About the Jamaica Section

The Jamaica Section is an association of local engineers and technologists (IEEE members) who network with colleagues, develop activities for professional development, and share expertise through technical presentations. All IEEE members in Jamaica and the public are invited to attend and participate in Section meetings which are usually held the third Wednesday of each month, a tradition for 35 years.

There are over two hundred members in the Jamaica Section. Members who served as Section Chair were: Al Hall, Herbert Sharpe, Hugh Cross, Hopeton Heron, Andrew Jackson, Dennis Hartley, Basil Davidson, Andrea Small, Bryan Aikman, Stephen Legister, Halden Morris, Devon Gayle, Wilfred Roberts, and Daniel Tulloch-Reid. Members who served as Region 3, Area 9 Chairs were: Hopeton Heron, Andrew Jackson, Dennis Hartley, Halden Morris, Devon Gayle, and Life Senior Member Wilfred A. Roberts.

Senior IEEE members are: D.G. Campbell, D.A Hartley, D.A Simm, H.A. Morris, W. A. Roberts, D. Gayle, and B. Davidson and Hugh Brand (deceased)

The Jamaica Section has successfully staged technology seminars, video-conferences, technical presentations to clubs and schools, regional conferences, international conferences, public fora, and annual luncheons. JamCon '94, a one day conference, in July 1994 in Kingston, Jamaica, was held at the Jamaica Conference Centre. Although this conference targeted Caribbean presenters only, it was a remarkable success. With this experience, a decision was taken to organise JamCon '95, which targeted presenters worldwide. This conference which was held in August of that year in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Resort, was also also a success. JamCon2000 was held at the same venue in August 2000.

The Jamaica Section was the major host for SoutheastCon 2003 which was held at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica April 4-6, 2003. SoutheastCon is the annual Region 3 technical, professional, and student conference. It brought together electrical, computer engineering professionals, and students to share the latest information through technical sessions, tutorials and exhibits. The student conference was the major event of Southeastcon 2003 , and the University of Technology, Jamaica was the host and sponsor of this programme.

The student program was organized in five sections; the hardware, software, website, paper and T-shirt competitions. All competitions were designed by students of UTech. One hundred and ninety six (196) students and twenty (20) branch counsellors from thirty two (32) universities in the southeastern USA registered and attended the conference. The SoutheastCon 2003 student conference was a resounding success.

The Jamaica Section Website was launched by Milverton Moore (Section Webmaster) on Thursday, 25th March, 1999 at the Internet Services Division, Cable & Wireless, Jamaica Ltd (now LIME), on Half-Way Tree Rd in Kingston. Original content for the website was provided by Dennis Hartley and Wilfred Roberts.

The IEEE Jamaica Section acknowledges the companies and institutions which have supported its activities over the years. These include, LIME (formerly Cable and Wireless, Jamaica), The National Water Commission, The Jamaica Public Service Company, Alcan Jamaica Company, Saint Andrew Investments, The National Commercial Bank, Carib Cement, Digicel Jamaica, Air Jamaica, and the University of Technology, Jamaica and the University of the West Indies (Mona).