St. Catherine Co-Operative Donates $100,000 to Four Schools

Four high schools in St. Catherine were presented with cheques totalling $100,000 by the St. Catherine Cooperative Credit Union to assist students participating in the Penn Relays in the United States.
The presentation was made on Wednesday (April 21) at a Cocktail function held by the St. Catherine Cooperative Credit Union at its Portmore Pines office in Greater Portmore. The event was attended by members of the business community, staff and councillors of the Portmore Municipality, principals and students from the four high schools.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the schools were Principal of Bridgeport High School, Aston Messam; Principal of Tacius Golding High, Selvyn Green; Principal and Lecturer at G.C. Foster College, Thelma Samuels and Principal of St. Jago High, Keith Noel.
President of the Cooperative Credit Union, Silvera Castro said that it was necessary to develop partnerships and to assist each other in order to ensure the development of communities.
He congratulated the athletes and their schools for excelling in sports, noting that they were like “jewels in the sun for St. Catherine”.
Mr. Castro exhorted the business community to assist the schools in whatever way they could in their pursuit of excellence.
“In so doing we’ll be laying the foundation on which these youngsters can build on, to make us all proud,” he added. He also called on the students to uphold the high standard of discipline that was a prerequisite for achievement.
“Remain focus. Believe in yourself. Perform with dignity and pride,” he declared.
Mayor of Portmore, George Lee, who delivered the main address, said that the first phase of the beautification programme in Portmore would begin next month, starting from the round-a-bout at Garveymeade to Six West in Greater Portmore.
“We’ll plant trees. We’re going to landscape and we’re going to make sure that the drains are properly kept and maintained,” he said, adding that the second phase of the programme would include areas between the Portmore Mall and Naggo Head. “We are serious about beautifying Portmore,” he emphasised.
The Mayor pointed to several challenges facing the Municipality and mentioned the shortage of staff, which he said had hindered the progress of work by the Municipality. However, he divulged that additional staff was presently being recruited by the Public Service Commission. These persons, he said, were expected to join the team on May 3.
Following the beautification programme, the Mayor said, the Council would be launching an on-going enforcement drive against the erection of illegal buildings and littering activities in the municipality.
“We have to bring back some order in this community,” the Mayor said.