Roteractor gives speech about 50 years of Rotary in Montego Bay at Installation Ceremony

The Rotary Club of Montego Bay celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year having been chartered on the 21 March 1961.

The Club’s Charter was officially presented to President Murph Dullum at an official banquet held at Casa Blanca Hotel. It was presented by Dr. Carlos
Gonzales of Mexico City, who was sent to represent Rotary International. There were twelve Rotarians from Kingston and two from Miami present along
with the 21 Charter Members.

The Mayor of Montego Bay was given twenty one guineas from the twenty one members for the benefit of the Railway Lane Boys Club. Kingston Club
presented the club with a gong and a speaker’s lectern. The North Winnipeg Club presented the club with a gavel.

After this auspicious beginning the club settled down to regular weekly meetings at the Casa Blanca Hotel. Members were drawn from a ten miles radius of Montego Bay, which was the territorial limit laid down in the Constitution.

By the end of the first year, the club had thirty one members. President Murph represented the club at the Rotary International Convention in 1962, which held in Los Angeles. He made valuable links and contact with Rotarians internationally.

Since that first year the Club has held meeting in several venues around the city including Montego Bay Racquet Club, Bay Roc Hotel, Richmond Hill Inn, Miranda Inn and Royal Caribbean, which later became Sandals.

Membership of the group grew steadily reaching 60 in the late nineteen sixties and early nineteen seventies, and became more diverse when women were eventually admitted to the club.

Over the past fifty years the Club has completed a diverse range of projects too numerous to mention but suffice it to say that the club has made on impact in
most all areas of life in our community including; education, sports, medical, The Rotary Club of Montego Bay social and community care. Some projects such as the Annual Careers Fair have been ongoing for thirty five years and the Scholarship fund, for twenty five.

The Club sponsored its first Club, Montego Bay East which received its Charter at the Holiday Inn on the 22 June 1992. The Club has since sponsored several
other Clubs; Lucea, Sav La Mar, Montego Bay Sunrise and Montego Bay Rose Hall.

The Club has had one District Governor Pishu Chandarim, who reputedly had one of the most financially successful district conferences which was held at
the Wyndham hotel in April 1994 and chaired by one of the Past President of the club, George Palmer.

As well as making an impact on the community in its fifty year history, The Rotary club of Montego Bay has boosted tremendous fellowship functions. The records show that Pishu and Janki Chandiram’s home was labelled the unofficial home of Rotary gatherings in Western Jamaica. Likewise, the late PP Gywn Jones and his wife current member Rtn Phyllis hosted many functions at their home in Ironshore.

The Rotary Club of Montego Bay continues to provide members with the opportunity to give back to the community by providing service above self. The Club is  proud to have past presidents and Rotarians who have contributed to building and steering the club over the past fifty years. They continue to support, guide and motive the club to achieving more and better for our community.

Past presidents of the Club who are still members are: Past District Governor Pishu, PP Desi, PP George, PP Denton, PP Jimmy, PP Conrad, PP Duncan, PP
Bhagwan, PP Robin, PP Erica, PP Alfred, PP Larkie, PP Ann, PP Kay, PP Michelle, Pres. Mexine.

Other members of the Club are Rtns. Ram, Karen, Vernella, Andrea, Maria, Phyllis, Emmanuel, Joliker, Natasha, Blondel, Roxanne and Dudley.

Sadly this year we lost one of our dear members Past President Ripton, who is sadly missed.

We look forward to another 50 years of service in our community.

Vernella Fuller

Sources:

40th Anniversary Review
PP Kay Reuben
PDG Pishu Chandiram