At 10.30am on Friday, October 29, 2021,  Sterling Asset Management Ltd’s, President &  CEO , Mr Charles Ross, presented a cheque to one of the island’s most high-profile grassroots charities, United Way of Jamaica. 

Ms Keisha M Scott, Deputy Superintendent, Area 4 Civic Committee Chairman representative, began by memorably setting the upbeat tone before the customary morning prayer quoting Malcolm X: “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

Of the JMD$500,000 cheque presentation, Mr. Ross said: “I have watched the United Way of Jamaica’s growth since its conception in 1985 and have always admired its stated mission, “to mobilize resources to transform lives throughout Jamaica”. This, as we all know, is an ideal even more crucial in the unprecedented and challenging times that we continue to live through.

“This sentiment is one that I wholeheartedly support and endorse because I see many of the same ideals at Sterling Asset Management.

In fact, the welfare and education of our less fortunate children has been at the core of our philanthropic activities for many years.

“In the same way that the United Way of Jamaica and the Area 4, Police Civic Committee have sought to provide a haven for the bright, younger generations of Jamaicans, we too have committed our company to do the same with the hard-earned investments and savings of our fellow citizens locally and in the diaspora.

“We have supported the United Way of Jamaica in the past and will continue to do so because of your organization’s unrelenting focus on creating community-based and community-led solutions that help strengthen the foundations for a good quality of life: education, financial stability, and health. This is not just for the love of Jamaica but for the world,” Ross concluded.

Prior to the cheque handover, Mr. Wray began by acknowledging Sterling’s 20 year anniversary, praising its continued business and growth, and briefly talking about the positive consequences of improving Jamaica through the work of United Way of Jamaica.

He emphasised the importance of on-going social investment and community activism, particularly in these unprecedented times, beginning, “Civic responsibility is about caring first and then sharing.”

Relating his pride in the work of Area 4 and United Way of Jamaica, Wray also spoke of the central importance of his organisation’s work: ensuring that younger generations of Jamaicans are given sustainable alternatives to the attractions of crime and the short-term promises of ill-gotten gains.

“Our objective was simply just to get the kids to go to school and assist them in that,” he remarked. “These students were able to stay in school and excel. The policemen and women of Area 4 were able to encourage the students, and just as importantly – their parents – simply because these public officials were on the ground and were able to make that happen.

“Fighting crime remains an intricate and complicated matter and our men and women of the force at various levels work to make that happen, despite the daily challenges of their mission and limitations of their resources. And, often it is the case that the bigger wallets of organised crime can easily quadruple the investments that we – as good people – are putting into our youth,” he asserted.

He continued: “They can determine who will become a lawyer and accountant so that their business model survives. So, that is what crime fighting is up against. It is a big corporate model that transcends our borders. 

“The individual police members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) give monthly to the United Way because they care about their community. United Way turns that around and supports the childrens’ education from early childhood.

It was a humbling reality amplified by Ms. Stephannie Coy, CEO of United Way of Jamaica, who opened her remarks with important data. 

“The JCF is United Way’s largest employee-giving workplace contributor to my organisation. It’s something that we need to promote more,” Ms Coy promised.

She added: “UWJ is happy today to be a partner with the Area 4 Police Committee and Sterling Asset Management. Our three areas of focus are: health, income generation and education. In fact, for 2021, approximately 45% of the funds contributed by our donors were designated by them towards education.

“Whether to bridge the digital divide and allow schools to operate in what we call the ‘new normal’ with tablets, sanitation supplies or as scholarships for students to pursue higher education.

This contribution by Sterling Asset Management of JMD$500,000 towards the Area 4 Police Committee Educational Funds will complement our aim to ensure that every child must learn because every child can learn if given the opportunity.” She concluded: “We are happy as UWJ to partner with any entity that will ensure that United Way of Jamaica achieves this commitment.”