JEMS honours 11 with awards

Eleven outstanding Vincentians including the late Dr Earle Kirby were honoured on Saturday, October 11th at a ceremony organized by the JEMS Progressive Community Organization, as they celebrated their 30th anniversary.{{more}}

JEMS founder Andrew Simmons recounted the early days when the organization, on the back of inspired young people became a flagship of community service in the Enhams, Victoria Village, Stubbs and other nearby communities.

Simmons said that the many of the environmental projects in communities that JEMS have undertaken over the years were driven by the needs of the communities in which JEMS have served.

He said that while JEMS continue to serve, they cannot do it alone and need other community based groups to do their part.

This is also the view of feature speaker, Andrew Cummings QC, who told the gathering that in the face of the many challenges facing the Vincentian society, there is a need for organizations like JEMS in every community.

He said that organizations are needed to be active not just in the area of the environment but to help to inspire the hearts of young people and combat the perversion being transmitted from North America to the nation’s youths.

Cummings said he is concerned about rising crime and the spin off that this country will face from the economic meltdown taking place around the world.

He said that the answers to these problems can be found among Vincentians and said that while we must take advice from outsiders, we can’t allow them to feel puffed up and believe that they have the monopoly of answers to deal with the challenges facing St Vincent and the Caribbean on a whole.

The other awardees on the night were Dr Edward Towel, Cecil Ryan, Nelcia Robinson Hazell, St Clair “Jimmy” Prince, Louise Williams, Thelma Sayers, Olive Samuel, Deborah Dalrymple, Jerrol Huggins and Nzimbu Browne.

The ceremony was followed by a back-in-time dinner. (KJ)