TAWU CURTIS STUART MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME MEDIA BRIEF (TAWU CSMSP)
Last Updated on Tuesday, 04 September 2012 17:46 Tuesday, 04 September 2012 12:04
The Grenada Technical & Allied Workers' Union (GTAWU), on Tuesday 28th August 2012 made presentation to forty-two (42) students as part of the annual student outreach programme.
At a ceremony held at TAWU House and attended by the Hon. Peter David (Parliamentary Rep. for the Town of St. George) and the beneficiaries of the programme, President General of GTAWU told recipients to embrace the opportunities provided to them and urged that they should give of their best during their tenure at school.
The Hon. Peter David in his remarks applauded the initiative of GTAWU over the years; he also indicated the need for a National School Transportation System which should provide students with a subsidised form of transportation, ‘Our investment in Education today will certainly guarantee our nations’ brighter future’ , he add.
Back Ground:
The Curtis Stewart Memorial Scholarship Program was established by the Grenada Technical & Allied Workers’ Union in 1987. The Programme provided Books/Uniforms, Transportation Allowances to school aged children of members who faced severe economic challenges. The TAWU CSMSP sought to ensure that these children have a good opportunity to achieve their maximum educational potential.
The TAWU CSMSP was named in memory of the Second President General and a Founding Father of our Union, Cde. Curtis B. Stewart.
To date the program has been able to provide assistance to over 2500 students, with assistance in the following areas:
Ø School Books
Ø Transportation Subsistence
Ø School Meals
Ø Uniforms
Ø IT Assistance
At an approximate cost in excess of a Hundred Thousand Dollars.
The IT Component of the program is relatively new. The objective is to provide IT assistance to students in forms 4 & 5, so that they can complete their School Base Assessment projects on timely as well as assist in research during the preparation for final CXC exams. It is revolving computer loan programme (base on the concept of a library book system and provides support in the form of a Computer with Internet Service.
This is the second year we are providing assistance in this regard.
The contribution presented here today is made at a time when our membership and working class is facing widespread retrenchment, layoffs, reduction in family income, high unemployment and high food prices including everyday essentials.
The truth is workers are always called upon to make sacrifices when times are hard but when things get better, we still have to struggle with some bosses for better working conditions and increases in wages.
However, TAWU shall never be daunted in our pursuit to Defending & Advancing Workers’ Rights. We know, one sure way that working class families can advance and break the cycle of poverty is through education, hence we will continue to make this sacrifice as we have been doing for the last twenty-five years or more.
This program over the years has received support from the Business sector and others. We wish to recognize:-
Ø St. George’s University
Ø Grenada Electricity Services Ltd.
Ø Grenada Breweries Ltd.
Ø Grenada Airports Authority
Ø FLOW - Columbus Communication (Grenada) Ltd.
Ø Caribbean Agro Industries
Ø Gittens Agencies Ltd.
Ø RBTT Bank (G’da) Ltd.
Ø Real Value Supermarket Ltd.
Ø NAWASA
Ø Gravel & Concrete
Ø Mr. Geoff Croome and Janin Construction (Grenada Ltd.).
Ø The late Derek Knight, QC.
Ø Trade Union Friends of Grenada UK and Jean Tate
We are thankful for their continued support to the program and acknowledge that they are making a sacrifice through their contributions.
With the advent of the National School Books Program, GTAWU contributed to the Ministry of Education, Books valued at over EC$40,000.00. That Programme has now been replaced with the COMPUTER ROTATING PROGRAMME (CROP)