By Deon P. Green, Gleaner Writer
New executive members of JAA-UK, from left, immediate past president Sasha Henry-Crawford, public relations officer Sireta Mullings, vice-president Kaye Reynolds, president Eroll Walters and ordinary member Slack. Missing are treasurer Kenroy Reid and Aeon Channer. - Contributed
LONDON, England:
THE JAMAICA Alumni Association (JAA-UK) is now considering the possibility of providing scholarships for Jamaicans attending educational institutions in Britain.
"We want to give hope to those Jamaicans who come to Britain. We want to create an ethos where we are happy to share the information that is available to make it easier for those who arrive here. As an organisation we should be able to do more and if every Jamaican here United Kingdom (UK) get up and do likewise, we would be able to do a lot for Jamaican children," president Eroll Walters said.
Other members of the executive echoed similar sentiments. They believe that the organisation is capable of bridging a gap that exists for many who arrive in the UK. They say with the renewed commitment, the organisation will be able to direct individuals to various sources of opportunities, primarily related to education.
The executive also intends to provide an awareness programme that should dispel the jungle concept that exists in the UK of Jamaicans.
Still in its preliminary stage, the executive wants the scholarship programme named after a Jamaican living in the UK who has done well academically, in association with a Jamaican financial institution. The aim is to get the programme started in the next academic year and could involve an application process in which Jamaican educators select beneficiaries from a list of candidates that have fulfilled certain criteria.
The association also intends to embark on cultural awareness programmes involving the arts where first, second, third and fourth generations of Jamaicans in the UK can express themselves.
GETTING STARTED
Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner vice-president of the alumni, former student of Queen's High School Kaye Reynolds, said the organisation intends to increase the bursaries given to students attending high schools, as well as to increase the number of persons benefiting under that scheme each year. To cater for such funding Miss Reynolds said that the organisation will embark on an aggressive fund-raising exercise.
The Jamaica Alumni Association was formed in recognition of the general need for educators, educational institutions and students to improve the standard of education in Jamaica. It is a non-partisan, non-political organisation which undertakes to work with students, teachers, friends, organisations, the community and the governments of both Jamaica and the United Kingdom to facilitate the improvement of educational standards and opportunity in Jamaica.
The JAA-UK was the brainchild of both Roy Ingleton (Titchfield) its first president, and Derek Heaven, the former Jamaican High Commissioner in the UK. It was formed in the spring of 1997 by a steering committee.
