Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

Recipients of the Governor-General's Achievement Award Scheme and the Governor-General's Achievement Youth Award for Excellence, display their plaques at the culmination of the awards ceremony for the county of Cornwall, at the Holiday Inn Sun Spree Resort in Rose Hall, Montego Bay, St. James, yesterday. - Photo by Noel Thompson

WESTERN BUREAU:

They traveled from the nooks and crannies across the county of Cornwall to be officially recognised for their undying love for their fellowmen and their outstanding service to their communities.

Yesterday, they were on the receiving end. All 20 recipients of the Governor-General's Achievement Award Scheme (GGAAS) and the Governor-General's Achievement Youth Awards for Excellence (GGAYAE), except for Michael Miller, turned up at the Holiday Inn Sun Spree Resort in Rose Hall, Montego Bay, St. James, to collect their awards from Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall at a high-profile ceremony.

The awardees include Winfield Murray and Damion Andrews representing the parish of Hanover; Dorcas Roye, Schade Stanton and Nattecia Bohardsingh, representing St. James; Paul Patmore, Dwayne Edwards and Robert Townsend, representing Trelawny; Richard 'Richie Stephens' Stephenson, Marshael Lewis and Toni-Ann Stewart, of Westmoreland; Caswell Daley, Denny Davis and Sheldene Senior, from St. Elizabeth.

Outbursts of laughter

The evening's ceremony was punctuated with a litany of excitement and frequent outbursts of laughter. Sounds of "Woo!" were heard upon the reading of citations revealing the economic and social odds many had faced in formative years but had conquered to become worthwhile people of today's society.

In bringing greetings, the Governor-General said what was critical in acknowledging the recipients was that they had not seen the obstacles experienced preventing them from achieving their full potential and contributing towards building a better society.

"You have demonstrated that you have arrived and the rest of your community has acknowledged your arrival," he said.

Responding on behalf of the recipients, Mrs. Roye expressed "a very special thanks to all the parties involved in recognising their efforts, contributions to people's lives and their outstanding work in their communities.

"We thank you Professor Hall for coming, not only to grace us with your presence but, to show us that you appreciate what we have been doing," she said while also extending appreciation to former Governor-General Sir Howard Cooke, under whose patronage the awards scheme was established.

"It really is a wonderful feeling to be a recipient of the Governor-General's Award. I have been doing a lot over the years for fulfillment of self because, where I am coming from, it was not easy for me to be where I am at now," said entertainer extraordinaire, 'Richie Stephens'.