Despite the
Independent Commission of Investigation, INDECOM, launching a probe into
Thursday’s fatal shooting by the police of two young men in Rose Heights,
Montego Bay, the situation remains tense in the area today, as residents
continue to discount the police’s report of the incident, charging that the two
young men are innocent and were killed in cold blood.
Residents took to the streets in the aftermath, venting their anger, calling for justice for the 20-year-old and 22-year-old who they say were no wrong doers.
Residents gather in the community
Sterling’s mother argued that he was not involved in any
wrongdoing.
“My son was not involved in anything wrong. I don’t know of
it,” she said.
One very vocal resident said:
“The police dem come and run wi off the road and rise up dem
big gun and shoot up di place and kill Oshane. Him nuh inna no
wrongdoing.”
However, a very terse report from the police indicates that Sterling and another man, later identified as Byfield, were shot during a confrontation with the police and one 9mm Browning pistol with a magazine containing two 9mm cartridges was seized.
Oshane Sterling
Christopher Byfield
The residents shot down that account arguing that it was the
police who went to their vehicle and fetched the gun which they then planted at
the scene and subsequently claimed that they had seized it from the two young
men.
Meanwhile, the three weapons used in the shooting death of
Sterling and Byfield have been seized and sent off to the government’s forensic
laboratory for testing and the three police officers involved will be
interviewed by the Independent Commission of Investigation, INDECOM, who have
launched a probe into the incident.
Errol Chattoo, Director of Complaints of INDECOM’s Western
Region, told the Western Mirror
that they are now appealing for the testimonies of eye witnesses.
“The weapons have been collected and sent to the
government’s forensic laboratory for ballistic testing along with any forensic
material found on the scene”, Chattoo explained. “We are now appealing for residents who have
seen anything to come forward and tell us what they know.”
Chattoo, in the meantime, said they are awaiting the results
of the post mortem examination to further inform their investigation.
GOBBLED IN: Rohjay Campbell gobbles the ball at the feet of his captain, Zedford Vaccianna, thwarting a Bogue attack just at the edge of the penalty area during the Under-17 final of the St. James FA/Sandals Resorts International Summer League final played at UDC. Green Pond won 1-0 to retain their hold on the title. – Noelita Lawrence-Ricketts photo
Noelita Lawrence-Ricketts
For the fourth straight year, Green Pond are the
champions of the St. James FA/Sandals Resorts International Under-17
Competition.
With the odds firmly stacked against them this year, the
Gregory Daley-coached Green Pond defied the odds to clip the previously
undefeated Bogue 1-0 in a tantalizing match-up, the first game of the double
header played at the UDC field.
Substitute David Morris found the vital goal of the lively
and competitive contest in the 67th minute, some 13 minutes after he
entered the park in muddy conditions.
Morris picked a ball just inside his own half and took three
touches closer to goal before his ferocious effort, encouraged mostly by his
teammates and coach, rocketed into the roof of the net, deflecting off the
shoulder of the Bogue goalkeeper who was beaten for pace.
The engagement was locked at a stalemate in the first half
when officials, headed by Shawn, called a halt to proceedings for close to 8
minutes due to a lightning strike which flashed across the field.
In pouring rain and slippery conditions, both teams battled,
seeking the early advantage.
NOT A DRIBBLING GAME
Green Pond had the better of the exchanges and created more
scoring chances, the first of which came two minutes into the close of the
first half, falling the way of Sheldon Patrick, whose goal-bound shot held up
in the water and was eventually cleared by the Bogue defender, mere inches from
the goal.
The reigning champions, pulling the ball to the wide areas
and whipping teasing crosses into the penalty area, continued to ask serious
questions of their opponents, but had to wait until the 67th minute
to seal the victory and gain a fourth straight hold on the crown.
The defeat was a first for the sweeping and hot favourites
Bogue, who had waltzed past all put in front of them in the preliminary to
semi-final rounds.
AWARDS
Green Pond for their win walked away with $50,000, medals
and a trophy for their efforts while Bogue, the defeated finalists, collected
$30,000 and medals along with school items, namely books, pencils and pens.
Omari Kelvin of the champions Green Pond collected the
Golden Boot award for the most goals, eight (8), while Zedford Vaccianna copped
the coveted prize, the Most Valuable Player.
The community of Truro in Westmoreland, came into existence when a hurricane displaced the residents of neighbouring community, Hunter’s Wood. What were once farm lands were divided into residential lots and sold to residents of that community to form what is now known as Truro. From this small community many great people have risen. One such is Tyrone Dave Guthrie.
At the tender age of 13, Tyrone dropped out of school due to
financial reasons and started barbering, a skill he found himself a natural at.
He rode around his community, as well as neighbouring communities trimming
hair. A born hustler and a progressive chap is how residents view him.
At the age of 15, he got a job at the Frome Sugar Factory, the
largest sugar factory on the island, a regular path for most young men living
in the communities surrounding the factory. While working at the sugar factory
and still doing his barbering, he decided to send himself back to school, as he
strongly believed in the importance of education. He enrolled at the Little
London High School, where he was placed in Grade 9 C, the third brightest
class, after doing a test to get in. He was now a student, a worker at the
Sugar Factory and still a Barber.
At the age of 16 before graduating school, he was offered a
job to work at a Barber Shop in Negril. By this time, he had resigned from his
job at the factory and got, what he called,“a nice sum of money,” which he then
used to open his own Barber shop in his community of Truro. He worked his
barber shop on Sundays and went to work at the barber shop in Negril on the
other days. But it was his experience in Negril that piqued his interest in
travelling.
RUDE AWAKENING
He was okay with the money he was making until he realized
he needed more. One day he saw a watch displayed in a store for $125. At that
time, $125 JMD was a lot of money, but he was making $700 JMD a week. Easy buy
for him, or so he thought. He wanted the watch. He got a rude awakening when he
went to the store and proudly brandished his $125 JMD, only to be told that the
watch was valued $125 USD. His immediate thought was he needed to start earning
some US Dollars.
He jumped at the first opportunity to travel overseas. In
June 1999, he took his first trip to the Bahamas with only $600 USD to his
name. After basically being swindled out of all of it, he was left with $150
USD and an uncomfortable accommodation. He kept his focus and his drive to earn
US dollars. There he continued his barbering, and in 2008, he was able to lease
a building on which he opened his very own barber shop in the Bahamas.
With his barber shop, Tyrone has been able to assist other
Jamaicans who have migrated to the Bahamas by providing jobs for them in his
shop. Now he is seeking to give back to his community that he refers to as his
foundation. “This is where it all began” Tyrone shared. He further stated that
there is so much development needed as it relates to the simple infrastructure
of the community and in education.
HOMEWORK CENTRE
Schools are back in session and although he had a
back-to-school treat in the community, he has seen where more can be done. He
is currently working on establishing a Homework Centre in the community for
students. The centre will be equipped with WiFi, and he already has a few
volunteers who have committed to assisting children each evening with their
assignments. He says that not everybody can afford to have internet at home and
children who need to research topics for assignments will benefit greatly from
this centre.
In addition, Tyrone’s focus is also on creating steady
revenue flow for his community and its environs. Tourism is Jamaica’s biggest
revenue generator and he wants to be able attract tourists to that community.
“Inland tourism” is becoming a big thing as tourists leave the seaside to
explore more of the country. Mayfield Falls is the most popular tourist
attraction that side of the island, but Tyrone insists that other developments
can take place that will not only provide jobs for residents, but also assist
in the development of the community and the parish on a whole.
With a solid foundation in education and stable revenue for
families, Tyrone believes that the community can be used as a blueprint for
other communities to follow.
Security Forces have
sought to tighten the screws in the Western City of Montego Bay with additional
security personnel, as residents and business interests are yet to come to
grips with the murder of popular and well-loved businessman, Andrew ‘Andy’
Chin, and four other persons, including a woman, in the past four days.
The other victims are 20-year-old Vardian Banton, otherwise called ‘Jason’ of Robert Reid Drive, Glendevon; twenty-nine-year-old Conrad Lawrence, otherwise called ‘Forty’of Belfont, Catadupa; 37-year-old Suzette Reid, vendor of Lindo’s Hill, Whithorn, Westmoreland and an unidentified man, also of Belfont.
This photo captures the early morning scene of a section of Gut Bottom in Granville, which was cordoned off as two policemen stand guard in front of the location where Banton was gunned down in the wee hours of Monday morning when the sound of high-powered weaponry was heard.
The top brass of the security forces has pledged to ramp up
their efforts to make downtown Montego Bay safer as questions are swirling
regarding the effectiveness of the State of Emergency, which was re-imposed in
April. It does not, however, seem to be having its intended impact, as violence
producers have continued their onslaught, pushing murder figures to 92 since
the start of the year from 67 the same time last year.
The police in the meantime, reported that in the early hours of Saturday morning about 4 o’clock, Chin, who operated a cash Pot shop at Sunshine Plaza along Church Street in Montego Bay, was held at gunpoint by three men who took him to his house at Mango Walk and carried out a search there.
It is further reported that the men later took him to his
business place along Church Street where his firearm, vehicle and a safe with
cash were stolen. The men then opened fire at him, hitting him several times.
The police were summoned and later transported Chin to the
hospital from where the body was sent to the morgue.
Chin’s murder
continues to reverberate among the business community and citizens who continue
to hail him as a kind and helpful citizen.
The police, who have cited that the investigations are at a
preliminary stage, are hoping to make an early breakthrough in the case.
BLOODLETTING CONTINUES
The bloodletting, however, started on Friday when about
10p.m., Lawrence was at his gate at Belfont, when he was pounced upon by a
group of men armed with guns who opened fire at him.
Residents alerted the police who came to the community but
did not find Lawrence. It was hours
later that his lifeless body was discovered by residents.
While the police received a respite on Sunday, they were
again called to the scene of another homicide on Monday as about 12:30 a.m.,
residents of Gut Bottom in Granville heard explosions believed to be gunshots
and summoned the police.
The lawmen who came did not find anything unusual and left.
It was not until about 6:30 a.m. that residents stumbled
upon Banton’s lifeless body and again called the police who came, processed the
scene and had the body removed to the morgue.
The community of Belfont was the scene of another murder on
Monday where the police reported that an unidentified man was shot and killed
about 10 a.m. by unknown assailants.
Meanwhile, detectives assigned to the Montego Bay Police
Station are awaiting the post mortem results to determine the cause of death of
37-year-old Suzette Reid, vendor of Lindo’s Hill, Withorn, Westmoreland, whose
body was found in the upscale community of Westgate in the parish on Monday.
It is reported that
about 3:00 p.m., residents stumbled upon the body of Reid and summoned the
police. On the arrival of the lawmen Reid was seen lying face down in bushes.
A member of the SVOSH Optometry team from Indianna University doing preliminary vision screening for child at the SOS children’s village in Barrett Town
See Better, Learn Better with Cornerstone Jamaica
Rosalee D. Wood
In the year 1983, Gary Robinson took his first trip to Jamaica, where he stayed in Negril, which has been his vacation destination ever since.
His wife was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness that
had put him through a rough time. He soon discovered that while he was praying
for healing abroad, his Jamaican friends were also praying. When his wife was
healed, he was overcome with gratitude that he wanted to give back to the
wonderful people who had stood by him. People who became family.
He started what he called a Laundry, Shoe, Clothing Project
that provided assistance for persons who may have been fire victims or just
people in need. However, a friend suggested he improve the project as this was
not sustainable. Robinson agreed as he believes it is better to teach a man how
to fish than to give him a fish. Thus, Cornerstone Jamaica was birthed in 2011.
Based in Western Jamaica, Cornerstone Jamaica is a team of
professionals from various industries, local and abroad, working together to
achieve one goal. Their projects are geared towards improving health and
education in Jamaican communities.
The cornerstone is the first stone laid in any foundation,
therefore it must be solid. Each project is geared towards long term
development of the community and Jamaica on a whole. It is not surprising then
that Cornerstone Jamaica has started with schools. It is from this that the
first project, ‘See Better, Learn Better,’ was launched, with the focus of
fitting students in need with tested glasses.
The project began in 2015 and sees the organization uniting
with the Rotary Club of Negril and the Mission of Sight. School visits are done
where students do eye tests and are fitted with brand new eyewear if glasses
are required. The organization is of the belief that students who are not
attentive are often troubled by other health issues, one such is poor eyesight.
By improving their vision, Cornerstone Jamaica believes that
students will be better positioned to achieve greater academic success. “We
track the students’ receiving glasses to provide evidence based data on
improvements in literacy and school performance.” Says Anika Robinson,
Communications Manager for the organization. “It is our aim to be a part of all
schools across the island.”
In November, the organization will be having a major
back-to-school clinic, which will be the launch of a series across Western
Jamaica.
Pick up a copy of the Western Mirror each Monday to get more
information.
Dr. Michelle Pinnock, Regional Director of the Ministry of Education, Region Four
Barrington Flemming – Staff Reporter
A new school year
begins today with the Ministry of Education (MOE) Region Four, beaming with
optimism that all will go well, citing that its more than 100 schools in
Westmoreland, St. James and Hanover are all equipped and ready for a perfect
launch.
Dr. Michelle Pinnock, Regional Director, MOE Region Four,
says all is set and it is anticipated that there should not be any major
hiccups at the start.
“The schools are in a state of readiness; we don’t have any
reports of any problems at our schools. The Principals have been working
diligently all summer. We had principals meeting this week (last week) and we
have not had any reports of problems from any of them so we have everything
under control.”
Dr. Pinnock further said they have also partnered with the
Montego Metro Bus Company to assist with the transportation of students to and
from schools.
She said the Ministry’s team would be meeting at the end of
the week to conduct a review of the activities.
However, despite Dr. Pinnock’s assurances, a cloud of
uncertainty is hovering over two schools which have been battling water
problems for months on end.
Marva Davis Clarke, Principal of Broughton Primary School in
Westmoreland, says while they are almost ready, they have no water, despite
assurances from the National Water Commission (NWC).
NO WATER
“We are almost ready but we have no water. The National
Water Commission has promised me water, so we should be getting it. The truck generally comes in to fill the tank
but nothing has been done yet. We are doing a little bit of refurbishing but
otherwise, we are ready” she said.
She said while they were short of furniture, “a good
Samaritan saw the need and gave us some to cover the shortfall”.
A similar fate hangs over the Lucea Primary in Hanover where
a highly placed source has indicated that the school is without water, a
situation which has plagued the institution since March last year.
Norman Allen, who is the principal of the Frome Technical
High in Westmoreland, says all is well, excepting for a few temporary vacancies.
“We are in need of English Language, Mathematics and
Electrical Installation teachers for the short term, which is basically for
four months and eight months, apart from that, we are good.”
The Farm Primary and Junior High, Montego Bay is reporting
that all is well and there should be no problems.
Earnie puts in the finishing touches inside an Over-Water Bungalow ahead of the arrival of his next couple.
There is a kind of magic that happens when we trust the timing of our lives and allow our passions to lead us. Without a doubt, these are philosophies by which Sandals South Coast 2018 Diamond Team Member, Earnie Smith lives.
Actually, the 44-year-old, father of two, who currently identifies as a Junior Butler at Sandals South Coast’s exclusive Over-Water Bungalows, never set out to work in the hospitality industry.
“My mother was a farmer,” said Earnie, who hails from the rural community of Bog in Westmoreland. “I wanted to follow in her footsteps so when I left school I went into farming, but when hurricane Ivan came and ‘mash up mi ground’, I decided to try my hand at something else.” Earnie said he heard about training for security guards in Negril. He attended the training and became certified and his first assignment was at Sandals South Coast [then Sandals Whitehouse].
Earnie had been working as a security guard at the resort during its construction and when its first guests started to arrive, he was excited to welcome them to the resort. “Even as a security guard at the main gate I had this immense sense of pride, I knew that Sandals was going to change the face of the South Coast for the better and I already felt I was a part of that legacy in some way,” said Earnie.
Growing up in a home with seven siblings, Earnie learned social and people skills from an early age. Though they were not well-off, Earnie said his mother taught he and his siblings to always project a positive image and take pride in their appearance. These values transferred to a young security guard who was good-natured, kind and very professional. Perhaps all the traits that [then] Security Manager, Mr Fearon Beckford needed in a lobby security guard.
“I became the first lobby security guard at Sandals South Coast,” said Earnie proudly.
The lobby was where Earnie found his passion for hospitality. “I did everything; from welcoming guests, helping to sort bags to serving welcome cocktails.” So much so that he eventually got nicknamed the lobby security bellman.
SANDALS AMBASSADOR
When Earnie made the transition from lobby security to Sandals bellman in 2006, it really didn’t come as a surprize to anyone. “In my mind, I was already a Sandals ambassador,” said Earnie. “When I came to the lobby to work, I knew hospitality was what I was born to do, the name badge and uniform only made it official.”
In the 12 years that followed, Earnie immersed himself in the Sandals experience. Working closely with the Environment, Health and Safety department as an award-winning EHS guardian, volunteering his time with the Sandals Foundation and even representing his resort in track and field at various sporting events.
“It has been one amazing ride”, said Earnie, and if the shrine of Sandals awards and certificates of achievement hanging on his wall is anything to go by, it’s safe to say that Earnie’s high standard of excellence and the value that he brings to Sandals South Coast have not gone unnoticed.
YEARNING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE…
“Just over a year prior to my most recent move, I started yearning for an opportunity to do more,” Earnie admits. He noted that while being at the front of the house allowed him to make that first great impression, he felt he could do more in a personalized role like Butler Services.
They say it is never too late to reinvent yourself and Earnie embraced that concept when he enrolled in the Butler Training Programme in early 2018 and emerged in December 2018 as a certified Junior Butler.
The newly minted Butler says his children are his greatest motivator and almost everyday, Earnie actually gets to see one of his two children, Tavoy. With some obvious prodding from his father, Tavoy, a graduate of the illustrious Munroe College, joined the Sandals South Coast team as a Club Sandals Agent in 2018.
As Earnie settles into his new roles as Junior Butler, Sandals South Coast Diamond Team Member of the year and Ultimate Award Nominee, he says he still gets a little overwhelmed by all the love and adoration of his colleagues, who also voted him People’s Choice for 2018.
“While being awarded the Diamond Team Member of the Year signifies that my managers see my worth to the resort and the organization, being recognized by my peers by way of the People’s Choice award is for me the ultimate honour.”
“I never set out to win an award”, he says, “I only wanted to teach my children the lessons that Sandals has taught me; to dream big and go for what you want with all you have. But I’m happy for the award and from this vantage point, those are lessons I can also share with my entire team.”
The Real MoBay Women’s team ahead of their opening showdown last Saturday.
Noelita Lawrence-Ricketts
For the first time in three seasons, St. James’ Real MoBay have gained a point on the opening day of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF)/Lascelles Employees and Partners Co-operations Credit Union Women’s Football League, playing out a 1-1 draw with newcomers Real Mona at Butter Cup Park.
Dannique Wilson, with a sensational 35 yards lob over the head of the advancing goalkeeper, had given the Real MoBay team a sensational start, netting the opener just five minutes in.
Real MoBay could have easily won the encounter, but were wasteful infront of goal with bad decisions.
The St. James side conceded the equalizer midway the opening half, when the home team through Dana Whyte, who let fly on the volley from some 40 yards, after a goalkeeping distribution went horrible wrong.
Meanwhile, Trelawny, the other Western team showcasing their talents, made a losing start to the campaign, falling by the odd goal in three (2-1) to Royal Lakes, formerly Monarch SC.
Danielle Cummings found what was at the time the equalizing goal for Trelawny in the 70th minute after Kenesha Ferron with a brace gave the Royal Lakes team full points with the winner coming in the 73rd minute.
Last year’s beaten finalists, Cavaliers and Arnett Gardens, were the day’s only winners.
Defending champions Waterhouse also failed to seal a win and were held 1-1 by Olympic Gardens at the Drewsland Mini Stadium.
The teams will be back in action come Wednesday when another full slate of matches are played.
Real MoBay, searching for an opening win and a first in five games dating back to last season, will again be travelling, this time to Cling Cling Oval where they are down to tackle the home team, Olympic Gardens.
The other Western challengers, Trelawny, contest their first home game of the campaign, locking horns with one of the debutants, Real Mona, at the Elleston Wakeland Centre, beginning at 3:30 p.m. In other games, Royal Lakes tackle Waterhouse.
Sure, you can be happy, but it will never be ‘I made President Obama’s 2019 Summer Playlist’ happy. Such honours are reserved for 19-year-old Jamaican Reggae sensation, Koffee, whose real name is Mikayla Simpson.
The list, which is annually put together by the coolest (and smoothest) president in the history of the United States, consists of songs he and his wife, former First Lady, Michelle Obama, have been listening to over the summer, from new and old Hip Hop and R&B, to Reggae. Last Saturday, the highly anticipated list, which also included Reggae legends Toots and The Maytals, cemented Koffee’s place as one of the fastest rising talents in the industry, and it didn’t hurt that it also served her up some extra cool points.
Just which of Koffee’s songs was the Obamas jamming to? You guessed it! ‘Toast’, which came in at number 28 on the list, which was posted on Twitter to Obama’s 108 million followers. The list was also shared on President Obama’s Instagram page, which has a following of over 24 million followers. It’s no wonder then why landing on the list has been such a huge honour for artistes the world over. It’s not just the Obama factor, but it’s also the fact that that kind of exposure is priceless, and the endorsement usually proves to be a kind of Mida touch for those hoping to announce themselves on the world entertainment scene.
No doubt Koffee has made it, but this placement on the Obama 2019 Playlist has solidified that fact. Koffee has been steadily blowing up on the international scene, having already featured on The Jimmy Kimmel Show, going on tour with Daniel Caesar, in addition to doing tours Europe and Canada. As if those things weren’t enough, Koffee was recently featured as Apple’s Up Next Artist, which is usually a surefire sign that Koffee is destined for superstardom. Names you might know that have been featured on Apple’s Up Next list include Billie Eilish, H.E.R. and Burna Boy, among others.
After catching wind that she had made The Obamas’ coveted list, Koffee retweeted the list, captioning it – “WOW!!! Gratitude really is a must.” Indeed it is. Koffee more recently graced Sumfest’s stage, delivering one of the more memorable sets on the annual Reggae and Dancehall showcase.
Wait, there’s more! We said Koffee isn’t slowing down, right? Well, Koffee is already brushing shoulders with some of the biggest names both locally and internationally. It’s rumoured that Koffee is involved somehow in Rihanna’s soon-to-be released album, and has also done a remix of Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber’s song ‘I Don’t Care’, which is an absolute banger! Koffee is truly one to watch for the future, and to that we toast.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), Rosalee Gage-Grey (2nd right), and the entity’s Director of Alternate Care Services, Eunice Scott-Shaw (right), hand out school supplies to children during the CPFSA’s Western Region Back to School Treat and Health Fair, which was held at Holly Hill Infant and Primary School in Darliston, Westmoreland, on Friday (August 23).
Health Education Officer at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Dorcia Scott-Bowlin (left), interacting with children at the Child Protection and Family Services Agency’s (CPFSA) Western Region Back to School Treat and Health Fair, which was held at Holly Hill Infant and Primary School in Darliston, Westmoreland, on Friday (August 23).
Some 320 children in Darliston, Westmoreland, received complimentary school supplies and medical checks during the Child Protection and Family Services Agency’s (CPFSA) annual Western Region Back to School Treat and Health Fair, on Friday (August 23).
The event, which was held at Holly Hill Infant and Primary School in Darliston, catered to 200 youngsters from the institution and community, and 120 children on Supervision Orders as also from the CPFSA’s Family Reintegration Programme.
They received backpacks filled with stationery and clothing, and were treated to amusement rides, games, and snacks, among other goodies. The health services provided included routine school medicals, and blood sugar and pressure checks.
In addition, eye screenings were administered by the Lion’s Club of Westmoreland, while doctors visiting from the United States provided chiropractic services.
Several stakeholder partners, including the Ministries of Health and Wellness, and Labour and Social Security, and Peace Management Initiative (PMI), made presentations to the children and their families throughout the day.
AWARENESS
The event also served as an outreach initiative to heighten awareness about CPFSA service delivery across the agency’s Western Region, comprising the parishes of St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland, and Trelawny.
Chief Executive Officer, Rosalee Gage-Grey, told JIS News that the event enables the Agency to become more familiar with schools and families in the Region.
“It is one way for us to know the schools, the principals and the guidance counselors because, during the course of the year when our officers have to do interventions and investigations, these are the persons they [liaise with],” she explained.
Mrs. Gage-Grey further stated that “we work very closely with the Ministry of Education, [Youth and Information], which is our parent Ministry, and the [CPFSA’s] Regional Directors to ensure that the school year is very good for the children”.
“So, it is a good collaborative effort. It works well and it shares the resources right across Government,” she added.
Principal of Holly Hill Infant and Primary School, Seyon Gardiner, said the initiative is indicative of the priority which the CPFSA places on health and education.
Parent, Shanoya Wallace, told JIS News that the event was important as it assisted in significantly offsetting expenses associated with school preparations for parents not having the resources for this undertaking. She urged the CPFSA to continue staging the annual treat, in order to assist in alleviating some of the financial challenges parents encounter ahead of the start of each academic year.
