Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Jeremy Cresswell (left) presents Richard Brown with a picture of his (Brown's) class at Oxford where he spent a year on a Chevening Scholarship. The high commissioner hosted a reception for the current Chevening scholars, at the British High Commission, Tra-falgar Road, on September 8.

Eight more young Jamaican scholars are heading off to the United Kingdom as recipients of Chevening Scholarships.

British High Commissioner Jeremy Cresswell hosted the departing students at his residence on Thursday night. Every year, approximately 2,000 students from 150 countries go to the U.K. to study as recipients of the scholarships which are funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and administered by the British Council. As a recipient of a similar scholarship that took him to another country in his 'younger days', High Commissioner Cresswell fully knows the value and benefits of a programme like this one.

Achievements lauded

"It's mutually beneficial. The students usually progress in the areas of work they were studying in and it's great that Jamaicans and others get to come to the U.K. and learn about us," he said. He hoped that the students would get a better understanding of "what makes things tick" in Britain. He lauded their achievements, adding that the quality of the applicants is so high, it is hard to achieve one of the coveted scholarships that are available to persons pursuing post-graduate studies.

Past Chevening scholarship winners and family members of the present group came to mingle and find out a little more about the U.K. and what to expect. The light-hearted high commissioner even presented the students with something they'll need for the London weather: umbrellas.

Guests included past Chevening scholars Yvonne Chin, Klao Lewis and Richard Brown, who was the top performer of last year's batch; Deputy British High Commissioner Paul Nicolopulo and wife Kareen; Ambassador Derrick Heaven; Percival LaTouche; attorney Marcus Goffe; Professor Tony Clayton; Ambassador Douglas Saunders; Dennis Lalor; Ambassador Maxine Roberts and her sister Valerie Roberts.