Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer column published on Monday, October 17, 2022
By Jean Lowrie-Chin
We joined in a merry Spain Day celebration hosted by Ambassador of Spain to Jamaica Diego Bermejo Romero de Torres and Mrs de Bermejo last Wednesday where Senator Tom Tavares-Finson toasted our Spanish friends on their long and supportive association with Jamaica.
We were able to get more information on the Spanish-Jamaican Foundation from their Manager Vanessa Meggoe. Founded in 2006, the Foundation is a collaborative effort of several Spanish companies with current investments in Jamaica. These include Bahía Príncipe Hotels & Resorts, Excellence Group, Global Exchange, Grand Palladium, Hospiten, Iberostar Hotel & Resorts, Riu Hotels & Resorts, and Secrets Resorts & Spas.
The Foundation awards bursaries to students of tertiary institutions across Jamaica, and since 2013 has been paying the CSEC examinations fees for Oral Spanish for students in all government high schools. Bursary awardees have been teaching Spanish in summer programmes for at-risk children and the Foundation is a $5 million donor to the Project Star Initiative.
Vanessa Meggoe enthused on the progress being made by their awardees and in particular those at the Sam Sharpe Teachers College. This augers well for the preparation of students to take their place on the staff of the ever growing Spanish hotels in Jamaica.
Learning Spanish is a skill that will serve you for a lifetime. My church sister Avril Shirley offers online classes and has authored useful learning tools. You can reach her via Instagram and Facebook. Jamaica is blessed in the support and investment which we receive from our international friends. Let us equip our students and ourselves to take advantage of the many opportunities they offer.
Jamaica Highlights 