THIS DAY IN OUR PAST

The following events took place on April 1 in the years identified:

1982: Disruption in the electricity supply is experienced in several sections of the island due to problems developing in the Jamaica Public Service Company’s equipment. In the early morning, two pole fires occur, one at Leader Avenue in Montego Bay and the other between Montego Bay and Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland. This results in Montego Bay being without power for some hours. In the Corporate Area, the numbers 1 and 2 gas turbines at Hunts Bay tripped out at 10:38 a.m., causing load-shedding in Block G. covering most of New Kingston, Cross Roads, Monymusk and Savanna-la-Mar. 1995: In another six months, the popular and famous fast-food chain, McDonald’s, will be opening its doors to Jamaicans, with Montego Bay chosen as the location for the first of seven outlets to be established across the island over the next two years. McDonald’s Ironshore will open its doors in September 1995, followed by other outlets in places like Negril, Ocho Rios and Kingston, representing an investment of US$1.6 for each outlet. The company is projecting over US$1 million in sales in the first year of the store being established, but expects to make most of its sales on its chicken products. The franchise is to be operated by Patricia IsaacsGreene, regional vice-president with McDonald’s Corporation. She has already chosen five Jamaicans who are to be trained in the US as managers for the Ironshore outlet, and who, along with Isaacs-Greene, will be required to train the additional 75 workers to be employed there.

– The Gleaner Archives