Olympic Games 110m hurdling champion Hansle Parchment was honoured at the press launch of the CB Group UWI 5K & Run with Passion Kids K for his outstanding contribution to Jamaican sports both nationally and on the world stage. He joins the august group of past honourees, including Glen Mills, Asafa Powell, Reggae Girlz, Molly Rhone, and most recently Shericka Jackson, to name a few.

The CB Group UWI 5K & Run with Passion Kids K is held for the benefit of The University of the West Indies scholarship fund. In his address, newly appointed pro vice chancellor and principal of the Mona campus, Professor Densil Williams, said it was necessary to redouble efforts and rethink the means by which post-secondary education is financed if the country is to experience full economic transformation.

“Here in Jamaica, only two out of every 10 secondary school graduates go on to post-secondary studies.” This, he said, was significantly below other countries in the hemisphere and the developed world. In Europe and Southeast Asia the ratio is eight out of 10. He noted that we are way below the critical mass required to transform the economy.

Prof Williams made his remarks amid a sea of crimson shirts representing UWI students. Otherwise gathered were specially invited guests and sponsor representatives. Seventeen students of The University of the West Indies, Mona campus, took their respective places of honour as scholarship beneficiaries during the launch of this year’s CB Group UWI 5K & Run with Passion Kids K, held Tuesday, October 3 at The UWI Regional Headquarters.

CB Group Animal Welfare and Health Manager Dr Sydonnie Gyles spoke to the “amazing collaboration” between her company and The UWI, reminding the students to maximise the opportunity presented by the scholarships.

Host and co-patron extraordinaire Khadine “Miss Kitty” Hylton guided the proceedings, persuading the recipients as well as the general audience to “pay it forward” to help the event grow by encouraging greater participation which will, in turn, facilitate more scholarships.

Similar encouragement came from co-patron Dr Donette Chin Loy-Chang, who urged the recipients to “dream big, not succumb to cynicism, live integrally and enjoy life”.

Billed as “The Effervescent One” and co-patron, Island Grill Executive Chair Dr Thalia Lyn did not disappoint, repurposing American author and humanitarian Marianne Williamson’s famous poem Our Greatest Fear to motivate the recipients. Lyn also made a personal presentation of an Island Grill scholarship in the amount of $300,000 to awardee Jada Walters, who is majoring in computer science.

This year’s run takes place on Sunday, November 19 on the The UWI, Mona campus, beginning at 6:30 am.