By George Henry, Freelance Writer 
Mrs. Pearline Williams reading a citation to Mrs. Pearline Palmer, retired ancillary worker who worked at Bethlehem for 42 years. Also in the picture is Mrs. Palmer's husband Reggie. - Contributed
St. Elizabeth:
PRINCIPAL OF the Alston High School in Clarendon, Mrs. Yvonne Kong says the first year of the new millennium is almost at its end but there is a sense of hopelessness - a result of 'altered standards of accepted morality and degradation'. She was speaking at the Christmas Dinner and Appreciation Function at the Bethlehem Moravian College in St. Elizabeth on Thursday evening.
Mrs. Kong noted that right across the island citizens are complaining that times are difficult, things have gotten worse and that there is a feeling that nothing is happening, but, she said, 'there is still hope'.
Opportunities existed. "All we need is the courage to grasp them", said the Alston High School principal.
She reminded her audience that common people are brilliant if only they believe in their ideas and that most human beings have the same basic brain capacity but the major difference is the attitude individuals have towards their own ideas.
Mrs. Kong pointed out that the ways in which one treats ideas is dependent on the kind of person one is. She noted that God plants ideas and dreams in our minds and she challenged all to do something about them.
The High School principal stated that as the society becomes more dynamic individuals are being asked to be more creative to keep abreast with the change.
"No longer should we stick to the old paradigms. We have to develop new ideas and employ more exciting methods", noted Mrs. Kong.
She noted that as a country Jamaica was being asked to produce more in order to attain sustainable development, or to face competition in the 'Global Village'. "I make bold to say that in order to achieve this we have to develop greater efficiency at the work place. Inefficiency on the job leads to cost over run and loss of productivity", she said.
Mrs. Kong called on young people to acquire the motivation that will help them to see possibilities in areas where others fail. She said they should acquire the motivation that will help them not only to face the odds, but also to defy them.
She noted that young people such as those at Bethlehem Moravian College have an awesome task to find the ways to help children grow into adults who have no wish to do harm.
"We are now experiencing the effects of the quality circle. The market driven society demands excellence in order to succeed. Excellence is not an act, it is a habit", said Mrs. Kong.
She said the time has come for individuals to move away from being passive, ineffective as well as from the excuse of neutrality and get involved, take charge of their own destiny and play a useful part in the governance of the country.
The High School principal noted that all need to debate issues and let their voices be heard.
During the college's Christmas Dinner five former members of the Ancillary staff were honoured for a total of 162 years of dedicated service to the institution.
The former workers were presented with gifts and they all had citations read to them.
Mrs. Kong reminded them that retirement was not the end of life, but that it is a new beginning.
