COMMISSIONER of Police Major General Antony Anderson urged the graduating class of his alma mater, St Richard’s Primary School on Red Hills Road in St Andrew, last Friday to be role models and strive for excellence as they move on to another phase of their development.

The commissioner was delivering the main address at the annual school-leaving exercise held at the institution.

Jamaica’s senior operations law enforcer emphasised to the graduating class that many who had spent the earlier years of their lives there had built on the knowledge gained while they attended, and had occupied positions of prominence in the Jamaican society, as well as overseas. Among those whom he highlighted as having excelled at St Richard’s were Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke and Professor of law at The University of the West Indies, Ambassador Stephen Vasciannie, a former president of the University of Technology, Jamaica. Dr Clarke and Professor Vasciannie are also Rhodes Scholars.

The commissioner spoke of his youthful days at St Richard’s and lauded the teachers who helped to mould his life.

Acting Principal Dawn Williams Bowen gave a detailed principal’s report of the school’s performance over the past year, while Deacon Lloyd Saunders offered the opening prayer and Jozanne Thompson, the welcome.

The valedictory address was given jointly by Sarah Timbawala and Khaden Robinson.