Rex Nettleford praises charity for contribution to Jamaica
Published:
Thursday | December 10, 2009
From left: Professor Rex Nettleford, vice-chancellor emeritus at the
University of the West Indies, takes a minute to pose with Ann-Marie
Francis, Air Jamaica community and special market sales manager for
North-East and Mid-West United States, and Consul General of Jamaica
in New York, Geneive Brown Metzger during the 15th annual scholarship
gala of Children of Jamaica Outreach held last Saturday at the Crowne
Plaza LaGuardia Hotel in New York, United States.
NEW YORK, New
York
As guests arrived
for dinner and dance at a hotel in New York last Saturday night, the
words that greeted all via a banner strung up in the lobby were 'The
Crowne Plaza LaGuardia welcomes and supports troops worldwide'.
An admirable thought,
but the droves of people making their way to the grand ballroom this
chilly evening were there to show support for needy children in Jamaica.
They were there to take part in the 15th annual scholarship gala of
Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO), a non-profit organisation founded
by Jamaican-born Gary Williams in 1994 with the goal of providing
relief to disadvantaged children on the island as well as in the United
States.
"COJO is
indeed on the right side of history in helping to guarantee for the
future a population of healthy, culturally secure, productive, hardworking
and disciplined citizens," declared guest speaker Professor Rex
Nettleford, vice-chancellor emeritus of the University of the West
Indies.
Addressing the
packed ballroom of mostly Jamaican immigrants, Nettleford hailed COJO
for the assistance the charity organisation has provided to children's
homes and schools in Jamaica over the last decade and a half, noting
specifically the Alpha Boys Home and the Glenhope Place of Safety.
In 2007, COJO
provided scholarships to some of the wards at Alpha Boys Home, to
assist in their education, as well as school supplies to the institution
itself.
Contributions
Last year, the
girls at Glenhope were provided with computers, school supplies, care
products and clothing.
In acknowledging
the importance of COJO's work, Nettleford said Alpha Boys Home has
done a great deal to provide musical expertise to many persons "who
have in turn contributed to the cultural life of Jamaica", and
stressed that assisting the wards at Glenhope was a wise decision.
"Girls of
that ilk are increasingly being exposed to sexual abuse, some with
consensual participation which some people blame on cable blue movies
as much as on the sale of self to obtain school fees," he lamented.
But while Nettleford
was glowing in his praise, he also put forward a challenge.
He argued that
many persons in the "public bureaucracy", as well as the
teaching profession, have persistently ignored culture as integral
to education.
Nettleford reiterated
his longtime concern that such neglect was foolhardy as there is clear
evidence that "many of the people who have had anything of value
to say about us are those who have exercised their creative imagination
to make sense of Caribbean and human historical experience and existential
reality".
Creative imagination
He added: "I
invite COJO to bear this in mind when it is assessing what projects
it wishes to support back in Jamaica. Facilitating the exercise of
creative imagination of the young through the right kind of education,
exposure and opportunity of showcasing such talents can be of tremendous
benefit, especially to a vulnerable child who may well start off with
a lack of self-esteem."
During the gala,
two men and two organisations were honoured for their ongoing support
of COJO.
They are political,
labour and social activist Raglan George, Jr; hotelier Gordon 'Butch'
Stewart, frozen patty manufacturer Tower Isle's, and JetBlue Airways.
Williams, who
as well as being founder is chairman of COJO, said in his written
message that he believed it was important for children to grow up
confident that when they need help they will find it.
"I know you
believe it too and, in a year of tremendous economic difficulty for
so many, I thank you for finding a way to be here for the children
of COJO," he said.
A tally of the
funds raised from the dinner, which included the auction of travel
packages and signed Usain Bolt Puma shoes, was not immediately available.
The annual scholarship
gala is COJO's major fund-raiser held on the first Saturday in December
each year; proceeds from which are used to provide scholarships and
support for deserving students and Jamaican childcare institutions
in need.
Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO) honourees Patrick Jolly (left),
managing director of Tower Isle's; Terrence Skeet (third left), manager
for JetBlue, Cathleen Decker (fourth right) representing Gordon 'Butch'
Stewart, and Raglan George Jr (right), show off their awards with
COJO Chairman Gary Williams (fourth right), Consul General of Jamaica
in New York Geneive Brown Metzger (third right), Carrole Guntley (second
left), Director General in the Ministry of Tourism and guest speaker
Professor Rex Nettleford. - photos by Donovan Gopie
