St Ann's Bay police host children at summer camp

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

OCHO RIOS, St Ann:

SCORES OF youngsters from schools in St Ann recently took part in a five-day summer camp put on by the St Ann's Bay Police Community Safety and Security department.

The aim was to keep the youths occupied, while at the same time helping to improve the relations between the police and citizens.

Dolphin Cove hosted the students for the closing ceremony, which was attended by Senior Superintendent James Forbes, Assistant Commissioner of Police Derrick Shand, and Superintendent Dudley Scott, and other police personnel.

Forbes, in his address, reminded the children that the camp started in 2004 with some children who were on the street with no hope. He said the camp was a lesson of getting together as human beings and working and playing together in peace, which he hoped the children were learning.

He urged the organiser, Sergeant Lorna Small, to make students earn their space in the camp as of next summer.

In the end, Forbes kept a promise he made last year and donated a cheque to the top Grade Six Achievement Test student, Nneka-Shay Grant of St Ann's Bay Primary, to purchase books for the new school year. Forbes also donated dozens of exercise books to the students. Nneka-Shay will attend Westwood High School in September.

Meanwhile, Small came in for commendation from both Scott and Shand for her work with the programme over the years. This year she was assisted by two guidance counsellors, two teachers and a dean of discipline. Scott also encouraged the children to continue to do well in school and make Jamaica proud of them.

Manager at Dolphin Cove, Michael Darby, encouraged the children to carry on the things that they learnt during the programme, and to pay attention to what they learn in school.

This year, the children were taken on several field trips, including visits to Kool Runnings Water Park in Negril and King's House.

The children were given prizes for their performance during the five-day camp.