Principal of the Happy Grove High School in Portland, Lauriston Lindsay, has called for schools to be allocated funds to promote youth organisations, such as the 4-H movement, to students.

Lindsay, who was giving the main address at the annual Portland 4-H Achievement Day held recently on the campus of the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), said that students should be encouraged to join organisations, which can contribute to their overall development and suggested that schools be allowed to utilise part of the cost sharing money they receive each year in this effort.

He argued that joining such bodies would help students to become responsible citizens, noting that the Jamaica 4-H Clubs had positively moulded the lives of young people over the years.

Expressing confidence that Jamaica would become a more exemplary nation if this initiative was put in place, Lindsay said that too many of the social programmes existing in schools were dying, making it easy for students to fall to bad influence and adopt wrong attitudes.

In praising the 4-H movement for collaborating with schools to educate and train young people, Lindsay said the strengthening of this cooperation would not only make the future of the country more secure, but also ensure that Jamaica becomes a major competitor in the global economy.

Also addressing the function were Custos of Portland, Roy Thompson, who encouraged the clubbites to make the best use of the opportunities available to them in the 4-H organisation, and Dr Nathaniel Christie, director of the Community College and Continuing Education Programmes at CASE, who gave the welcome address.

The event, which showcased projects and performances by young people associated with 4-H clubs in the parish, also featured display booths by several organisations that support the 4-H movement.