WESTERN BUREAU -- In a bid to promote peace in Kingston's inner-cities, Sandals Resorts last week hosted a group of 18 students from rival communities like Tivoli Gardens and Trench Town at its Beaches hotel in Negril, Westmoreland.

Children from inner-city communities of Kingston having fun in the pool at Beaches Negril. The children, representing Denham Town, Tivoli Gardens, Charlie Smith and Trench Town Comprehensive High Schools, Boys Town All-Age and Restoration Christian School.

"The programme is geared at getting the children from the different warring communities to unite and serves as a motivational tool for these children who are chosen based on academic performance and deportment," Andrea Fisher, public relations manager at Beaches Negril told the Observer.

Last Thursday was the second time in less than two months that the hotel chain was hosting students under the programme that co-ordinator, Lorna Stanley, has dubbed 'The Incentive Excursion Programme'.

Stanley, who is also founder and principal of the Operation Restoration Christian Academy (ORCA), said last week's activities served not only to blur community barriers but allowed the students to see the possibilities that existed for them.

"It was just a wonderful day, a memorable day, a day I know made a big difference in their lives...," she said. "They saw the possibilities, where they could achieve and it didn't matter that they were from Trench Town or Tivoli."

The students who participated ranged in ages from 13 to 17 years old and were drawn from schools, including Boys' Town All-Age; Charlie Smith Comprehensive High; Denham Town Comprehensive High; Tivoli Comprehensive High; Trench Town Comprehensive High, all from the politically volatile west end of the capital city. Children from ORCA were also on the trip.

FISHER... the programme is geared at getting the children from the different warring communities to unite

At the hotel, they and their six teachers, who were flown from Kingston to Negril on Air Jamaica Express, were treated to lunch and invited to savour the resort's offerings.

Fisher said the students participated in activities ranging from the banana boat to sailing and from dance competitions to track activities, including the highly amusing egg and spoon races.

The ORCA principal said the comments from the students on the way back to Kingston Thursday night were encouraging and testified to the success of the excursion.

"Mi feel like somebody" and "mi feel like royalty", were some of the comments, Stanley said she noted. She added that the possibilities for peace, and the development of the inner-cities via such programmes were great.

"Stabilise the (inner-city) communities and you can imagine what will happen for tourism and the country," she said.

The Incentive Excursion Programme began on March 7 this year, with Beaches Boscobel in St Mary hosting 15 students and teachers of the ORCA.

Tarrus Riley shoots video for Start Anew

Naomi Campbell to open retrospective photo show

A pleasant evening of music and much more