KINGSTON, Jamaica— The governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) says eight Jamaican students can look forward to attending and completing university worry-free after receiving full scholarships from the party, with an additional five receiving the Prime Minister’s special tertiary grant.

The scholarships and grants were handed over at the Party’s Annual Scholarship Award Ceremony on Sunday, marking five years since the leader of the JLP established the scholarship programme.

In addition to the eight scholarships and the Prime Minister’s Grant, as part of the Party’s 80th-anniversary commemoration, a total of 71 bursaries will be provided, impacting 80 students, a statement said.

The full scholarships are named each year in honour of outstanding JLP members who contributed to national development and gave dedicated political service.

This year, the scholarships were awarded as follows:

1. Dr the Honourable Hugh Hart scholarship for Biotechnology/ Biochemistry – Ashley Mais

2. The Honourable David Clement Tavares Scholarship for Business and Finance – Rolissa Stephenson

3. The Honourable Lady Gladys Bustamante Scholarship for Creative Arts – Kimberley Jones

4. Mr Joseph McPherson, OD scholarship for Journalism- Amanda Samuels

5. Mr Isaac Barrant Scholarship for Agriculture- Akil Henry

6. Honourable Frank Phipps, KC, Scholarship for History – Sheveen Samuda

7. Mrs Dorothy Carter Bradford, CD, JP scholarship for Environment and Climate Change – Khygandie Hall

8. Ms Seslyn Cross, JP Scholarship for Social Work – Akilah Harris

Mickalia Melhado, D’Vaughn Smalling, Mishka Barcoo, Sherika Simpson and Stephany Barrett received bursaries.

During the award ceremony, the Party paid tribute to the distinguished honourees after whom this year’s scholarships were named.

Addressing the audience, prime minister Andrew Holness said, “The Jamaica Labour Party is playing an important role in building the country’s human capital by offering scholarships on an annual basis that are important to national development.”

Holness said it was important to mark this milestone anniversary by continuing to demonstrate the Party’s commitment to the education of Jamaican students.

In the meantime, president of the Senate, Tom Tavares-Finson, highlighted the JLP’s strong legacy of supporting education, noting the construction of 126 schools between 1963 and 1972 under a JLP Government.

In drawing attention to the Party’s long history of promoting education and access to education, general secretary Dr Horace Chang, said, “Emerging from colonial governance, the Jamaica Labour Party, under Sir Alexander Bustamante, set the tone for educating the children of working-class Jamaicans.”

Sunday’s JLP Scholarship Award Ceremony coincided with the 3rd Anniversary since the JLP won a 2nd term in 2020 and the 16th anniversary since the Party won the 2007 general elections.