Senior Citizens’ Bible Quiz Competition Launched

The National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) has launched it Seniors’ Bible Quiz Competition under the theme, ‘Enhancing Mental Ability’.
The Bible quiz is aimed at encouraging active ageing and intellectual stimulation among seniors. The competition is open to all persons, aged 60 and over.
Speaking at the launch Wednesday (May 5) at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in Kingston, State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Andrew Gallimore, urged seniors to use the quiz to interact with and become positive influences in the lives of young people.
“You know, we believe fully in inter-generational activities, where the seniors are mixing with the young people, and I want you, when you are studying for this quiz, I am going to urge you to say to them that you need their help, as you have to study and you want them to quiz you. Give them a meaningful role in the exercise,” he urged.
Mr. Gallimore suggested that the quiz could become a tool to help some young persons to live more productive lives.
Turning to the challenges being faced by senior citizens, Mr. Gallimore said that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is taking steps to target seniors through the PATH programme, as well as through NIS pension benefits.
“I know that many of our seniors are facing a very challenging time. The Government is aware of the plight that you face and we have been targeting, through the PATH programme, our seniors to try to help those who are in need of help,” he said reiterating the announcement during the recent Budget Debate that, in the next few months, there will be a 20 per cent increase in the pension paid out through the NIS to seniors.
Mr. Gallimore said that the Government will continue to look for ways to help seniors in tangible ways, and urged them to continue to work together through programmes like the quiz, and use them for the benefit of the country.
Executive Director of the NCSC, Beverly Hall-Taylor, who conceptualised the competition, said that, if seniors are to keep healthy and worthwhile, they must engage in lifelong learning and that it was “a great pleasure” for the Council to host the senior citizens quiz competition, as a further step in the lifelong learning process.
The competition will be staged in three segments, intra-parish, regional and national. Questions for the intra-parish segment will be taken from First Samuel Chapters 1-10; the regional segment will focus on the Gospel of St. Mark; while First Samuel 1-10 and the Gospel of St. Mark will be used for the finals.
The quiz is divided into three sections – speed section, individual and buzzer. It is slated to begin in July of this year, with the finals to be held in November.
The first place team will be awarded the Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Trophy. Second place will be given the Chairman for the National Council for Senior Citizens Trophy. Third place will receive the Enid King Trophy.
Partnering with the NCSC to implement the competition are the Bible Society of the West Indies, the Mona Ageing and Wellness Centre, the East Jamaica Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists and Food For The Poor, which has donated, to date, over 200 King James Version Bibles for competitors to use in preparing for the competition.