LUCEA, Hanover – In memory of nine-year-old Nikita Noel, who was brutally raped and strangled at the hands of a man who was in a relationship with her mother, a scholarship fund will be launched as part of Hanover 300 celebrations held across the parish later this year.

Co-chair of the Hanover 300 Planning Committee deputy mayor of Lucea, Councillor Andria Dehaney Grant made the announcement during a special meeting of the Hanover Municipal Corporation on Tuesday.

Dehaney Grants said scholarship selection criteria are now being hammered out. This follows her earlier recommendation, in March, for a scholarship to be established as a way to keep alive the memory of the former Esher Primary School student who was killed on February 1.

Tuesday’s meeting at the municipal corporation was called to adopt the Hanover 300 planning committee and its terms of reference. While a number of activities have been planned or, in some cases, are yet to be finalised for the once-in-a-lifetime year-long celebrations, the budget is yet to be settled.

Among the plans drafted to date is a beautification project for the town of Lucea — which is being spearheaded by the Social Development Commission (SDC), school competitions, community activities across the parish, Hanover Day activity, ecumenical church service at the Lucea Anglican Church, a business expo, the printing of a special magazine, the hosting of a run/walk, and refurbishing of the Noel Holmes Hospital courtyard.

The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) has been approached to assist with the erection of signs and billboards across the parish. Designs are currently being done.

“We are hoping, especially the town, as we celebrate 300 that when persons pass through Lucea they will know that something special is happening here,” stated Dehaney Grant. “We are doing everything humanly possible to ensure that this celebration goes off well”.

In addition, Mayor of Lucea Sheridan Samuels said the town will be painted, while the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hanover Western Tamika Davis has given a commitment to have zinc fences in the town removed under the Government’s zinc fence removal programme.

The mayor added that contact will be made with the MP for Hanover Eastern Dave Brown regarding possible contributions.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has been asked to launch the Hanover 300 celebrations.

“We have written to him and are awaiting a date. We are hoping to do it in August. So it is going to be done between August and September based on the availability of the prime minister,” stated Dehaney Grant.

She added that the corporation is making efforts to have Hanover linked with Germany, China, and Nottingham City. Efforts are also being made to have a link between Negril — which is shared between Hanover and Westmoreland — and Tanzania in Africa.

On November 12, 1723, the nation’s second-smallest parish was established from sections of Westmoreland.

The parish capital is home to the still fully functional Lucea clock tower that was built in 1817; Fort Charlotte that was constructed in 1745 and named after George III’s wife Queen Charlotte; and Rusea’s High School’s Campus 2, which was established in 1777, making it the fourth-oldest continuously operated high school in Jamaica.

The parish is also the birthplace of Jamaica’s first prime minister and national hero, Sir Alexander Bustamante; PJ Patterson; retired Justice Seymour Panton; and is also home to Dolphin Head Mountain, which reaches a majestic height of 1,789 feet above the Lucea Harbour. Hanover is also famous for its ground provision, Lucea yam.