UDC Hosts Christmas Treat for Children

As part of its Values and Attitudes programme in schools, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) staged a Christmas Treat for approximately 200 basic and prep school students from within the parish of St. James, at the Meeting Place on Howard Cooke Boulevard, in Montego Bay, on Friday, December 9.
According to Corporate Relations Manager at the UDC, Joan Smalling, the Christmas treat for students has become an annual event for the UDC within its project areas. She explained that the UDC’s Values and Attitudes programme began in 2003, and involves the Community Development Officers from the UDC visiting targeted schools, giving motivational talks to the students and implementing projects within the schools.
She said that schools and students are rewarded for their level of participation in the programme and interest shown.
“This programme is carried out in all our project areas, so we have a similar programme in Portland, also on the South West Coast, and in St. Catherine,” she explained. She was speaking during an interview with JIS News, during the Montego Bay treat.
Miss Smalling pointed out that whereas the UDC was a development company, which put in infrastructure, including schools, there was an absolute necessity for the agency to work along with the beneficiaries, to ensure that the facilities put in are taken care of. She said the Values and Attitudes programme fit perfectly into this mandate.
Guest Speaker at the treat, Senior Superintendent Jasmine Tomlinson-Brown of the Area One police, made a plea for parents to show love and understanding to their children, and not to take out frustrations on them. She reminded the teachers that it was also their responsibility to ensure that love was shown to the children irrespective of their economic background, and to inculcate good values and attitudes in them.
She praised the UDC for the implementation of its Values and Attitudes programme, adding that it not only taught the children how to interact with each other but how to live a full and decent life. She made a call for more businesses to be involved in programmes of a similar nature.
Children from several of the participating schools performed cultural items, while all in attendance were treated to gifts and refreshments.