THE EDITOR, Sir:
I WOULD like to take the opportunity to congratulate United Way for the tremendous work it is doing in the voluntary sector and, moreso, for publishing in the Gleaner, on April 6, the names of donors and recipients of these funds. That there is an urgent need to sensitise the country to the magnificent work United Way is doing is apparent, but although you would expect this to come from the beneficiaries, there is a deafening silence here.
I speak from the background of one who is intimately connected to United Way, who deals with the rank and file members whose organisations benefited from United Way. They displayed total ignorance of the fact that their organisation was given any money. This conclusively shows that there is no information trickling down from the head of these organisations to the ordinary members at the bottom.
On Sunday, April 10, the central region committee of United Way hosted its 20th anniversary thanksgiving service at the Mandeville Parish Church. Of the 241 projects in the region, which received over $100m from United Way, representatives from only eight of these projects attended, although everyone was informed by letter.
This non-attendance, to me, is not only disappointing, but it is a clear case of disrespect
and ingratitude shown to an organisation which succoured them in times of need. And, this is even worse when viewed from the fact that every traditional high school, college, church, basic school and children's home within the three parishes that make up the region (St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon) received over 90 per cent of the funds.
I am, etc.,
KENNETH GORDON
United Way of Jamaica
Central Region,
Mandeville
