THE WORD ‘Easter’ isthought to be derivedfrom the Scandinavian

word ‘stra’ and Teutonicwords, ‘stern’ or ‘Eastre.Both Ostern and Eastre aremythological goddesses ofspring and fertility. Theirfestivals were celebrated onvernal equinoxes.

Easter traditions areclosely related to the festi-val, i.e., Easter rabbits andbrightly coloured Eastereggs. Easter rabbits aresymbolic of fertility, andbrightly coloured Eastereggs are symbolic ofspring’s sunlight, as well asfertility, creation, and newlife. Rabbits are known forthe great capacity to pro-duce in abundance, espe-cially during Spring.

Christians interpret andcelebrate Easter throughconverging religious tradi-tions. Emphasis is placedon the Jewish festival,Passover, an important feastcelebrated for eight days,commemorating theIsraelites flight andfreedom from Egyptianslavery. In Exodus 12, the

Bible speaks of when theangel of death ‘passed over’the Israelites’ dwellings,sparing their first-born.Passover is celebrated dur-ing the first month of theHebrew year.

Many early Christianswere raised in the Hebrewtradition, but possessedJewish origins. Theyregarded Easter as a newfacet of the festival ofPassover celebrating theadvent of Jesus, theMessiah, as foretold by theprophets ( Luke 24:44-48).Jesus was crucified androse from the dead at thefeast of the Passover inJerusalem.

Controversial, Christiansof Jewish and Christians ofGentile origin, differed onthe day of Easter’s obser-vance. Western churchesobserve Easter on the firstSunday following the fullmoon that occurs on orafter the spring equinox ofMarch 21. Eastern church-es, who are closer to thebirthplace of Christianityand have a stronger connec-tion to older traditions,

observe Easter according tothe Passover festival’s date.

Easter occurs at the endof Lent. The Lenten seasonis 46 days of penitence inpreparation for Easter. Thesix Sundays in Lent are nota part of Lent, however, areconsidered a commemora-tion of Easter Sunday.These Sundays are excludedfrom the Lenten fast.

HOLY WEEKThe last week of Lent is

Holy Week, which beginswith Palm Sunday. PalmSunday is representative ofJesus’ triumphal entry intoJerusalem. Crowds laidpalms at his feet. The LastSupper, held the eveningbefore Christ’s Crucifixion,is commemorated on HolyThursday. The anniversaryof the Crucifixion of Jesus,the day he was crucifiedand died on the cross forour sins, is held on theFriday of Holy Week (GoodFriday).

Easter Sunday, the day ofChrist’s resurrection, is theculmination of Holy Weekand Lent.

THE WEEKLY GLEANER www.jamaica-gleaner.com MARCH 22 - 28, 2010 • 15

EASTER FEATURETHE WEEKLY GLEANER

The origins of

EASTER

CONTRIBUTED

Easter eggs.

EGG AND water set fromsunrise on Good Fridaymorning. Bleeding hearttree letting out a red sap atMidday on Good Friday. Nomeat for 40 days after AshWednesday.

These were just some ofthe traditions thatJamaicans used to practisealong with the ever popularbun and cheese and going tochurch around Easter.However, those practiceswere done eons ago when‘peenie wallie’ and the TillyLamp were the prime sourceof light and electricity wasstill a luxury for the rich.

TRADITIONSThese days, some of these

traditions have disappearedor is fast becoming a featureof yesterday as with many ofour traditions.

But the traditions listedabove were done religiously.For example, setting thewhite of an egg in a glass ofwater in the sun, in order tohave an indication of one’sfuture was done on Good

Friday morning at sunrise.The eggs set in the sun tookvarious shapes.

For example, a ship andplane means you will betravelling overseas. A ringand wedding cake meantmarriage; and a coffinmeans the death of a familymember. A separate tradi-tion was to cut the physicnut tree at about midday onGood Friday. At that time,the sap was supposed to runred instead of white.

SACRIFICEAnother practice was to

desist from all forms of meatand feed on fish and vegeta-bles for the season of lentbefore formally ending theno meat fast after GoodFriday. On Good Friday oth-ers went to church.

However, apart from goingto church, most of thesepractices seems to have meta slow death - at least inKingston and the CorporateArea.

“Out in the country peoplestill cut the Physic Nut tree

but I can’t ever recall seeingone in Kingston,” said 66year-old Florence Richards.

“I know of people whohave done the egg and waterone in Kingston and I havedone it myself but I don’t

think a lot of people do itnow,” she added.

She said she had tried theegg and water out of curiosi-ty and saw an air plane.

And, as destiny wouldhave it, two years later shewas comfortably seated on aflight to the US. She is notthe only one who has seen itdone or who has tried outthe traditions. Sylvia Fungsaid she tried cutting thePhysic Nut tree. She saidshe saw the red sap comingout much to her surprise.

“I have cut the Physic nutand I have tried the egg andwater. I once had cousin whodid the egg and water andshe saw a coffin. She diedshortly after,” said Fung.

No one knows for surewhere these traditions camefrom. However, the egg andwater practice is said tohave originated in paganEurope and found its way toour shores through theEnglish. It is said that theegg was used for magic aswell as being eaten on theSaturday after Good Friday.

Traditional Jamaican Easter activities‘These days,

some of thesetraditions

have disap-peared or

is fastbecoming afeature of

yesterday aswith many

of our traditions’

LIKE THE rest of the world,Jamaicans decorate theirhome, with Easter lilies. Itis a beautiful trumpet-shaped white flower symbol-ising purity, virtue, inno-cence, hope and life -; thespiritual essence of Easter.History, mythology, litera-ture, poetry and the worldof art are rife with stories

and images that speak of thebeauty and majesty of theelegant white flower.

Often called the “white-robed apostles of hope,”lilies were found growing inthe Garden of Gethsemaneafter Christ’s agony.

Tradition has it that thebeautiful white lilies sprungup where drops of Christ’s

sweat fell to the ground inhis final hours of sorrowand deep distress. Churchescontinue this tradition atEaster time by bankingtheir altars and surroundingtheir crosses with masses ofEaster lilies to commemo-rate the resurrection ofJesus Christ and hope of lifeeverlasting.

One of Jamaica’s myths issetting an egg to predictone’s future. It is said if youplace an egg white in a con-tainer of water on HolyThursday night by GoodFriday you will see yourfuture. If the shape formedin the container is a ship oraircraft, it means travel. Ifit’s a casket, it means death

and so forth. AaronWilliams, 34, from MilkRiver in Clarendon said hehas tried it, and it worked.

“In 1994 on HolyThursday night I set the eggand on Good Friday morn-ing when I looked at it I sawa ship.”

Williams did not travelright away and when he didin March 2000 it was by air,but he still believes in themyth.

“The ship also meansprosperity and I saw pros-perity after that flight,” herecalls. That flight took himto London in England wherehe spent three yearsworking and even found a

wife and fathered a child.

EASTER BUNIn earlier times the Greeks

and Egyptians ate small cakesor buns in honour of the‘queen of heaven’, the goddessEastre as early as the days ofCecrops, the founder ofAthens, 1,500 years beforeChrist. Hot cross buns werefirst baked by the Saxons inhonour of Eastre.

The word ‘bun’ itselfderives from boun, Saxonfor ‘sacred ox’, which wassacrificed at the Eastre festival,

easter feature

EASTER IS not only aholiday but a seasonunto itself. To many

religious people, it marks atime of miracles and a reaf-firming of faith. To thosewith a more secular view ofthe world, it is a celebrationof the end of winter, a timeto look toward the warmthof the coming summer and achance to shed the heavy,dour clothing of the winterfor the bright colours ofspring.

Easter traditions and sym-bols are well known: theEaster Bunny, Easter eggsand Easter baskets havebecome hallmarks of thisspring festival. Yet there ismore to them than meets theeye. Let us examine theseand other Easter traditionsand symbols and see justhow our modern day versionof the Easter holiday devel-oped and from where.

Long before Easterbecame the holiday it is

today, the spring festival wascelebrated by the peoplearound the world. Althoughassociated with the sun andthe Vernal Equinox, the cele-bration was originally basedon the lunar calendar.

The name Easter isderived from the SaxonEostre (which is synony-mous with the name of thePhoenician Goddess of theMoon, Astarte), a Germanicgoddess of spring and thedeity who measured time.

Curiously, a Jewish festi-val, Purim, also celebrated inthe spring, has as it centralcharacter and heroine,Esther who, as queen, keptthe evil Haman from killingher people. Even the veryword moon derives from theSanskrit mas or ma, mean-ing ‘to measure.’

Many scholars have sug-gested that the reason thatthe moon was chosen by theancients as the way to meas-ure time was the link

between the female cycle andthe cycle of the moon. Alunar month of 28 days gave13 periods in 364 days,which was the solar equiva-lent of 52 weeks. Theancient Hebrews had longfollowed a lunar calendar, ashad most other ancient cul-tures. Thus humans couldmatch their natural liveswith the nature of the nightsky above them.

GROWTHAs Christianity grew and

spread throughout theworld, it was common prac-tice to adopt, modify, convertor take over existing non-Christian festivals, sacredlocations and even names,and assimilate them into theChristian theology. TheRomans used this method ofcultural absorption for cen-turies as a way of expandingand firming up the Empire.Given the fact thatChristianity had its roots in

Roman ways, it is not sur-prising that the same tech-nique was used to spreadbelief in Christ.

The best example of thiswas in ancient Britain wherethe bearers of the Cross builttheir churches and monas-teries on the very siteswhere far more ancient riteshad been held.

Because Eostre, also knowas Ostara, was the goddessof spring and her symbolismdealt with renewal andrebirth, the Christian beliefin the resurrection of Christfit well with these themes.

The connection betweenChrist’s Resurrection andJewish Passover, which, inaddition to the dramaticstory of the flight fromEgypt, also contains ele-ments of a spring celebra-tion, made the merging ofthe two religious traditionseasily accomplished.

The Easter season

CONTRIBUTED

Easter Lily

AP

Ultra-orthodox Jewish men hold up a Torah scroll before participating in a blessing during the Jewish holiday of Passover, in front of the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, in Jerusalem’s Old City, Sunday, April 12, 2009. The Cohanim,believed to be descendants of priests who served God in the Jewish Temple before it was destroyed, perform a blessing ceremony of the Jewish people three times a year during the festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot.

Please seeSEASON, 17

The history of Easter

www.jamaica-gleaner.com THE WEEKLY GLEANER16 • MARCH 22 - 28, 2010

easter feature

THE WEEKLY GLEANER www.jamaica-gleaner.com MARCH 22 - 28, 2010 • 17

Continued from 16HISTORY

and the image of its hornswas carved into the cakes.To Christians, the crosssymbolises the crucifixion.

Early church fathers, tocompete with the pagan cus-tom of baking ox-markedcakes, baked their own ver-sion, using the same doughas bun made for Eastre. Butthey had to be discreet intheir conversion methods.So they reinterpreted theox-horn symbol as a cruci-fix, and gave the buns out tonew converts attendingmass. And again, they did agood job of disguising their

motives. They successfullyChristianised a pagan cakeand gave people a treat theywere used to. Also they sub-tly marked the buns with animage that, though obvious-ly Catholic, at a distancewouldn’t label the bearer asa Christian.

PHYSIC NUT TREEAnother Jamaican Easter

myth is the bleeding physicnut tree on Good Friday atnoon. This is an oftenrepeated story in rutralJamaica. It was said that onGood Friday, if you choppedthe tree the sap that oozesout would be a red sub-stance that signifies theblood of Jesus. Also, it issaid that Jesus was crucifiedon a similar type of tree.

GEORGE HENRY PHOTO

The Physic Nut Tree (like this one adjacent to the Spaldings Police Station inClarendon), is rumoured to bleed if you chop or cut it at 12 noon on GoodFriday. It is also said that this is the tree on which Jesus was crucified.

Getcracking !Getcracking !Eggs-citing Easter entertainingHeather Little-WhiteContributor

MANY EASTER foods are relat-ed to pagan rites of springand modern interpretations

and practice. For example, eggs arefor rebirth, ham is for luck;cake/bread for fertility, candy and toysare placed in fancy baskets. Easterfoods are primarily those of EasterSunday, the day rejoicing Christianscelebrate the resurrection of Jesus.

RELIGIOUS TRADITIONEggs are traditionally associated

with rebirth, rejuvenation andimmorality, which is why they areassociated with Easter. In earlyChristianity, eggs were forbiddenduring Lent and so they were more

Please see CRACKING, 18

exciting and in demand 40days later.

In Slavic countries, basketsof food, including eggs, aretaken to church and blessedon Holy Saturday or beforeEaster midnight Mass, thentaken home for Easterbreakfast. In the pre-Christian era, eggs werepainted, blessed, exchangedand eaten as part of springcelebrations to welcome thesun from the long wintersleep.The decoration of eggs is

associated with religion.

VERSATILITY Whether you are painting

them to honour the celebra-

tion of Easter or cookingthem, eggs are a great wayto make your Easter holidayunforgettable. Hard-boiledeggs are versatile and canbe served in a number ofexciting ways.

Apart for the blanddevilled eggs you may havebeen using to entertain,hard-boiled eggs can be usedfor:

� Topping up a green salad.

� Making sandwiches for quick snack.

� Curried eggs served over hot, fluffy white rice.

� Wrapping in a sausage, breaded and deep fried. Serve in quarters as an appetiser.

� Pickling in the same way you pickle beets.

� Casseroles, which combine cabbage, onions, mushrooms with layers of cream cheese and hard-boiled eggs.

EGGNOG TRADITIONEggnog is synonymous

with Easter as it is withChristmas. It is believed thateggnog is a tradition thatcame to America fromEurope as milk-based bever-ages and punches were con-cocted in the old World. InAmerica, a new twist wasgiven to a traditional prod-uct using rum, called ‘grog’,instead of wine. Since ‘grog’was close to ‘nog’, the earlyname was ‘egg-and-grog’,then ‘egg-and-grog’, andlater eggnog.Others believethat the word ‘nog’ comesfrom the word ‘noggin’, asmall wooden, craved mugused to serve drinks attables in taverns. Yet anoth-er explanation is thateggnog started out as amixture of Spanish sherryand milk. An egg drink in anoggin could easily becomeeggnog in name.

easter feature

www.jamaica-gleaner.com THE WEEKLY GLEANER18 • MARCH 22 - 28, 2010

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FANTASTICBARGAIN

Continued from 17CRACKING Hard-boiled

eggs are versatile and

can be served ina number of

exciting ways.

Cooking eggssafely and

creatively atEaster is aneasy way to

providenutritious

dishes for thefamily while

giving you timeto get out of thekitchen to have

some fun.

RUDOLPH BROWN /FreelancePhotographer

Try this yummy egg contest-winning dish, Jamaican Sweet Potato and Ham Egg Bake courtesy of Andre Grant.

The JamaicanBobsleigh teammade history in the

Calgary Olympics WinterGames, much to theamusement of many. Toothers, they earned muchrespect. You do remem-ber that their terrific featinspired the very popularWalt Disney movie "CoolRunnings".

How did it this all hap-pen? Here is the story of theinspiration that led to theirBobsled adventures…

Two American business-men, George Fitch, the firstPresident of the JamaicaBobsleigh Federation andbusinessman WilliamMaloney, who at the timeboth lived in Jamaica,formed the JBF. Theseopportunistic and enterpris-ing young men latched onto a novel idea one night inKingston. Having seen thelocal pushcart derby andnoting its similarity withbobsledding, and recogniz-

ing the abundance of athletic talent in Jamaica,both gentlemen concludedwhat was not so obvious,that Jamaica and bobsled-ding was a natural fit.Supported by Mr. MichaelFennel, President of theJamaica Olympic Association,the two gentlemen pro-ceeded to put in place theelements of a dream thatwas destined to become alegend.

The first JamaicanBobsled team made historywhen it entered the sport indramatic fashion in the1988 Winter Olympics inCalgary, Alberta. AfterCalgary, the team contin-ued to improve, takinghome various medals,including gold at the 2000World Push Championshipsin Monte Carlo and placingfirst in 2-man sledding and4-woman sledding atOlympic trials.

Since then, the team hasrepeatedly returned to the

Winter Olympics and eventhough they did not qualifyfor the 2010 WinterOlympics, they are takenvery seriously. The currentdriver, Hannukkah Wallace,is ranked No 7 in the world

as a junior. The future inJamaica’s bobsled looksvery bright!

MoneyGram Internationalis proud to have sponsoredthe Jamaican Bobsled teamduring the Winter Olympics

2010 qualifying campaign. MoneyGram International

is an international moneytransfer provider whosereach spreads wide acrossthe Caribbean. In Jamaicaalone, MoneyGram has thelargest network of agentlocations than any othermoney transfer service.MoneyGram has locationsin ALL 14 PARISHES inJamaica, as well as all cap-ital towns - you name it andthey are there in reach ofyour loved ones in Jamaica.MoneyGram remains closeto the pulse of their clients,as they systematically openlocations wherever there isa need. MoneyGram’sSuper-Agents in Jamaicaare LASCO Remittances,Supreme Ventures (andselected Post Offices),Alliance Remittances, allbranches of the NCB(National CommercialBank)and JN (JamaicaNational).

The MoneyGram website,

www.moneygram.com hasdetails of the convenientlocations spread all overJamaica and the Caribbean

For people looking tosend money to their lovedones in the Caribbean fromthe UK, MoneyGram offersa range of locations fromwhich to send from. “As weare available from everyPost Office in the UK andalso Thomas Cook andGoing Places stores, thereis always going to be a convenient place to sendmoney from for all our customers” says RichardLevy, Marketing ManagerUK and Ireland. Levy alsosays “on top of that, ourfees are very low and startfrom just £4.99 for sends tothe Caribbean.

When you also considerthat the monies typicallyarrive within ten minutes,we are very fortunate tooffer what we consider tobe the ultimate moneytransfer service.”

WINTER OLYMPICS ? …JAMAICA? Whe dem goin wid dat?

MARCH 22 - 28, 2010 • 19THE WEEKLY GLEANER www.jamaica-gleaner.com

Remember twenty-two years ago when four young men from Jamaica caused quite astir, as they entered the world of Winter Olympics? Everybody had the same reaction

Hannukkah Wallace-Driver and MarvinDixon-break man start off strong while

coach, Wayne Thomas looks on.

easter feature

www.jamaica-gleaner.com THE WEEKLY GLEANER20 • MARCH 22 - 28, 2010

The Weekly Gleaner

TheWeekly Gleaner

TheWeekly Gleaner

1876-504-7282.

WILJOHNSON

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THINKING OF baking yourown bun for Easter? Whynot try out this recipe, orbetter yet - have some funcreating your own.

Yield: about 10 bunsBake time: 1 hourPrep time: 10 minutesIngredients2 cups wine1 bottle stout2 eggs, beaten1/4 tsp bun spice2 tsp vanilla4 ozs margarine, melted1 tsp grace browning

1 pound dark sugar2 1/5 pounds counter flour2 tbs baking powder1 tsp salt1 tbsp mixed spice1 tsp cinnamon powder4 whole cherries8 oz raisins8 oz mixed peel4 oz Grace guava jam

METHOD1. Combine wine, stout,

beaten eggs, bun spice,vanilla, margarine, brown-ing and dark sugar.

Mix well and set aside.2. Sift together dryingredients.

3. Add the fruits to the dry ingredients and mix well.4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid ingredients.Mix well.5. Scrape mixture into

greased 30 cm x 13 cm x 6cm (12”x4”x3”) loaf tin.

6. Bake at 180C (350F) forone hour. To test if doneinsert a skewer, when it

comes out clean bun is done.7. Remove from pan and

allow to cool.8. Melt the Grace guava

jam and brush over thesurface of the baked bun as aglaze.

SERVINGSServe with your choice of

Tastee processed cheese ornatural cheddar cheese.

Recipe from http://www.grace-foods.com/site/recipe/spicy-east-er-bun

RICARDO MAKYN/Staff Photographer.

A display of AML buns hot out of the oven.

Bun for Easter, anyone?

BUN AND CHEESE is asacred Jamaican Easter tra-dition, of course. But haveyou heard about the wackycombinations of bun andother toppings?

We thought we’d heard itall until someone mentionedeating bun and mustard.What?!

Then slowly others start-ed confessing their dirty lit-tle secrets – they don’talways have cheese withtheir bun. Mouth agape, we

listened as they spilled thebeans of how they slathertheir bun with mayonnaise,ketchup, peanut butter, ortop it with sardines, cornedbeef, egg or patty.

One person even ownedup to a bun and bread sand-wich – two slices of bun anda slice of real Jamaican harddough in the middle, or viceversa.

However you top it, enjoyyour Easter bun this sea-son.

A Jamaicantradition

NORMAN GRINDLEY/ StafffPhotographer

Bun and cheese

easter feature

THE WEEKLY GLEANER www.jamaica-gleaner.com MARCH 22 - 28, 2010 • 21

INGREDIENTS1 pint (560ml) vegetable oil2 lb (908g) fresh fish fillets (snapper or grouper)1 tbsp fresh lime juice4 oz (113g.) flour1 tsp seasoned salt1 bottle beer

METHOD1. Fill a deep fryer or a deep sauce pan three-quarters

full with oil heat to 375°F2. Cut the fish fillets into serving-size pieces and brush

with lime juice.3. Mix two thirds of the flour with salt and pepper in a

bowl4. Add the beer gradually, beating until the batter is

smooth5. Pour the remaining flour on a plate6. Coat each piece of fish with flour, then dip into the

batter, coating well.7. Fry in the hot oil for 7-8 minutes, turning once.8. Drain on paper towel or brown paper.

Beer-Batter FishBeer-Battered FishSteam

ed FishINGREDIENTS1 lb (450g) red snapper grouper oryellow taildash salt and pepper1/2 tsp garlic powder1 tsp oil2 stalks chives/scallion - chopped4 cloves garlic - minced4 slices ginger3 tbs oyster sauce1 tbs superior soy1 tsp sugar

METHOD1. Season fish with

salt, pepper andgarlic powder.

2. Place fish onheat proof dish andset in a steamer.

3. Steam for 15minutes or until fishis done. In smallsaucepan, heat oiladd chives, garlic,ginger, oyster sauce,Supreme soy andsugar.

4. Stir-fry for oneminute. Pour oversteamed fish.

www.jamaica-gleaner.com THE WEEKLY GLEANER22 • MARCH 22 - 28, 2010

HANDYMAN? PEST CONTROLLER? BOMB MAKER?They’re making bombs, so naturally terrorists will try to conceal their activities. But sometimes they can leave tell-talesigns. Signs we need your help in spotting. They may load up their vehicles with large amounts of chemicals, fertilisersor gas cylinders, all of which can be used to make bombs. These may be bought with cash. They’ll also have to be storedsomewhere like a house, a lock-up or a garage.You might even see discarded material.If you notice anything suspicious or out of the ordinary

CALL THE CONFIDENTIAL ANTI-TERRORIST HOTLINE ON 0800 789 321.

We don’t believe any call is a waste of time. If you suspect it, report it.

Isaac N.P.CarterContributor

EASTERIS wide-ly

regarded as theseason of renewal

- all of its symbolspoint to the renew-

al of life and hope.Are you stuck in a

rut? Are you unsureof your next move?

This season why nottake a scriptural

approach to managingyour money.The Bible teaches us to

be good stewards of allGod has entrusted us with,

including our money (Luke12:42), and Proverbs 6 vs 6-8draws our attention to theindustry and organisation ofthe ant who works duringthe summer to provide foritself in the winter.

We should follow the

example of the ant butunfortunately most of usseem happy to live the ‘bor-row now and pay later’lifestyle despite the exhor-tation of the scripture notto. Deuteronomy 28:13

Financialguidelines toget you started

1. CHECK YOUR ASSETS

The Bible talks of the stew-ard who was set over all hismaster had (Luke 14:28). Soas a steward of your financesyou need to continuallyreview your assets (i) thevalue of your house (ii) thevalue of your investments(iii) the balance on your cur-rent and deposit accounts(iv)the value of your pensionand insurance. Also reviewyour liabilities (i) balance onyour mortgage, loans, and

credit cards.

2. MAKE A BUDGET

Your budget should con-tain all your income (salary,child benefit, tax credit) andoutgoings, including utilitybills, mortgage, groceries,monthly direct debit, coun-cil tax, weekly, monthly andannual travel expense.Make sure you leave noth-ing out, this way you canhave a clear financial pic-ture and adjust your incomeor expenditure accordingly.

3. SAVINGS PLAN

Everyone should have asavings plan for short, midand long term commit-ments. Proverbs 22:3exhorts us to be like theprudent man and preparefor the future. So you need(i) short term savings for

those small emergencieslike household appliancesbreaking down, annual holi-days (ii) mid- term for moresubstantial commitmentssuch as an addition to thefamily, school or universityfees moving house (deposit)(iii) Long term for Holidayhome, pension, retirement,children’s wedding,

All of the above thingsneed to be paid for so youneed to put plans in place tomake sure you can affordthem without getting intodebt. (Romans 13: 8).

4. CLEAR YOUR DEBTS

Debt is not in God’s willfor your life and you shouldnot tolerate it. Romans 13:8exhorts us to “owe no debtother than to love eachother ... ” and Deuteronomy28: declares that we are tolend and not borrow. Usingyour debt reduction plan

Easter feature

Starting MANAGING YOUR MONEY

Easter feature

THE WEEKLY GLEANER www.jamaica-gleaner.com MARCH 22 - 28, 2010 • 23

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ON TOP, BY THE ROAD SIDE SITTING ON 3 1/4 ACRES OF LANDTHREE QUARTER ACRE OF LAND WITH FRUIT TREESNOW ON SALE ! - NEG YOU BETTER HURRY BEFORE IT GOES. MUST GO

Lot size: 31/4 ACRES OF LANDAddress: ROBIN ROAD SOUTH-FIELD

Parish: St ElizabethCountry: JamaicaPrice :WAS $20.5 MILLION — NOW $19, MILLION

[LOCATED IN ROBIN ROAD SOUTH-FIELD, ST ELIZABETH-15 IN JUNCTION TOWN .15 MIN

TREASURE BEACH.]

2 BED SINGLE-STOREYDWELLING-MAINSTREET, ST ANN

Sandy Shores is proud to present this lovely single-storey Residence with ? Acre of Land.Property Descriptiondetached single-storey residence2 bedroom, 2 bathroom Living room Dining RoomFully fitted Kitchen? acre of land2,568 Sqr Ft

Lot size: 12582.9Address: Main StreetCity: Discovery Bay Parish: St AnnCountry: JamaicaPrice: $6,000,000

3 BED SINGLE-STOREYDWELLING-VILLA DRIVE, STCATHERINESandy Shores is proud to present this

lovely single-storey Residence with 1 ensuite bathroom.Property Descriptiondetached single-storey residence3 bedroom2 bathroom Living room Dining RoomFully fitted Kitchen

Lot size: 201.856 sq mtrAddress: Villa Drive, Old

Harbour VillasCity: Spanish Town Parish: St CatherineCountry: JamaicaPrice: $5,200,000

PROPERTIES FOR SALE

104 Craven Park Road, London, NW10 8QE for ALL your

English * West Indian * AfricanFood Supplies & Fresh Green Grocery

020 8965 9544

A Blessed and Holy Easter to all from

Lloyd’s Groceries

Visit us at:

prioritise your highest debts and pay them off one by one tillthey are all gone. If you don’t have a debt reduction plan youshould get one right away.

5. GIVE BACK

Malachi 3:8 commands us to “Bring tithes and offering into the storehouse....” and promises us that if we tryGodin this respect “I will open the windows of heaven for you.I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enoughroom to take it in ... ” This is reaffirmed in Luke 6:38 where we are told “Give and it shall be given unto you pressed down and running down ... ” So we see that our financial success is linked to our giving and there has to be a commitment to tithe and honour God with your first fruits.

6. REVIEW YOUR SECURITY

Proverbs 23:3 teaches us that “a wise man leaves an inheritance for his children and his children’s children” All parents or guardians with responsibility for childrenshould ensure that they have arrangements in place to ensure that they do not become a burden on their family either through an early death or old age. To this end all parents should ensure that they have, (i) life insurance to provide for their family and loved ones in the event of their death (ii) a decent pension (not just the state one) to ensure that they retain their financial independence in old age, and (iii) a will to ensure clarity regardingtheir wishes for their estate in the event

of their death.

6. INVEST IN YOUR FINANCIAL EDUCATION

Hosea 4:6 declares that “my people perish forlack of knowledge”. God does not want us to beignorant in any area of our lives and if you aregoing to acquire a new way ofthinking about your finances youare going to need to read andstudy more financial litera-ture. I recommend youpurchase GGoo ttoo tthhee AAnntt-- AA ssiimmppllee bbuutt eeffffeeccttiivveegguuiiddee ffoorr ddaayy ttoo ddaayymmoonneeyy mmaannaaggeemmeenntt

((wwwwww..ggoottootthheeaanntt..ccoo..uukk))..

7. MONEY’S PLACE INOUR LIVES

It is essential that we havethe right attitude to money.Money must not control or dom-inate our lives to the point thatit becomes an idol which replacesGod. 1 Timothy 6:10 teaches usthat “the love of money is the rootof all evil”. This is why God asks usto give, to tithe, to bless others; notbecause He wants or needs ourmoney but because it is a test if itmeans more to us than He does.

afresh this Easter

Our shippingservices aresecond to none

although we have a fewcompetitors. Our com-pany is soaring to newheights everyday whichis prompting the needfor expansion to pro-vide a continuous andeven better service toour thousands of cus-tomers throughoutEngland.All our vehicles are allown by us, whichenables us to offer youa cheaper pick anddrop off service whichis also free of charge forlocal areas. Shipping toJamaica is not onlyabout the profit we gainwe take pride in know-ing all our customersare satisfied especiallyour returning resi-dence. Our overseasoffice is based in

Kingston which is ide-ally located directly infront the wharf makingit quick and easy for ourcustomers when clear-ing goods. Kingsleythe owner also flies toJamaica every monthto assist and overseeclearing and also to getinformation aboutchanges in wharf rulesand regulations. Our home deliveryservice is second tonone, very reliable andtrustworthy. We havemany agents nation-wide SN Travel StokeNewington andSouthwest shippingBristol are just a few soour help is always just aphone call away wewelcome agents withgood track records butmust be highly reliableand be able to keep tothe high standards of

Kingsley Shipping.Kingsley would like tothank our new andexisting customers fortheir continuous cus-tom and for spreadingthe good word of theirmany successful ship-ments. Our customersare our most reliableform of marketing andadvertising and wethank you.Kingsley Shippingwould like to thank mytrusted friend CourtneyMelody of vibes fmradio who always sup-ports Kingsley shippingthrough radio advertis-ing for over 15 years.Well done to all theblack businesses whocan unite and supporteach other Rememberunited we stand dividedwe fall.

IN GOD WE TRUST

Kingsley Shipping LtdKingsley shipping services ltd has been tradingin the shipping industry for over 24 years.Kingsley shipping is known to be one of the mostsuccessful Jamaican businesses in England.

www.jamaica-gleaner.com THE WEEKLY GLEANER24 • MARCH 22 - 28, 2010

Junior JohnsonContributor

DOES THE season haveyou thinking of mov-ing back, home? Are

you missing a real Jamaicanstyle Easter holiday. Nowyou can access the funds toown property in Jamaica.

Jamaica remains a greatchoice for securing thatdream home and there arenow many more options tohelp you acheive it.

I have always thought ofowning a property in thesun, especially Jamaica. It isa fascinating country,steeped in history and withmany attractions for the visitor.

In the past, the problem inraising finance in Jamaica isthat historically interestrates have been very high.As a result many propertieshave been built by usingfunds from the UK. However,should an individual nothave access to such fundsthen many properties havebeen left half built.

SENSIBLE INTEREST RATESI am pleased to say that

after many years of researchand investigation, it is nowpossible to arrange mort-gages in Jamaica at sensibleinterest rates. This facility isonly available to non-Jamaica residents, eg per-sons who reside in the UK.

Interest rates are quiteattractive - they have recent-ly been quoted at 4.5 percent per annum (variable).The loan would be in US$and linked to a base ratewhich, in this instance,would be London Inter BankOffered Rate (LIBOR ) or itsUS equivalent. Fixed interestrate mortgages are alsoavailable, starting at 7 percent per annum.

The maximum term istwenty years and all pay-ments will need to includethe repayment of capital,with the maximum loan-to-value being 70 per cent. The

minimum mortgage advanceis US$250,000.

To demonstrate a monthlyrepayment cost, I haveassumed a purchase price ofUS$360,000. If we assume amaximum advance of 70 percent loan-to-value, thiswould work out atUS$252,000, resulting in amonthly repayment ofapproximately of US$1,573.

“As you would expect therewill of course be costsinvolved in the purchase ofproperty in Jamaica beingapproximately 8 per cent ofthe purchase price. Thiscompares very favourablywith purchasing propertiesin Europe, e.g. France orSpain . The costs will includelenders solicitors costs, bro-kers fees and a valuation fee.

In addition to this therewill be a Government taxwhich varies from area toarea. Therefore when view-ing a property, we strongly

suggest that you obtaininformation from the LocalAuthority and builders fordetails. There would also bean initial charge to cover thecost of processing which willbe 0.5 per cent of the financeto be arranged.

The majority of the pro-cessing of mortgage applica-tions would be carried out inthe UK. This would include

the obtaining of credit filesfrom Experian and Equifax,these being the main creditreference agencies in the UK.

Proof of ID and residencewould also be required, toconform with the MoneyLaundering Act require-ments. Evidence of income isalso necessary which shouldbe supported by P60s or tax assessments, where

applicable, together with bank statements.

Once packaged, all documents will be sent to the lender’s agents in the USA, for final processingand eventually the production of a loan document. From start to finish this should takeapproximately four months,depending on how quicklythe documents can beobtained from the applicant(s).

Although I appreciate therequirements to obtain

mortgage facilities aremore restrictive than thosein the UK, nonetheless, thisis the first time that suchfacilities have been avail-able at reasonable rates ofinterest for those wishingto purchase properties inJamaica.

Hopefully other lendersmay follow later especially asJamaica’s property market isvery healthy at the presenttime.

For further informationemail OOvveerrsseeaassllooaannss@@bbttccoonnnneecctt..ccoomm..

feature

THE WEEKLY GLEANER www.jamaica-gleaner.com MARCH 22 - 28, 2010 • 25

FOR SALE 3 BEDROOM BUNGALOW ON 2.98 ACRES LANDNEAR MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA – BARGAIN 75,000 POUNDS

Master Bedroom with en-suite bathroom, walk-in clothes closet , balcony. Living

Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, Utility room, Front Veranda, parking/storeroom lower

level. Fully grilled, vertical blinds & ceiling fans in main rooms, terrazzo floor tiles.

Well fruited land with Mangos, Avocados, Coconut and more. Solar Water Heater,

Satellite T.V. & Internet. Emergency Water tanks & Generator. Available with furniture

and domestic appliances. Freehold Deed. Call Davis 075 4770 2358

Property approx 10 miles from Montego Bay Beaches and Town Centre

Established1974

TRAVEL & SHIPPING

WORLDWIDESea & Air Freight Containerised Services

GUYANA • BARBADOS • TRINIDAD • ST VINCENTANTIGUA • KINGSTON • MONTEGO BAYAND ALL OTHER WEST INDIAN ISLANDS

DOOR TO DOOR SERVICE.

Also all ports in Ghana, Nigeria

20FT & 40FT CONTAINERS

Head Office: 42 Battersea Rise, Battersea, London SW11 1EETel: 020 7223 7522 Fax: 020 7924 3897

Website: www.creteshipping.co.ukEmail: sales@creteshipping.co.uk

6 BEDROOM 4 BATHROOMS

HOUSEFOR SALE

ONE TWO STOREY

in St. Johns Heights, near Green Acres, Spanish Town,

St. Catherine. Lower level is complete and upper level

is over 90% complete. Registered title to hand. All

amenities intact. Property now vacant. £125,000

Call 0121 344 4095

Retirement/AssistedLiving in Jamaica

First Class facility at affordable priceemail: info.westdate@yahoo.com

Tel: UK 07538 191617 Ja: 874 467 7622

GR

CAN YOU HELP?I am currently doing a family search on the surname, Spence.

I am looking for a long lost relative by the name of Roy Spence.

(Roy is from Jamaica).

In the 1950s, he used to live at St Joseph Road in Whitfield Town,

Kingston, with his Aunt Nell and his cousin which I have not yet got a

name. Roy worked as a mason. He also had a distinctive feature of one

extra finger on his left hand. I also know that he had a sister who lived in

Jones Town; however, I do not know her name.

Roy moved to England and was last seen in Craven Park Road,

Harlesden, London NW10 in the 1970s by an aunt of mine who knew

him whilst in Jamaica. She spoke to him for a while and was so surprise

to meet him that she forgot to ask where he was staying.

If anyone knows the whereabouts of Roy Spence or any relation to him

like brothers, sister, children, grandchildren or cousins, please get in

touch with me on the email below or on the telephone number listed.

I would like to thank you in anticipation.Sonia Spence.

E. sml_orchid@hotmail.com T. 07500209744

FILE

A dream home in Jamaica’s Mammee Bay.

Easy, affordable loansfor purchasing property

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www.jamaica-gleaner.com THE WEEKLY GLEANER26 • MARCH 22 - 28, 2010

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