Nagra Plunkett, Assignment Coordinator

Evangelist Maxine Evans, receiving her award from Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall, at the Grand Lido Resort in Negril, Westmoreland last Thursday. Ms. Evans is the recipient of the Governor-General's Achievement Awards, for Hanover. Looking on is Enid Gonzales, the acting Custos for Hanover. - photos by Noel Thompson

WESTERN BUREAU:

Fifteen Jamaicans were recognised for their contribution to community service during the Governor-General's Achievement Awards (GGAA) for the county of Cornwall at the Grand Lido Negril Resort last Thursday.

The awardees, including 10 young adults, were chosen from the fields of business, education, sports and culture.

"Generations of Jamaicans can speak with pride about our National Heroes and our other nation builders ... "The recipients today are following in the path of those earlier National Heroes," said Governor-General, Professor Kenneth Hall, in his greetings.

A strong influence

"By singling out the recipients this afternoon, the real message is the value and the extent to which pursuit of excellence by individuals has enabled Jamaica to have a strong influence in the new environment of the 21st century."

The Governor-General added that the recipients provide meaningful examples of the Jamaican people - adults and youths alike, who have contributed to creating the vibrancy of the society with the capacity to provide hope and satisfaction.

Recipients of the 2007 GGAA for the county of Cornwall are George Brown, a Justice of the Peace and businessman representing St. Elizabeth; Melvin Honeyghan, a businessman from Westmoreland; Maxine Evans, a school administrator in Hanover; Melita Samuels, an educator from St. James and retired teacher, Victor Wright from the parish of Trelawny.

Youth for Excellence

Two Governor-General Youth for Excellence Awards were also presented to each parish. The recipients in this category were Daina Dwyer and Keith Wellington from St. Elizabeth; Keisha-Ann Mullings and Claudia Miller from Westmore-land; Sanikah Allen and Oral Stone of Hanover; Wayne Brown Jr. and O'Neil Simpson of St. James along with Kamar Brown and Tanya Brown-Plummer of Trelawny.

"We know very little of each other but share a common bond, that of feelings and actions of a purposeful life," said Mrs. Evans, who gave the response on behalf of the awardees.

"We accept these gracious endowments with thankful hearts and a deep sense of awareness that, the greatest compensation for doing is the chance to do more."

Melvin Honeyghan receives his award from Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall. Mr. Honeyghan is one of two awardees of the Governor-General's Achievement Awards Scheme, for Westmoreland. Looking on is the Rev. Father Hartley Perrin, who represented Custos of Westmoreland, Dossell Owen Sinclair.