IN a motivational speech to nine students receiving bursary awards from Sterling Products Limited (SPL) for their outstanding performance at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Deputy Chief Education Officer Marcel Hudson urged them and their parents to view the monetary gift as a ‘seed’, not to be eaten but to be planted for future harvests.In keeping with tradition, SPL awarded the students of employees at its Annual Bursary Awards ceremony held last Thursday at the company’s Providence, East Bank Demerara office.

In brief remarks to the students, Hudson said: “You are moving into a new level; from nursery to primary to secondary. And then, if you remain focus, you will go on to the university; and you will do well. You will become important people in the land; but the thing about it is that we have to remain consistent and we have to recognise the importance of education, believe me.”
He urged the young students not to be consumed with merely having fun, but to focus instead more on furthering their education and becoming productive adults. He reminded that it matters not where one’s life started, but through determination, success could be achieved.
“I will tell you, some of these same people around here, if they tell you how they started, you might be shocked. I told people my wife mixed milk and biscuits at Winfer Gardens for years, because that is all her qualification allowed for. But today, the woman has a Master’s Degree in Literacy… because I am saying again that your life is not determined by how you start; it’s how you end people will judge you and you are in a perfect position for your life to take off…”
Hudson, who is also a Pastor, told the students and parents that they must view the monetary award provided by SPL as a ‘seed’ to be planted for future harvests.

USE MONEY WISELY
“I have to admonish you parents to use your money wisely and don’t eat out all. It is a ‘seed’ that has been planted in your vineyard. Do not eat your ‘seed’; if you eat the ‘seed’, you will have no harvest and so I want to urge you to apply the funds in a way that the children will benefit,” he said.
SPL’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ramsay Ali, in his remarks, said the company takes pleasure in conducting this annual exercise. “I say it every year to all the parents that we look forward to this in what we do here for our employees and their children and of course we wish we can do more. I think every year the Finance Controller always add a little more to the budget…”
The CEO reminded that the company gives preference to children of its employees to participate in the annual work-study programme and invited those present to come onboard after writing examinations.
“I’m hoping that the same set of people here, when you finish CXC, that you will come and spend some time with us. July and August holiday you come and work with us. We give preference to our employees’ children to come and work with us for couple of months. So you learn what is going on in the company and then I know for a fact that some children actually stay on after.”
Thanking SPL on behalf of himself, parents and fellow students, young Joshua Hamilton said, “I would like to say a special thank you to the management of Sterling Products Limited for giving us this award; and I know it would be very helpful in pursuing my education.”
The children also received timely words of encouragement from SPL’s Finance Controller/Company Secretary Deodat Indar and head of the Clerical and Commercial Workers’ Union, Ann Anderson.
Those awarded this year are: Joshua Hamilton, Sarah Harry, Rachael Roopnarine, Kimberly James, Surojanie Singh, Celina Singh, Rawle Grannum, Raphael Ramotar and Taramattie Esar.
The event was coordinated by SPL’s Human Resources Manager, Yvette Fiedtkou.