ONE of Jamaica’s leading figures in the financial sector has called on past students to do more to assist their schools as they struggle to stay afloat and relevant.

President of Alliance Investment Management and executive of the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA), Peter Chin, has in the meantime hailed the St George’s College Old Boys Association for again standing behind its golf tournament to be staged on December 18 this year at the Constant Spring Golf Course.

“Not enough past students do enough for their schools,” Chin said during the press conference to launch the event at the Spanish Court hotel in St Andrew yesterday.

“So many schools are lacking in funds, but the past students don’t do enough to assist them. We need to get more old boys and past students participating in the schools and not rely on the same old boys and past students each year,” Chin said.

Regarding the 15th staging of the St George’s College Old Boys annual Golf Challenge, Chin said that even the most mediocre individual could play.

It must rank as one of the oldest and longest running tournaments … this is a fun tournament that a lot of golfers look forward to. The scramble tournament allows even hackers to have a chance. Bragging rights are even more important than the prizes,” he said.

The Golf Challenge features three categories, dubbed three tournaments in one by organisers.

It features the alumnae from Jamaica’s traditional high schools and colleges against each other in what organisers describe as a ‘friendly’ game of golf. The top school will win the First Global Challenge Cup in addition to a computer system, which will be donated to their old school.

Two other divisions — an open section that is designed for any pair of golfers with official handicaps; and the closed section, which is open only to old boys of St George’s College — will also be contested.

The tournament is a two-person scramble — combined handicap and tee times are from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Prizes include weekends at North Coast hotels, electronic items, golf equipment, among others.

The tournament was endorsed by representatives of sponsoring companies, among them Jason Dear of First Global who lauded the long association with his company and the St George’s College Old Boys Association.

“This is the fifth year in a row that First Global has been with the tournament and we have benefited greatly from this relationship,” said Dear, who is also a St George’s old boy.

The school’s principal, Margaret Campbell, lauded the work of the old boys in support of the institution.

“This golf tournament is more than securing money for the school. Schools can’t operate on the funding that is provided by government and as far as I know, all schools operate on a deficit. We make up for the deficit by all sorts of juggling and seeking ways to finance the school.

“You are demonstrating what it means to do for our young men and women at the school,” she said, referring to the former all-boys institution that now accommodates girls at the sixth form stage.