St Mary schools get Courts Ready Cash 1000-gallon water tank donations

Clonmel Primary and Infant and Bromley Primary school communities in St Mary are the most recent beneficiaries of a Courts Ready Cash islandwide black tank initiative.

Launched in July 2023 at Duckenfield Primary School in St Thomas with the promise to deliver twelve polyethylene water tanks to primary and secondary schools across drought-stricken communities, rollout of the project has continued to select schools.

A total of six water tanks have so far been handed over, including presentations to Brixton Hill Primary and Kellits High School, both in Clarendon, and Gaynstead High School in Kingston.

The gesture will be extended to other schools in Westmoreland, Portland and St Andrew into the new year.

Oscar Kerr, representing general manager of the brand, Atasha Bernard at the handover event for the St Mary-based schools held on December 6, shared that the company’s mandate has always been to give back in a meaningful way, and that they would continue ‘to make a positive contribution to nation-building’.

Officials in attendance at the ceremony at each school were: Member of Parliament for South East St Mary and Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour & Social Security, Dr Norman Dunn, and Ministry of Education Acting Director, Regional Educational Services Region 2, representing Minister Fayval Williams, Yashieka Blackwood-Grant.

Principal of Clonmel Primary & Infant School, Oshea Davis, and chairman of the board, Joseph Robinson, were among those present at the handover event at Clonmel Primary & Infant School, and Principal Caleaf Williams and board chairman, Mr Condappa, represented for Bromley Primary.

Principal Davis stressed the importance of the gift, noting that water supply is a major challenge in the community – with water trucked to the area just once a week. She said the gesture by Court Ready Cash will significantly improve the school’s water storage capacity and usage to both students and teachers alike.

Calef Williams, principal of Bromley Primary School, remarked that the initiative was “a welcomed and well-needed one that will make an impact to improve the supply of water for the school community”.

Blackwood-Grant, in lauding the company for its support, said: “… what you are doing, Courts Ready Cash, is to ensure that our students are not disadvantaged or are not prevented from having a full school day … and I want to say on behalf of the children and the school, we will take care of this gift and we will use it effectively to ensure that these ‘blue-tiful’ children have indeed a ‘blue-tiful’ future…”

Dunn shared, “On behalf of the citizen of South East St Mary and the school ..., I would like to thank you very much, Courts Ready Cash. One matter of significance is that you have not only continue to foster goodwill but you demonstrate from time to time in tangible benefits and activities like this…”

Courts Ready Cash continues the ethos of being a responsible corporate citizen, committed to improving the lives of customers and the communities they serve. The brand recognises the need for access to potable water in communities severely impacted by drought conditions. With the donation of polyethylene water tanks, valued at approximately $1,000,000, to select primary and secondary schools, the brand makes its contribution towards the ongoing black tank initiative started by the government, a media release noted.