THE EDITOR, Sir:
IN THE Gleaner of Saturday, July 27, 2002, Senator Norman Grant, who is also chairman of the board of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, outlined his plans for transforming the 4-H Clubs Headquarters at 95 Old Hope Road, Kingston into a commercial and office complex.
This national 4-H headquarters was acquired through the foresight and hard work of staff and voluntary workers who sought to tap every avenue in their efforts to ensure satisfactory development of the Jamaica's youths. To the best of my knowledge it is the only property for which the 4-H Movement has a title and I wonder if the Honourable Senator consulted with the voluntary workers before making his pronouncement.
The property includes a spacious lawn, which seems to be the temptation to Mr. Grant. This is a conspicuous green area in which many parishes, national and international functions are held without cost to the 4-H Movement. It is also rented to other organisations thereby bringing some income to the 4-H Clubs.
The 4-H Clubs Movement throughout Jamaica comprises some 600 clubs with a total membership of over 40,000 youths between nine and 25 years of age within schools, colleges, community clubs and churches. These youths are trained in various skills under the watchful eyes of their parish development officers and leaders. These leaders, most of whom are teachers constitute a strong voluntary arm working tirelessly in the interest of development of these youths.
The 4-H Clubs Headquarters with its spacious lawn on which the children play, offers incalculable boost to their physical, mental and social development in an 'at home' environment. As long as Jamaica exists there will be youths in this age group who certainly will be potential members of the 4-H Movement. Any attempt to deprive the youths of their headquarters and green lawn on which to carry out their activities would seriously retard their development.
The 4-H movement does not possess a proper training site for the urban clubbites, therefore instead of commercialising the headquarters I would suggest that consideration be given to the following:-
1. The building of a modern training complex, which would cater to the traditional and new areas of training.
2. The building of hostels, which will cater to national and international 4H Clubites as well as to other organisations when necessary.
3. The construction of a Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Office thereby eliminating the high cost of rental of office space.
I think some rethinking should be given to the proposal to commercialise the 4-H Clubs headquarters.
In the interest of the nation's youth I am calling on the Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture with primary responsibility for the 4-H Clubs and the Minister of Education, Youth and Culture to use their powers and stop the transformation of the 4-H Clubs Headquarters at 95 Old Hope Road into a commercial complex.
I am, etc.,
B. McCLAIR HUTCHINSON
Kingston 20
