Minister Grange Appeals to Private Sector for Jobs for Special Olympians

Sports Minister, The Honourable Olivia “Babsy” Grange, has appealed to companies in the private sector to make a special effort to assist and support Jamaica’s Special Olympic athletes who all returned home recently with medals from the Winter Olympics in Boise, Idaho in the United States.
Speaking at a luncheon in honour of the Olympians at the Alhambra Hotel today, hosted by the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth & Sports and the Ministry of Labour & Social Security, the Minister asked employers to give serious consideration to providing some kind of employment for persons in the Special Olympics Programme and others like them.
“In China at the 2007 World Summer Games they left their mark and now two (2) years later, competing on ice at the 2009 World Winter Games, every athlete came home with a medal,” Minister Grange said.
In making her appeal for assistance for the Olympians, Miss. Grange noted that while some of the Olympians were still in school, a number of the male Olympians were unemployed and in need of work.
The Minister promised assistance for the Special Olympians who were still in school.
Minister Grange went on to congratulate all the athletes and pointed out that they demonstrated the true Jamaican spirit of resilience and never say die attitude and continued to give their best and made us all very proud of them.
“In these challenging times locally and internationally, it is this kind of resilience and hard work shown by all the Special Olympians that Jamaica needs to get through this period,” Minister Grange told her audience.
The Honourable Andrew Gallimore, State Minister in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, who was welcomed as a partner in the Special Olympics programme, reminded the audience of a request made to Permanent Secretaries to reserve 5% of jobs in their various Ministries for the disabled persons as well as the toll free telephone help line in his Ministry, 1-888-ENABLE where assistance with labour and social security services can be sought.
Minister Grange commended Dr. Carlton Davis, Chairman, special Olympics Jamaica, Mrs. Lorna Bell, Executive Director, Special Olympics Jamaica, Mr. Neville Teddy McCook, Board member, Special Olympics Jamaica and Mr. Glendon West, head of delegation to the Olympic Games for their commitment to the Special Olympics programme.
She also had high praises for sponsors Digicel, Sports development Foundation (SDF) and UNICEF whom she said all assisted in making her job easy.