10-y-o Quarrie cops first place in essay competition on water conservation

WESTERN BUREAU:

AT A time when communities across Jamaica are grappling with water shortages and having consistent water supply during drought conditions, 10-year-old Hanover resident Chevelle Quarrie has demonstrated much-needed insight into the severity of the issue through her first-place essay in the recent Hanover Western Essay Competition.

Quarrie, a resident of the Barbary Hill community and currently a grade-five student of the Hanover Pre and Preparatory School in the parish capital, Lucea, copped the first-place award in the competition’s primary school division during an awards ceremony held recently at the Lucea Assembly of God Church.

“I feel very amazing about winning. I was very nervous at first, but then, when they called my name out, I was so happy that I won the competition,” she told The Gleaner in recalling her reaction to claiming the award.

Her mother, Livern Johnson, was likewise ecstatic over her daughter’s performance, noting that it was part of the youngster’s history of academic excellence.

“She has always been entering competitions, so this one is not her first time. She has always been successful, and I am really overwhelmed at this time,” Johnson said regarding her daughter’s achievement.

“She has previously entered the library reading competition and other similar competitions at school. So I see her continuing to go forward. I am so overwhelmed at this time, and words cannot even explain the way I am feeling at this time,” her mother added.

REQUIREMENTS

In the contest’s inaugural staging, primary school entrants were required to write essays on the importance of water conservation.

Entrants at the high-school level had to write essays on the ‘Road to Republic’ referencing the current discourse on constitutional reform and Jamaica breaking ties with the British monarchy to become a republic.

For Quarrie, who won a tablet computer, a $20,000 cash prize, and a first-place trophy, water conservation is a topic that is close to home since Barbary Hill is one of several communities in Hanover Western that experiences frequent water shortages.

“My mother and I were saying that it would be nice for me to write about that subject, because it would build my knowledge about water conservation, which is about saving water. Where I live at Barbary Hill, there is not a lot of water, so there is a lot of water shortages right there, and it is very sad when the water goes away because we use water for basic needs,” said the youngster, who aspires to become a singer or a paediatrician with her own children’s hospital.

“I think conserving water is very good, so that, when the water goes away, we have our water supply ready for us and so we can have it to perform our basic needs. That is why I support people using tanks and drums. But, if you are going to use that, you must make sure you have the right area and the right space to store those things,” she added.

The young student’s perspective on water conservation mirrors that of Hanover Western Member of Parliament (MP), and the essay competition’s founder, Tamika Davis, who previously welcomed Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ recent announcement of a US$209 million (J$32.2 billion) water programme that will impact various locations in Hanover Western.

Those locations include Blenheim, the birthplace of National Hero, and Jamaica’s first prime minister, Sir Alexander Bustamante, along with Dias, Riverside, Middlesex, Ashkenish, Dundee Pen and Dry Hill.

“The Great River Treatment Plant and the Logwood Treatment Plant are the two plants that supply water in Hanover Western, and I heard that there are plans afoot to expand these facilities, including expansion of pumps, more lines, and so on,” the MP said.

“It gives hope, and it means we have moved away from just talk to ensure there is action,” Davis told The Gleaner immediately following the awards ceremony for Chevelle and her fellow competition participants.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com