IN JAMAICA : JESSIE Rippoll Primary School in Kingston was given a major facelift yesterday, thanks to the kind assistance from a group of Canadian police officers who are in the island on a humanitarian mission....

Tuesday, May 05, 2015    

JESSIE Rippoll Primary School in Kingston was given a major facelift yesterday, thanks to the kind assistance from a group of Canadian police officers who are in the island on a humanitarian mission.

Students (L) Canadian police officers carrying out renovation work at Jessie
 Rippoll Primary School in Kingston yesterday.
 (PHOTOS: LIONEL ROOKWOOD)

"Under the school initiative the Peter Claver Library was repainted and renovated. The supplement of the school library collection was also upgraded," said Stacy Clarke, staff sergeant from the group of approximately 40 members.

Clarke said the visiting officers, all having Jamaican roots, were being led on the self-funded project by chief of the Winnipeg Police Service, Devon Clunis, who reached out to the York Regional Police Service and the Toronto Police Service to participate in the humanitarian mission.

The Jamaican police provided ground support.

Sergeant Bonnie Estwick, another Canadian officer, said that in addition to renovating the school officers wanted to use the opportunity as a learning experience.

"One of our project objectives was that we wanted to provide officers the opportunity to enhance their understanding of Jamaican youth," Eswick explained to the Jamaica Observer.

She said the aim was to also bring back some of the experience and knowledge back to Canada.

Yesterday, principal of Jessie Rippoll Primary school, Detry Fogah, said she was thankful for the assistance.

"...We believe this assistance will be a major boost for our operations," said the school principal. more