Lagrange Johnson

Outgoing United States (US) Ambassador to Jamaica, Brenda LaGrange Johnson, on Friday donated more than 3,500 textbooks to Titchfield High school as well as medical supplies worth $1.5 million to the Port Antonio Hospital.

LaGrange Johnson, who demits office later this month, spearheaded a team from the US Navy High Speed Vessel (HSV2), led by Commander Christopher Barnes, in making the donations to both facilities.

"I was last here in September 2007, on the Swift's first visit to Jamaica," she said. "It was a great pleasure, then and now, to hand over medical supplies to your hospital. I believe these supplies will go a far way in enhancing important routine duties at this hospital. Earlier today (Friday) we also happily handed over thousands of textbooks to nearby schools."

Assistance

The ambassador praised the HSV2 on this its second visit to Port Antonio and said that the Southern Partnership Station had been very busy training Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldiers and Port Authority personnel.

In the meantime, Lorna Golding, wife of the prime minister, expressed thanks for the assistance given to Jamaica over the years.

"I would personally like to thank the ambassador and the United States Agency for International Development for helping Jamaica," she said. "I am looking forward to the return of the HSV2 and its team, including Commander Barnes, in April. I will be very unhappy when the ambassador goes, as she has been my friend along with her husband."

A variety of textbooks covering mathematics, science, geography, social studies and English were donated to Titchfield, with an approximate value of US$10,000 (J$800,000). The medical supplies donated to the hospital included towels, sheets, bandages, syringes, disposable gloves, napkins, and saline.

On Friday, the group also donated five dialysis machines to the Ministry of Health valued at US$44,000 ($3.5 million) to provide assistance to patients with kidney disease.

The HSV2 set sail on the weekend from the Boundbrook wharf in Portland for Barbados, and is to return in April to resume training regarding port security with a team from the JDF.