Delegation from Turkey to Identify Site for Private School in Jamaica

An eight-member delegation from the Republic of Turkey arrives in the island on January 16 on a three-day mission, aimed at identifying a site for the construction of a secondary school in Jamaica.

The delegation is led by Governor of Bursa, a wealthy industrial province in Turkey, Sahabettin Harput and includes executives of Nilufer, a large private corporation that owns and operates hospitals, universities and schools. The company is widely involved in philanthropic activities especially in Africa, and donated a hospital and school to Haiti in the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake.

The Nilufer team includes: Chairman, Cansun Sariyildiz; Director, Turan Boztepe; Director General, Ali Dilitatli; and Nilufer’s representative in Haiti, Murat Tosun.

According to Minister of Education, Hon. Ronald Thwaites, the Turkish group “has offered to invest in a state-of-the-art private secondary school for Jamaicans”.

He said that the purpose of the visit is to view a potential site in Montego Bay for locating the school.

The offer of the school was initially made by Turkish representatives during a visit to Jamaica in 2012 at the invitation of Honorary Consul-General of the Republic of Turkey, Arnold Foote. The Turkish representatives subsequently hosted, at their expense, a visit to Turkey by Minister Thwaites in July 2012, to view educational and medical institutions in that country.

During the visit, the delegation from Turkey will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller. Their itinerary also includes attendance at a luncheon hosted by His Worship the Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Glendon Harris, as well as a reception hosted by Mr. Foote.

In addition, the delegation will visit the St. Andrew campuses of the American International School of Kingston and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona, in order to inform their decision.