Omar Newell

Last updated

Doctor
Omar A Newell
Personal details
Born
Omar Anthony Newell

(1981-12-29) 29 December 1981 (age 42)
Port Maria, Jamaica
Alma mater Northwestern University School of Law
ProfessionLawyer, Politician and Entrepreneur

Omar Anthony Newell (born 29 December 1981) is a Jamaican entrepreneur, radio broadcaster, newspaper columnist and public speaker. He used to be a law professor and legal consultant in New York.

Contents

Early life

Newell was born in St. Mary, Jamaica, [1] the first child of Lloyd Newell and Ioney Vassell. He lived there with his mother and step-father until he was 11 or 12 years old. [2] At 10, Omar passed the Common Entrance examination and began studying at St. Mary High School, before moving to live with his grandmother in Portland and transferring to Titchfield High School in the parish capitol. [3]

Education

Newell holds a certificate in voice and speech for radio, television and platform from CPTC,[ clarification needed ] a Bachelors in Business Administration from Monroe College in New York where he graduated on top of his class [4] and a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, Illinois. [5] While in law school, Omar traveled on research trips to Russia and his home country Jamaica to conduct research on capitalism and innovation.

Career

Newell worked as assistant warehouse supervisor at a company owned by his father, then he worked in direct sales and as a teller at Jamaica's National Housing Trust. While at NHT, Newell ventured into journalism when he started a radio program at roots FM. After Monroe, Omar worked as a Business Manager at one of Manhattan's public relations firms. [2]

While in the U.S., Newell served as a social and political commentator on several radio stations including WBEZ, [6] Chicago Public Radio. After graduating from Northwestern, he began working as a business law professor in New York and a business law expert at a NY law firm, while producing several articles for Jamaican newspaper the Sunday Gleaner. Subsequent to his return to Jamaica, Newell became a co-host on the radio program, the Breakfast Club.

Newell's writings have focused on a wide range of issues including education and innovation. He has been profiled on several Jamaican programs including Profile with Ian Boyne and Smile Jamaica on Television Jamaica and Jamaican Mornings on Radio Jamaica.

In 2014 and 2015, Newell was the Director of Community Services for the National Youth Services. [7] [8] [9]

He was also elected General Secretary of the Patriots, the young professionals' affiliate of the PNP; and in 2017 was appointed president. [10] He is presently the People National Party’s Candidate for Central St. Mary after defeating Floyd Morris in a runoff on July 9,2023.

Philanthropy

While at NHT, Newell founded the "We Care" project which currently adopts and sends several needy Jamaican students to high school. In addition, he has supported hurricane relief efforts. In the aftermath of hurricane Ivan, he organized a benefit which raised thousands of U.S. dollars for a relief organization. Omar received a public interest star from Northwestern for his volunteerism. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Manley</span> 4th Prime Minister of Jamaica

Michael Norman Manley was a Jamaican politician who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1972 to 1980 and from 1989 to 1992. Manley championed a democratic socialist program, and has been described as a populist. He remains one of Jamaica's most popular prime ministers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">People's National Party</span> Jamaican centre-left political party

The People's National Party (PNP) is a social-democratic political party in Jamaica, founded in 1938 by Norman Washington Manley who served as party president until his death in 1969. It holds 14 of the 63 seats in the House of Representatives, as 96 of the 227 local government divisions. The party is democratic socialist by constitution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Seaga</span> Former Prime Minister of Jamaica

Edward Philip George Seaga was a Jamaican politician. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Jamaica, from 1980 to 1989, and the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party from 1974 to 2005. He served as leader of the opposition from 1974 to 1980, and again from 1989 until January 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Hanna</span> Jamaican politician and beauty queen, Miss World 1993 winner

Lisa Rene Shanti Hanna is a Jamaican politician and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 1993, becoming the third Jamaican to win the title. A member of the opposition People's National Party, Hanna currently serves as Member of Parliament for Saint Ann South East, and was Jamaica's Minister of Youth and Culture from 2012–2016. Hanna was a candidate in the 2020 People's National Party leadership election, following the PNP's defeat at the 2020 Jamaican general election and the subsequent resignation of PNP President and Opposition Leader, Peter Phillips. Hanna was defeated by Mark Golding.

Allan Hope CD, better known as Mutabaruka, is a Jamaican Rastafari dub poet, musician, actor, educator, and talk-show host, who developed two of Jamaica's most popular radio programmes, The Cutting Edge and Steppin' Razor. His name comes from the Rwandan language and translates as "one who is always victorious". His themes include politics, culture, Black liberation, social oppression, discrimination, poverty, racism, sexism, and religion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portia Simpson-Miller</span> Former Prime Minister of Jamaica

Portia Lucretia Simpson-Miller is a Jamaican former politician. She served as Prime Minister of Jamaica from March 2006 to September 2007 and again from 5 January 2012 to 3 March 2016. She was the leader of the People's National Party from 2005 to 2017 and the Leader of the Opposition twice, from 2007 to 2012 and from 2016 to 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omar Davies</span>

Omar Davies is a Jamaican former politician and academic. A member of the People's National Party (PNP), Davies was Minister of Finance from 1993 to 2007.

Oswald Gaskell Harding is a Jamaican former Labour Party politician, and the longest-serving senator in the nation's history. He was born in Kingston. Harding was the first person to serve as President of the Senate of Jamaica for two non-consecutive tenures, serving from 1980 to 1984 and from 2007 to 2011. First appointed to the Senate in 1977, he served in the body continuously until 2002, and rejoined the Senate from 2007 until his retirement from politics in 2011. His first period as a senator was the longest continuous tenure in the body's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wykeham McNeill</span> Jamaican politician

Kenneth Wykeham McNeill, MD, MP, CD is a Jamaican politician, former Member of Parliament for Westmoreland West, Jamaica. He is a former government minister. He was the Minister of Tourism of Jamaica from 2012 to 2016. He was elected the first vice chair of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization representing Jamaica in 2012 and elected chairman of the Executive council for the 2014-2015 period. McNeill was elected a Vice President of The People's National Party at the Party's annual conference in September 2016.

Sharon Hay-Webster is a Jamaican politician. She was a member of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Jamaica from 1997 to 2012, representing the People's National Party. She came to international attention after the 2004 Haitian coup d'état, when she escorted Jean-Bertrand Aristide from his temporary exile in the Central African Republic to Jamaica at the invitation of then-Prime Minister of Jamaica P. J. Patterson.

Ian Dave Hayles is a Jamaican politician with the People's National Party. He was a Member of the Parliament of Jamaica since 2007 before losing his seat to Jamaica Labour Party Candidate and Attorney-at-Law, Tamika Davis, at the 2020 Jamaican general election.

Floyd Emerson Morris is a former Jamaican politician from the People's National Party. He was the 12th President of the Senate of Jamaica. Morris, who began losing his sight during high school and lost it fully six years later, became the first blind member of the Senate when he was appointed in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norman Manley</span> Premier of Jamaica from 1959 to 1962

Norman Washington Manley was a Jamaican statesman who served as the first and only Premier of Jamaica. A Rhodes Scholar, Manley became one of Jamaica's leading lawyers in the 1920s. Manley was an advocate of universal suffrage, which was granted by the British colonial government to the colony in 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omar McLeod</span> Jamaican athletics competitor

Omar McLeod is a Jamaican professional hurdler and sprinter competing in the 60 m hurdles and 110 m hurdles. In the latter event, he is the 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 World champion. He was NCAA indoor champion in the 60 m hurdles in 2014 and 2015 and outdoor champion in the 110 m hurdles in 2015; he turned professional after the 2015 collegiate season, forgoing his two remaining years of collegiate eligibility. His personal best in the 110 m hurdles ranks him equal 7th on the world all-time list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Jamaican general election</span> Election in Jamaica

General elections were held in Jamaica on Thursday, 3 September 2020 to elect 63 members of Parliament. As the constitution stipulates a five-year parliamentary term, the next elections were not expected until between 25 February and 10 June 2021. However, Prime Minister Andrew Holness called early elections to ensure a united response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On the advice of Holness, Governor General Patrick Allen dissolved Parliament on 13 August 2020.

Nigel Andrew Lincoln Clarke is Minister of Finance and the Public Service of Jamaica. He is a Jamaican Member of Parliament, company director, business executive and statesman. He has served as chairman or director of over 20 Jamaican public and private sector economic enterprises. His public sector directorships have included the Bank of Jamaica ; Chairman of the Port Authority of Jamaica ; Chairman of the National Housing Trust and Chairman of the HEART Trust NTA. In 2016, Dr. Clarke was appointed by the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, to serve as Jamaica's Ambassador-at-Large for Economic Affairs within the Office of the Prime Minister. Ambassador Clarke previously served as a Senator in the Upper House of the Jamaican parliament between 2013 and 2015.

The Jamaican political conflict is a long-standing feud between right-wing and left-wing elements in the country, often exploding into violence. The Jamaican Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP) have fought for control of the island for years and the rivalry has encouraged urban warfare in Kingston. Each side believes the other to be controlled by foreign elements; the JLP is said to be backed by the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the PNP is said to have been backed by the Soviet Union and Cuba.

Damion O. Crawford is a Jamaican politician.

Derrick Flavius Leroy Kellier is a Jamaican businessman and politician, representing the People's National Party (PNP). He was Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Saint James Southern from 1989 to 2020. He served as Minister of Labour and Social Security from 2006 to 2007, and again from 2012 to 2015. Kellier also served concurrently as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries from 2014 to 2016.

The 2020 People's National Party (PNP) leadership election was triggered after Peter Phillips announced his intention to resign as Leader of the People's National Party following the party's defeat at the 2020 general election. It was held on November 7, 2020. If Hanna was elected, she would have served as the second female President of a Jamaican political party and the second female Leader of the Opposition in Jamaican history. The election was won by Former Minister of Justice and Member of Parliament for St Andrew Southern and Attorney Mark Golding who secured 1,740 or 54.6% of the vote.

References

  1. ↑ "Tough life forced Omar Newell to exceed expectations". Jamaica Observer. BY INGRID BROWN Sunday, 12 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Boyne, Ian. "Profile with Ian Boyne". Television Jamaica. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  3. ↑ Neville, Bell. "Smile Jamaica". Television Jamaica. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  4. ↑ College, Monroe. "Alumni of the Month" . Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  5. ↑ Burns, Chris. "How Omar Newell's Courage led to his Juris Doctor". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  6. ↑ Wilson, Audra. "Practically Speaking". WBEZ. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  7. ↑ "4,900 Youth To Benefit From NYS Summer Programme". Jamaica Information Service. By E. Hartman Reckord 4 July 2014
  8. ↑ "Something Extra". The Gleaner, 3 December 2014
  9. ↑ "Youth appeal". Jamaica Observer, 23 June 2015. KIMONE THOMPSON.
  10. ↑ "PNP Patriots elect new chairman, calls for renewal". Jamaica Observer, 13 March 2016
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.