Awardees honoured

THE GLEANER'S fifth-floor boardroom in Kingston provided the perfect setting for yesterday's second luncheon lauding four more recipients of its highest yearly acknowledgement - The Gleaner Honour Awards.

The newspaper publishers toasted University of the West Indies' Professor Wayne McLaughlin for his work in Science and Technology; Andrews Memorial Hospital for Health and Wellness; R. 'Danny' Williams for Voluntary Service, and Northern Caribbean University's Team Xormis, who secured a Special Award for their positive contribution to quality of life.

Team Xormis, which won the Interoperability Category at the eighth annual Microsoft Imagine Cup Worldwide Finals on July 8 in Poland, expressed gratitude for the honour bestowed.

"I don't think we can really show how happy we are to receive this award, so these are pictures of memories we hold close to our hearts. It is a book of all the photos we took in Poland and when we received our award," said team member Dwayne Samuels, as he handed the memorabilia to The Gleaner's managing director Oliver Clarke.

Team Xormis, comprising Derron Brown, Markel Mairs, Shawn McLean and Samuels, outpaced 90 competitors from across the globe in preliminary contests before beating Brazil and Indonesia in the world finals in Poland. They developed a software which may be used by non-governmental organisations and charities in the distribution of relief supplies.

McLaughlin, who replied on behalf of the recipients, said the award was welcomed by the group.

"I am really honoured to be here and I am sure the other recipients of the 2010 award are too and, of course, getting it from The Gleaner which has been around since 1834," said McLaughlin, who is a professor of molecular biology and current head of Basic Medical Sciences at UWI. Among his various research is the modifying of genes in local tomatoes to build resistance against the brutal jherri curl disease. He has also done work on Scotch bonnet pepper and papaya.

For Scotch bonnet pepper, he and his team are looking to induce resistance to the virus that plagues the pepper by using bacteria found in soil.

Gift to Jamaica

Meanwhile, Andrews Memorial Hospital, which started in 1910 as massage and hydropathic treatment rooms, has been described as a gift to Jamaica from the church. The Gleaner said it was being recognised for its commitment to providing first-class health care to Jamaicans.

Williams, chairman of the Jamaica College school board, was recognised for his "selfless commitment to improving the quality of education and providing a model for secondary education administration".

A thrilled Williams told The Gleaner the most important thing about volunteerism is "the wonderful feeling it gives you".

"It gives you personal satisfaction in knowing you are trying to improve the lives of others and that you are trying make your country a better place, having been here," he said.

On Monday, the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (Arts and Culture), Walter Elmore of Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival (Entertainment), the University of Technology (Education) and Jamaica Social Investment Fund (Special Award) were presented with awards.

Two other luncheons are scheduled for Friday, October 29 and Monday, November 1 to host Sports and Public Service; and Business winners, respectively.

From the list of recipients, The Man of the Year will be announced on November 11 at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in St Andrew.