Students Awarded Book Vouchers

The Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Development Committee (PDC) in collaboration with the Citizen Security and Justice Programme (CSJP), on Friday (September 7),  presented over 52 book vouchers, valued at $1000 each, to students across the Corporate Area.

The presentations formed part of efforts by the PDC to assist youngsters, not previously benefitting from the gesture, in offsetting some of the costs associated with back to school preparations.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony at the Webster Memorial Church Hall, Half-Way-Tree Road, Senior CSJP Community Action Officer, Unicie Delapenha, encouraged the recipients to make the best use the awards. “This is something you might be saying is simple; but it’s a stepping stone,” she said.

Mrs. Delapenha added that the CSJP was happy to be associated with the initiative and assured that the agency will continue working closely with the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Development Committee on this and future endeavours.

“We believe in partnership and we look forward to working with you to build a better nation, build a better people; and education is the key to all of this,” the Senior Community Action Officer said.

In his remarks, PDC Chairman, Dr. Joseph Cox, emphasized the need for more scholarships and grants to be awarded to students, particularly those excelling academically, and who may not readily have access to the requisite resources to advance their education.

“A lot of people believe that scholarships and grants only work for the tertiary institution. You can have scholarships and grants right through the system,” Dr. Cox said.

He underscored that education was the gateway that would enable persons to take advantage of opportunities arising within the economy.

“To be pro-growth, you have to be pro-education; as without the education, you will never get the kind of growth and the kind of stimulus that you require in any economy,” Dr. Cox stated.

The Kingston and St Andrew Parish Development Committee is a voluntary organization which brings together all elements of civil society, governmental and quasi-governmental agencies and authorities in a parish or other local government jurisdictions, for the primary purpose of promoting and facilitating the concepts, principles and practices of good governance and balanced and sustainable development within the local jurisdiction.

The PDC also made special presentations to the Maia Chung Autism, and Disabilities Foundations.