They do it for love

The Gleaner awards Jamaican entities for nation building

LOVE of country has been described as the guiding philosophy which led four local entities on a path to recognition by The Gleaner Company Ltd for their immense contribution to national development.

The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), the University of Technology (UTech), the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, and the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts were yesterday presented with Gleaner Honour Awards.

Walter Elmore, executive producer of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, has described the awards as a fitting recognition for nation building.

"We do love our country, and a lot of us do what we do for that reason," Elmore said while responding on behalf of the recipients.

The JSIF, which has approved more than 1,350 projects that have had a positive impact on more than 1.6 million Jamaicans, was recognised for work in public service.

"Because of the value of its work and the exemplary efficiency and transparency with which the work is conducted, the Jamaica Social Investment Fund is awarded a special 2010 Gleaner Honour for Excellence in Public Service," stated a citation read by The Gleaner's Damion Mitchell.

Scarlette Gillings, managing director of the JSIF, said the organisation was deeply honoured to have been recognised.

"It has been a hard struggle, a hard task, and there has been a dedicated staff, and there are a lot of persons that we would love to say thank you to: the Government of Jamaica, the World Bank, and all the other donors who have helped the JSIF," Gillings said.

She added: "I wish my mom was here because from I was (knee) high, we were reading The Gleaner, and I don't think she could deal with it if she could live to see that I am running something that is honoured by The Gleaner. She would be so happy."

Elmore, whose jazz and blues festival won in the entertainment category, said he was surprised by the award.

"I am humbled. We greatly appreciate this award. We have been doing this for 15 years and we have always tried to maintain a certain level. This is a great honour," Elmore said. He added that the plaque would be placed in a "premium spot" in his office.

"There have been other awards, but nothing of this calibre," he said.

Burchell Duhaney, principal of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts - an institution whose work, The Gleaner said, "sometimes goes unrecognised" - was equally elated over the honour award for excellence in arts and culture.

"For this institution to recognise that we have been doing a significant job, it is really an honour and tremendous pleasure for us," Duhaney said.

He added: "The Gleaner is 176 years old. They have been doing significant work in terms of bringing to the public information, and for an institution to survive this long, it means that there is quality and integrity, and for Edna Manley to be considered by them, I would consider this high on the list of recognitions that we have received over the years."

The UTech, which has been recognised for its entrepreneurship and outreach programmes, reacted to The Gleaner's honour award with pride.

"The work that we are doing in the community is an extension of the work that we are doing to prepare people for the development of this country," Professor Errol Morrison, president of the UTech, said.

Every first-year student at the UTech must do a minimum 40 hours of community service.

"I see UTech as the people's university preparing this country in a very serious way for its development status that it would like to see two decades from now. As such, we are very honoured. We are very happy to be so recognised, and for The Gleaner to be able to bring it even more into the face of the public - that this is what UTech is doing, and that we are serious about development in this country."