HALSE HALL, Clarendon:

The Ministry of Education and the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) recently commended Jamalco for its ongoing investment in Jamaica's education system through its continued donation of books to institutions islandwide.

The commendations came at a ceremony to mark the 28th anniversary of the Jamalco book programme and the start of the 2009 book distribution drive at the Clarendon-based bauxite/alumina refinery on Wednesday.

Jamalco has been organising the book project since 1981 to assist educational institutions get additional textbooks for libraries and for the classroom.

Minister of Education Andrew Holness, in a message read by Alphansus Davis, consultant to the ministry, noted the company's work with the ministry's literacy coordinators in region six to get books supporting the curriculum to schools in Clarendon and St Catherine. Of particular importance, the minister's address explained, was getting books for students reading below acceptable levels.

The minister urged the company to broaden this targeted approach by working with the ministry to "identify schools across the nation with students who require the most support in terms of literacy".

Patricia Roberts, director general of the JLS, in her address at the ceremony, noted the company's on-going support of the JLS as the organisations "are both unwavering in a commitment to reading and have a non-negotiable mandate to confront and effectively deal with the scourge of illiteracy".

Positive impact

The programme receives funding to cover the shipment of books from the Alcoa Foundation.

Jerome Maxwell, Jamalco's managing director, who is also a director of the foundation, said the book programme has had a positive impact on the country over its 28 years.

"Jamalco not only distributes the books but visits institutions to ensure that the books are being used," he said.

The company's corporate services and government affairs manager, Leo Lambert, said the programme is one of several sustainable community development strategies being employed by Jamalco in support of education.

"Our scholarship and educational assistance programme supports youth in need in our operating areas; our mentorship programme at Vere Technical assists at-risk students; while our Jamalco in-school programme is designed to reorient young minds about the bauxite/alumina industry," he explained.

The anniversary event also included remarks by retired public and community relations manager for Jamalco, Blossom Laidlaw, who recounted the development of the programme, including the construc-tion of the book room where the books are sorted, stamped and stored for distribution.

President of Brothers' Brother Foundation Luke Hingson, through a videotaped message, also commended the partnership among his organisation, Jamalco and the Alcoa Foundation, which has brought over 500,000 new books to Jamaica during the years.