Bartlett launches scholarship programme in Central Manchester Sunday, September 28, 2014 - Jamaica Observer Shadae Smith (right) is about to be greeted by St Aubyn Bartlett, whom she described as a man of his word. MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) caretaker for Central Manchester St Aubyn Bartlett has launched an education assistance programme for children in the constituency. In this its first year, the Manchester Central Bell Education Project will assist 42 high school students, including 37 first-formers (grade seven) as well as a student at teachers college. The scholarships are each worth $10,000 annually, targeting tuition and book rentals, and, according to Bartlett, reflected his belief that education is the only way you can really, really make something out of life. Bartlett told students and parents at an awards ceremony at Golf View Hotel recently that I intend to carry this programme as long as Central Manchester will support me as the next member of parliament for this constituency... Bartlett was selected by the JLP in June as the likely candidate to take on Member of Parliament Peter Bunting in the next parliamentary elections, which become constitutionally due in 2016. Bunting, who is the national security minister, held off the challenge of the JLPs Danville Walker by 539 votes in the December 2011 poll. Bartlett -- the younger brother of former Cabinet minister and the JLPs MP for East Central St James, Ed Bartlett -- held the St Andrew Eastern seat for the JLP from 2002 to 2011 before being dropped by the party. He said the Manchester Central education initiative was patterned off a project he led in St Andrew Eastern while he was MP there. Immaculate Conception High School sixth-former Shadae Smith, who benefited from Bartletts project in Eastern St Andrew, paid rich tribute, describing her former MP as a man of his word and totally dedicated to education. Bartlett said his commitment to education flowed from his own experiences. His mother, a household helper, and his father, a shoemaker, recognised the value of education and ensured their children received it, he said. They (his parents) didnt make money, but they believed that education was the way to go, and whatever they had they invested in us, and we took whatever opportunities that were available, he said. Bartlett said the scholarship programme was designed to assist parents with economic difficulties. Noting that it was not easy to raise the money for the project, Bartlett said there were conditions which must be met. These included academic, disciplinary and extra-curricular standards below which assistance would be suspended. He emphasised that with hard work and adherence to set standards, the scholarship programme could take beneficiaries all the way to university. -- Garfield Myers
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 18:42:01 +0000
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