FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Regional director at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Odette Dyer is urging Jamaican children to spend less time on tablets and rediscover the joy of reading, describing books as one of the greatest investments that can be made in a child’s future.

“Please put away the tablets a little bit. That’s not your only avenue for learning and understanding the world. Open your minds to reading a book because when you read, it prepares you for learning, achieving and doing your schoolwork that much better,” Dyer urged students attending a ceremony where 1,000 children’s books were among items donated to 15 schools across Trelawny, St James, and St Elizabeth.

School supplies were also presented to the institutions through a partnership involving Blue World Travel — one of America’s leading travel companies for African American travellers — JTB, and local charity Sarah’s Children. The handover was done at the historic Falmouth Port during the arrival of Celebrity Cruise Lines’
Reflection, which was carrying a delegation from Blue World Travel’s annual Festival at Sea.

Dyer described every donated book as “an opportunity to spark imagination, encourage learning and inspire the dreams of a young Jamaican”. Recalling her childhood, the tourism player said books introduced her to the world long before she had the opportunity to travel.

Regional director at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Odette Dyer (left) makes a presentation to Patricia Yarbrough, president of Blue World Travel, at the Falmouth port last Wednesday after about 1,000 books were donated to 15 schools. (Horace Hines)

“I am a testament to reading and loving books. Back then we didn’t have technology, and books sparked my curiosity to explore different cultures. Later, I experienced the world first-hand and was not disappointed,” she said.

Welcoming the visitors, Dyer thanked Blue World Travel President Patricia Nicholson Yarbrough and the team for once again selecting Jamaica as the beneficiary of the annual book drive.

“Tourism is at its best when it creates meaningful connections between people,” Dyer said, noting that initiatives such as the donation demonstrate tourism’s ability to enrich communities long after visitors have returned home. She also commended Festival at Sea passengers who packed books and school supplies before boarding the cruise.

Blue World Travel, a San Francisco-based agency that created Festival at Sea, America’s original African-American cultural cruise, has incorporated children’s book drives into the annual programme for more than three decades.

Some of the approximately 1,000 books donated by Blue World Travel’s Festival at Sea on display at the Falmouth port last Wednesday. (Horace Hines)

Yarbrough said the 34th Festival at Sea continued a tradition that began during the cruise’s second year.

“Our passengers are the ones who actually bought all of these books for the schools and libraries. We wanted to give something back to the islands that host us,” she said.

Former Los Angeles School District administrator Peggy Taylor Presley said about 85 per cent of the donated books feature Afro-centric characters, giving students the opportunity to see themselves reflected in the stories they read.

Stakeholders and students at the Falmouth port where Blue World Travel’s Festival at Sea donated about 1,000 books to 15 schools last Wednesday. Horace Hines

“You can be anything you want to be,” Presley told the students.

Sarah’s Charity Founder Janet Silvera said the donation was particularly meaningful in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which damaged schools and learning resources across western Jamaica.

“For some institutions, rebuilding a library has become just as important as rebuilding a classroom,” she said, adding that every book has the potential to unlock imagination, build confidence and change a child’s future.

Among the beneficiaries was Kinloss Primary and Infant School in Trelawny.

Regional director at the Jamaica Tourist Board Odette Dyer (right) shares a light moment with founder and chair of Sarah’s Children charity Janet Silvera during a book donation ceremony hosted by Blue World Travel at the Falmouth port last Wednesday. Horace Hines

Teacher Shernette Brooks said the donation would help establish a reading corner for the infant department while expanding the school’s library.

“The child-friendly books will support our younger learners, while the remaining books will benefit the wider student population,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Meanwhile, Dyer thanked the visitors for their generosity, friendship and belief in the potential of Jamaica’s children and encouraged them to experience Jamaica beyond the cruise port.

“Go out, explore the destination and engage with a Jamaican,” she urged.