THE EDITOR, Sir:
ON SATURDAY, February 23, I attended a function to launch Girls' Brigade month, at the Hope United Church Hall. Hundreds of Brigadiers from all over the island were in attendance. The Girls' Brigade is an international organisation which has been serving the girls of Jamaica for nearly 80 years and has produced some of the finest women who have served our country. The Girls' Brigade works with the churches of the various Christian denominations.
An interesting feature of that occasion was the announcement that five members of the Girls' Brigade had been awarded gold in the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme. I thought, "This is wonderful". I have since learnt that over 30 gold medals have been awarded to young Jamaicans from a number of other organisations including the YMCA, the Boys' Brigade, Mico, the Cadets, Jamaica College, Marymount High and the Cassava Piece Youth Club. I seem to have missed all this in the media.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is no doubt the most prestigious Youth Award throughout the Commonwealth and the achievement qualifications are rigorous and demanding. There are categories of bronze and silver which are presented, but it is only the gold that is presented by the Duke himself.
Can we give our own home-grown awardees a standing ovation, please? They deserve it. Please also support Girls' Brigade month. They too deserve it.
I am, etc.,
ELSIE SAYLE
21 Hopeglade Mews
Kingston 6
