WE COMMEND the setting up of the Hugh Shearer Foundation and congratulate the Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) for pledging $6.5 million as seed money to fund on-going trade union research and to provide scholarships for children at the basic school level. Both are worthy causes.
The role of trade unions in Jamaica's national life is changing rapidly and, in response to the realities of a global economy, is evolving from militancy to maturity while continuing to set the tone for the responsible practice of industrial relations at the workplace.
In the field of education, we have pointed out in previous editorials that a chain is no stronger than its weakest link and past neglect of early childhood education has been a principal cause of the unsatisfactory test results in the CXC examinations. Scholarships for children going to basic schools is an important step in the right direction.
The Foundation will be chaired by Dr. Denise Eldemire-Shearer, whose medical career has been devoted to the care of the elderly. Other directors of the Foundation include Mr. Shearer's two sons and other distinguished individuals. Its investment portfolio will be managed by Scotiabank Investments, the investment management subsidiary of the bank.
Over the years BNS has demonstrated exceptional management perspicacity, the rewards for which have been correspondingly high profits. Sparked by the personal interest of Mr. William Clarke, BNS's dynamic CEO, the bank's donation to the Hugh Shearer Foundation is but one of its philanthropic activities highlighted by a major contribution to health care at the University of the West Indies.
The distinguished career of the Most Honourable Hugh Lawson Shearer is well known and the Foundation has been set up to mark his 80th birthday. There will be time enough in the future to document in detail his many contributions to public life in Jamaica as Prime Minister and trade unionist. In the meantime we urge everyone who can do so to be as generous as possible in making donations to the foundation.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
