Sir Clifford Campbell Primary Hosts Her Royal Highness

On behalf of the parish of Westmoreland, the Sir Clifford Campbell Primary School, has played its part in the historical hosting of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, who paid a three-day visit to the island, from February 25 to February 27, 2005.

The Westmoreland leg of the Royal visit took place on Sunday, (February 27), when Her Royal Highness was flown into the parish to get a first hand look at works carried out by the ‘Save the Children Fund’.

Her Royal Highness is president of the United Kingdom arm of the child advocacy group ‘Save the Children Fund’, from which funds have been donated to schools and communities in Westmoreland.

Through the Fund, several needy students and individuals throughout the parish have received post Hurricane Ivan assistance.

Her Royal Highness and her party arrived at the Mannings High School by Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) helicopter at approximately 3:25 p.m.

Upon landing, the party was met by Custos Rotulorum of Westmoreland, Dossell.O. Sinclair, after which she was escorted by motorcade to the nearby Sir Clifford Campbell Primary School, for a civic ceremony in her honour.

On her arrival at the school grounds the Princess Royal was introduced to His Worship the Mayor of Savanna-la-mar, Delford Morgan, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Dr.Wykeham McNeill and members of the Disaster Preparedness Committee that worked along with the ‘Save the Children Fund’ in rendering assistance in the post Hurricane Ivan period.

The ceremony, was geared at giving Her Royal Highness first hand information on the work of the ‘Save the Children Fund’ in the parish, with reports presented by ‘Save the Children Fund’ parish coordinator, Michael Marshall, and ‘Save the Children Fund’ Director for Central America and the Caribbean, Jennifer Vaughan.

According to the report presented by Mr.Morris, the Fund had provided uniforms, shoes and backpacks with educational kits for approximately 346 students following Hurricane Ivan.

In addition, some 696 hygiene kits were distributed to parents.

He said that more than 1,200 families in Peggy Barry, Moreland Hill, Delveland, Vietnam Garden, New Works, Beeston Spring and Negril had received assistance through the Fund.

Some schools also received assistance to carry out infrastructural repairs.

“Approximately 343 fishermen from Whitehouse, Belmont, Savanna-la-mar and Negril, who had lost boats and numerous fish pots, were aided by the distribution of materials to replace pots, enabling them to step on the road to recovery. Also on the long list of Save the Children Fund’s achievements in Westmoreland, is the repair of the Negril Health Centre and installation of security windows, and assistance to the health department’s Vector Control programme in the parish,” he informed.

The report presented by Ms. Vaughan spoke to the work of the Fund in the Central America and Caribbean region, underscoring the fact that Save the Children-U.K. was a British non-governmental organization, that worked with different partners, to build a world in which all children, were able to grow and develop to their fullest potential.

Citing examples of some of the work that “Save the Children-U.K” carried out in Central America and the Caribbean, along with its partners, she informed that this included, assisting children performing in dangerous forms of work to get back into the formal education system.

The Fund she said had also helped parents to improve their income so that their children would not have to work.

She further noted that the Fund advocated with governments to ensure that education for working children and for young persons was included in poverty reduction strategies.

The Fund also works with communities and the police to help children and young people who have had problems with the law to reintegrate back into their communities in a positive way.

According to Ms. Vaughn, the organization works to reform the law and police procedures to protect children from being trafficked or used as underage sex workers in Central America.

She explained that in Jamaica the majority of the Fund’s work entailed disaster preparedness and working with HIV awareness and prevention programmes.

There were also cultural presentations from students of the Sir Clifford Campbell Primary, Little London Primary and Savanna-la-mar Primary Schools. Greetings were brought by His Worship the Mayor of Savanna-la-mar, Delford Morgan, and Acting Principal of the Sir Clifford Campbell Primary School, Florence McKenzie.

At the end of the presentations, Her Royal Highness was led into the audience, where she was introduced to some of the beneficiaries.

Her Royal Highness also travelled to the city of Montego Bay.