PM's wife new patron for HIV committee
Published: Wednesday | December 2, 2009
Faith Innerarity (left), permanent secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, looks on as Onika Miller, permanent secretary (acting) in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), signs a commitment document in the presence of Prime Minister Bruce Golding at the Cabinet Office yesterday. During the signing, a collaboration among the OPM and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, government agencies and ministries committed themselves to non-discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Lorna Golding, wife of Prime Minister Bruce Golding, has formally accepted a role as the 2010 patron for the National AIDS Committee (NAC).
"It is with a deep sense of humility that I accept to serve as patron for the National AIDS Committee," said Golding yesterday, while noting that it was an honour to have been selected to serve the country in the capacity.
Golding accepted the post during the World AIDS Day Annual Outstanding Leadership Breakfast, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, where she spoke of her commitment to Jamaicans.
"As one who has a passion for early childhood education, I'm equally concerned about the plight of our young children already afflicted with the disease," she said.
"I'm even more concerned with those who become at-risk through no fault of theirs, and those who are stigmatised," she added.
Raising funds
Golding was quick to declare the start of her job, noting that she was "committed to raising funds for intensifying the public education awareness campaign and through providing the relevant drugs for treatment".
Howard Hamilton, chairman of the NAC, said advocacy has been an important role of the organisation. He said many of the messages remained the same for some time, and a challenge is to keep these messages fresh, hence their idea to "periodically change the messenger".
As patron, Golding will serve for one year during which she will be an advocate for the work of the NAC, introduce and speak on HIV/AIDS-related topics at every possible opportunity, plan and carry out at least one major fund-raising event, as well as undertake at least four speaking engagements arranged or facilitated by the NAC.
