THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE PRIME Minister's National Youth Awards is a noble ideal steeped in the concept that one should honour one's own, particularly the achievement of young people. This is a potentially powerful source of motivation for other young people to direct their efforts to positive activities.
However, at a time when there is a lot of debate about performance of schools and knowing the intense pride and allegiance associated with one's alma mater, it was with a measure of disappointment that I watched the awards ceremony on Sunday.
The wonderful and very deserving Courtney Foster had a citation, which clearly stated that she is a student of Campion College. Everyone within that school community has the right to be proud of Ms. Foster's achievement as she caused the Campion flag to fly high.
The very next awardee, Lacey Morris from rural Jamaica was in her school uniform, but nowhere in the citation was it mentioned that this outstanding young lady is the head girl at St. Hilda's High School.
Is it that persons from that outstanding institution in Brown's Town did not deserve the right to feel the same pride that those from Hope Road felt a few minutes earlier?
Ramona Williams was also shown wearing her school uniform, but there was no mention of her school affiliation. We also heard that Lance Wilson attended Kingston College, while it was not mentioned that this rising star, Jermaine Rowe, in the performing arts begun his journey in the programme at St. Catherine High School. The purple and white standard bearers from North Street have all right to be proud, but should not those from the much maligned old capital have some joy?
It is in poor taste to highlight this fact for one awardee and not do it for others. It was a dark cloud over an otherwise wonderful affair.
I am, etc.,
PAUL F. BROWN
Sydenham Villas
Spanish Town
