Business View Caribbean | August 2019

11 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN AUGUST 2019 President of Guardian Life Limited, Eric Hosin, said the scholarship and grant program is just one initiative by the corporate entity to positively impact communities. “Education is for improving the lives of others and leaving your community and the world better than you found it. At Guardian, we recognize and believe that community effort is one of the bedrocks of success, hence the critical role the Foundation continues to have in making a difference to the lives of our citizens and communities,” he said. Minister with responsibility for Education, Youth and Information, Karl Samuda, in a message read by Chief Education Officer, Winnie Berry, lauded the Guardian Group Foundation for its unwavering commitment to the education of the nation’s youth. “This event is a testimony to Guardian Life’s continued commitment to creating a real-life solution for our nation’s children to make progress through education,” he said. Tertiary-level students across Jamaica are invited to apply for the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission (BGLC) Education Grant for the 2019- 2020 academic year. Assistance/Grants will be provided for more than 200 students in Jamaica, 26 years and younger, who are registered for the academic year 2019-2020 with a GPA of at least 2.75. Manager, corporate affairs and communication at the BGLC, Jeanette Lewis, said that each student will receive $50,000 towards their tuition fee. “We want to encourage Jamaican young people who are pursuing tertiary studies to apply for the education grant, as it is not a loan, and it will be paid directly to the school,” Lewis said. “As the regulator of the gambling industry, what the BGLC wants to ensure is that the proceeds of gambling are used to do good within our community,” she added. Lewis pointed out that most of the taxes and fees collected by the BGLC go back to the Consolidated Fund; however, a portion of the proceeds goes to the CHASE Fund and to charitable causes. More than 400 students have already benefited from the BGLC’s Education Fund since it was launched in 2015. The initiative is part of the gaming regulatory body’s corporate social responsibility program, focusing on education and community development. Lewis noted that part of the application is a 500-word essay, for which the topics can be found on the BGLC website. Fifteen thousand teachers will benefit from the roll-out of the Tablets for Teachers Program, which should begin in December 2019. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at e-Learning, Keith Smith, said the project implementation agency is currently undertaking the procurement process for the tablets, which will be distributed under the program. He added that the program is part of an agreement between the government and the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) to provide each OPENING L INES