On Moday, November 11 Caribbean Cement Company Limited (Carib Cement) successfully brought joy to the students and staff of the Constant Spring Primary and Junior High School with the official handover ceremony for a new playing field.
The facility consists of a 2000 square metre playfield as well as a 50-metre, four-lane concrete running track all enclosed by a modern chain-link fence designed to protect students from a nearby ravine. The project, which was funded by Carib Cement at a cost of just under $3 million.
Now the students and staff of Constant Spring Primary and Junior High are proud to have a safe space to call their own, that can accommodate all 630 students for events, training for competitive sports, and recreational play. The ability to freely play is considered as an essential part of healthy child development and has been recognised as a Right of the Child by the United Nations.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Carib Cement General Manager Mr. Yago Castro noted.
“Every child has the right to play and to be safe. Safety is our number one priority at Carib Cement and keeping children safe is the responsibility of adults. So, I am pleased that our company was able to create a better area for you to play, train for competitions and just have fun. We hope that you will be able to do well in school and that those who want to participate in athletics will be able to perform even better because you know have safe place to train. Who knows, maybe the next Usain Bolt or Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce will come from this school,” Mr Castro said.
Shay Dillon, Principal of the Constant Spring Primary and Junior High was particularly elated as he said the school will now be able to host its own Sports Day activities at the school. In the past, venues in surrounding areas were sought to accommodate physical education and Sports Day activities.
Participating in the activities was the Honourable Karl Samuda, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Education and Information, and Member of Parliament for North St. Andrew.
He encouraged the students to have a positive outlook and revealed plans for further development of the aesthetics of the school.
China Harbour Engineering Company also contributed to the school by providing a drainage system and fill from reclaimed material extracted from the road works along Constant Spring Road.
