Custos Golding commends ‘significant achievements’ of community heroes

“The significant achievements of our heroes in this community, whose dedication to community service has ignited a spark of hope and progress in our lives, and one of the sparks is the Kitson Town Civic Committee,” Golding said at the Kitson Town Builders Awards recently held at the community’s resource centre.

Ten persons were honoured on the day from the fields of healthcare, skills training, community building, institutional establishments, philanthropy, voluntarism, and security.

Eight individuals received the Kitson Town Builders Awards, which included 103 years old James Taylor, retired public health nurse Una Woodfine, Fitz-Albert Brown, Robert Brown, Elvylena Ellis, Reverend Joan Fennell, Estrianna Laing Harrison, and Steve Parker.

Jermaine Hurst, whose heroic act prevented an attempted suicide along the Portmore Causeway, was presented with the Chairman’s Appreciation award, as was former head of the police in the area, Inspector Wayne Constantine for his community policing efforts.

Delivering the main address on behalf of Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, Custos Golding said the honourees have demonstrated to be “selfless community stalwarts” through their work by

“Dedicating their time, energy, and resources for the betterment of Kitson Town”.

“Their dedication to making a difference is truly remarkable… if our awardees did not know how to solve conflict peacefully, we would not be here today, they did it in their own way, because they were purpose-driven,” added the Old Harbour-born Governor-General representative for the parish.

This year’s event was held under the theme ‘Rekindling the Past for a Great Future’.

Chairman and Founder of the Kitson Town Civic Committee Garfield Angus said the organisation was formed to recognise persons, and institutions that have contributed to making the community great. 

Despite everything the community has excelled in many ways that “we must be thankful to those who gave of themselves to make us better,” he stated.

“We intend to continue to recognise persons who have positively touched our community, and this will be done every two years. Try and find a way to support our efforts. If you try, you will discover that there are many ways in which you can contribute to building your community, and to recognise deserving community builders,” the chairman told his audience.

James Taylor was happy to be remembered and called on the youth of the community to stay away from crime and seek personal development.

“Stop with the drugs, stop needing dumplings in your hands, put down the gun. And the girls them believe that they get whey. Stop giving yourself lightly and commonly, because when yuh get di baby, man gone left you alone. Respect yourself,” he said.

The Kitson Town Civic Committee was established in 2017. Since then, it has honoured two early childhood educators who gave almost 100 years of service to the community. In 2022 they painted the Kitson Town Basic School. Prior to that, members of the group raised computer tablets and other support for teachers at the same early childhood institution.