (Mutual 
Understanding). 
 
This Culture Connect program enabled the Mission to 
demonstrate to Jamaican kids - mainly from the inner-city 
communities -- the valuable contributions that RaMell Ross 
and Alvin Green are making to American society.  The staging 
of these free basketball clinics has strengthened U.S.- 
Jamaica relations as so many young people had the 
opportunity to enjoy the rare talent of two talented 
American basketball MVPs and learn from their motivational 
talks.   Post was successful in getting young Jamaicans to 
focus on U.S. society and realize that their dreams can 
become a reality if they work diligently. 
 
4.  Basketball clinics were held at the National Stadium 
basketball courts and the inner-city Kingston communities of 
August Town and Allman Town.  The newly-formed USAID- 
sponsored Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) played a 
key role in the organization of the final basketball clinic. 
(PERF was established to improve relationships between the 
citizens and the police in the inner-city Kingston community 
of Grants Pen.)  A Ministry of Health Healthy Lifestyle 
Session that promised to be information and interesting was 
planned for the morning of July 27 but had to be cancelled 
due to the delayed arrival of the Sports Envoys in Kingston. 
 
5.  A young writer from the Daily Observer's weekly "Teen 
Age" supplement (circ. 50,000) wrote a full-page article on 
8/2:  "I hope that programs like these will be successful 
for the betterment of communities and Jamaica as a whole, 
because our nation is depending on a better generation for 
tomorrow".  Participants were in agreement when they said: 
"I hope they come back next year" and "We need more clinics 
like these". 
 
6.  Agency Support:  Raymond Harvey was in constant contact 
with Post's Cultural Exchanges Specialist to ensure that 
Post had the information that we needed in order to organize 
a meaningful program for the Sports Envoys, given the short 
lead-time. 
 
The Georgetown-themed t-shirts were very much appreciated by 
as many participants as we could supply at each clinic. 
Such was the demand that, ideally,Post would have had 300 t- 
shirts and 10 basketballs to distribute to participants and 
organizers, but we realize that this was not possible. 
 
7.  Non-USG Support for the Concert:  PAS Kingston 
collaborated with the Jamaica Basketball Association, USAID, 
U.S. Peace Corps volunteers, the American Chamber of 
Commerce, leaders of inner-city communities and local police 
to make these clinics a reality.  In addition to staff time 
to help in the staging of these clinics, these organizations 
contributed sodas, bottled water, light refreshments and, in 
some cases, lunch.  This was a most worthwhile program that 
post recommends be repeated on an annual basis.  Regards 
from Kingston.  Tighe