‘Happy for the gift’
MONTEGO BAY, St James – The newly renovated sickbay at the Barrett Town Primary and Infant School in St James is now fully prepared to cater to their 376 students after the institution received 12 folding cots and a television through a donation from Salamander Hotels and Resorts, the management company of Half Moon.
The cots and television were handed over to the school on Tuesday during a brief presentation by Sheila Johnson, CEO and founder of Salamander Hotels and Resorts.
The Barrett Town Primary and Infant School holds a special place in not only her heart, but the hearts of previous managers of Half Moon, Johnson told the Jamaica Observer West.
She said their continued support of the school should come as no surprise as the late Guy Steuart II, a former chairman of Half Moon, undertook many initiatives at the institution.
“Though Guy Steuart II passed away about two years ago, ever since we took over Half Moon as a management company, we have gotten to know the family very well and we realised that he loved this school,” she said.
“Once he passed away I wanted to do something in his memory with the management company,” said Johnson, who is the co-founder of the cable television channel Black Entertainment Network (BET).
“I have been a teacher almost all of my life, that was my first job — I taught music — so every time I step into a school it has a place in my heart.”
The CEO told the Observer West that it was during a previous donation of 10 computers to the school that she recognised the needs of the institution’s sickbay.
“Children’s education and care are so important to me, so as I was touring this school I could see that there were needs. After we did the computer donation, I noticed that they needed cots for their sickbay and a television for educational purposes,” she explained.
The items were presented to senior teacher at the primary school, Ventris Edwards, who told the Observer West that she welcomes the well-need donation.
“This means a lot. We have been instrumental in educating students here from [Barrett Town and its environs], but technology has been lacking so this will help to enhance their learning,” Edwards said.
“Sometimes the students come early in the mornings and they would love to have something to do while they wait for their teachers to come to school, so now we will start playing educational shows for them,” she added.
She also stressed the usefulness of the cots.
“We had beds before and unfortunately, we could only accommodate three children at a time, so these cots will be very instrumental in how we operate our sickbay now,” Edwards pointed out.
Edwards further stated that the school is grateful for the support being provided by Johnson through Half Moon.
“We are happy to have them as a friend. We don’t see them as a stakeholder because they have been here for years assisting in this area as our friends. I want to say thanks to the team,” she said.
Grade six student Tyreke Powell noted that he appreciates the commitment of Salamander Hotels and Resorts and Half Moon.
“I feel very appreciative because they are supporting our school and our education. The students will gain more comfort from using the cots and entertainment from the television,” said the young boy.
Principal of the school, Anthony Murray, stated that the institution has big plans for the donation received.
He, too, expressed gratitude.
“I am very appreciative of the fact that over the years they have been supporting the school. They were instrumental in our computer lab. During that time she (Johnson) made a commitment to get us some cots and a television, and she did so today. This is something that will definitely enhance our offerings,” Murray said.
“The television will increase our capability to reach our students through technology, so I am indeed very grateful. I want to say, on behalf of the school and students, a big thank you Miss Johnson for her continued support of the Barrett Town Primary and Infant School.”
Murray, who is also the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor for the Rose Hall Division in St James, stated that his school has maintained a good relationship with Johnson and her team.
“The St James Municipal Corporation (SJMC) and Half Moon partnered on the sickbay project. The municipal corporation did the physical building and Half Moon did the décor, so Miss Johnson is just continuing to enhance the school,” he explained.