Home Affairs Ministry Donates To Scholarship
Minister of Home Affairs Michael Fahy revealed that the Ministry will donate $5,000 towards the Hamilton Parish Council’s newly created scholarship fund.
A spokesperson said, “The public will be aware that as part of its mandate, the Ministry of Home Affairs oversees the island’s Parish Councils. Parish Councils have various functions within their respective communities.
“Councils are tasked with bringing to the attention of the Minister any matter affecting the general welfare of residents in the parish, providing and maintaining recreational facilities, preserving and improving the general amenities of the parish, and holding in trust for the residents of the parish parochial funds and other property.
“As it relates to the Hamilton Parish Council donation, Minister Fahy said it is just the start of such support, pointing out that he hopes to donate similar funds to each of the island’s Parish Councils that are solvent and well-managed to assist Bermuda’s young people.”
Left to right: Randolph Smith, Jane Bielby, Minister Fahy, Susan Paynter, and Stanley Williams
Minister Fahy said, “We recognise that if we are going to help our young people succeed in their educational pursuits, then we must ensure they have access to the financial support to assist them in achieving their goals.
“I see this as a community or grass roots level of support, and I want to commend the members of the Hamilton Parish Council for kick starting this scholarship fund to aid those in need.”
The Minister noted, however, that such donations can only be given providing that the Parish Council’s financials are current.
The Minister added, “We recognise that the island’s parish councils do some tremendously good work for the residents of their community. In fact, their outreach programmes benefit many individuals of all ages. We consider those who manage the councils as partners in our efforts to uplift Bermudians.
“So, we are availing ourselves to assist their community efforts by providing that little extra boost to go towards helping our young people. We also see this as an incentive for the councils to ensure that their financials are in good order, and we are hopeful that we can donate further funds to all of our operational councils.”
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If you are already enroled in college/university, are a Bermudian, are a resident of Hamilton Parish for at least 2 years, then go onto the HPC website at http://www.hamiltonparish.bm/ and read the rules governing the scholarship program. If you would then like to apply for a scholarship (it is for $5,000) then complete the application form which you will find on the HPC website.
So the govt takes taxpayer funds from an educational budget that is open to all, to give to parish council that is open to a select few… and i guess that makes sense… cronyism at its best…
Rhonda Neil WRONG again proceeds came from a golf tournament which i played in a won a lunch for 2 at the Swizzle.
Well done Rick Olson in winning the golf tournament…
But it’s odd, the money was raised in a golf tournament, so how did it become the funds of the Ministry of Home Affairs to donate to the Hamilton Parish Council? Was it donated to the Ministry who then donated it to the HPC?
Looking into a brighter future, now you must compete next year and raise $5000 times 9. Even if one parish council falls short of being, “solvent and well-managed to assist the young people of Bermuda” it is an ideal to strive towards.
The tournament could become an annual event to raise funds for the parish councils of Bermuda.
London, England
The $5,000 contribution came from the Ministry of Home Affairs who overseas all nine parish councils. The money did NOT come from a golf tournament or any other fundraiser.
To Hamilton Parish Council – thank you for clarifying that point
To the Ministry of Home Affairs – so why was only ONE parish council supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs? The funds are PUBLIC funds, so why is the criterion so narrow that it excludes other Parish Councils from being considered, in earnest? Alternatively, are you suggesting that the other 8 Parish Councils are ‘not, solvent and well managed Councils?’
Although your reason for choosing Hamilton Parish Council is a noble one, it does not negative the fact that you are still ‘cherry picking’. Because without knowing the root causes why some Parish Councils have fallen short of your noble ideal, some councils may still deserve to be given public funds for the educational pursuits of young people in their parish.
Since it is obvious that your Ministry has disposal public funds in its coffers, modest as it may be, why not fund an overseeing financial and/or regulative body to assist all parish councils to be become financially healthy whilst pursuing the specific needs of the individual parish?
I would be a tad mischievous here and invite our young graduates to bombard you personally with requests, Senator Fahy, to invest more judiciously in all parish councils so that they can have an alternative education funding source since the Ministry of Education chose to cut grant funding from $750,000 to $40,000.
London, England