New Fortress Energy to host back-to-school fairs for 1,000 students

New Fortress Energy, a global energy infrastructure firm, says that 1,000 students will benefit from school supplies and assistance worth approximately J$13 million as it hosts three back-to-school fairs in partnership with the schools and local communities near the company's energy projects.

New Fortress Energy will provide back-to-school vouchers of $8,000 each for primary school students and bursaries of $50,000 for fifth- and sixth-form high school students along with backpacks, school medicals, haircuts, and other supplies.

The first of three fairs will take place tomorrow in the refinery communities of Jamalco, followed by one in Old Harbour Bay, St Catherine, on Thursday and another in Montego Bay, St James, on August 17.

New Fortress Energy first started Jamaica's transition to natural gas with its state-of-the-art liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Montego Bay that converted the JPS 120-megawatt Bogue power plant from diesel to natural gas and provides LNG to local partners like Red Stripe. New Fortress Energy is also developing the 94-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant at Jamalco in Halse Hall, Clarendon, and an offshore LNG terminal to provide natural gas to the JPS' new 190-megawatt power plant in Old Harbour Bay.

Timely, significant help

Ruel Reid, minister of education, who will deliver remarks at the Jamalco Refinery Communities Back-to-School Fair, said: "This is a timely and significant help that will no doubt relieve parents of the predicted financial and emotional strain at this time of year. I commend New Fortress Energy for their continued commitment to education and their effort in helping us fulfil our mission of creating a world-class education system that enables every Jamaican to achieve his or her true potential."

Verona Carter, vice-president for public affairs at New Fortress, said: "Education is essential to sustainable social-economic development and an important part of efforts to strengthen Jamaica's economy. We're proud of all these high-performing students who we are able to help reach their potential."

In addition to the distribution of school supplies, plus food, drinks, and entertainment, students attending the fair in the Jamalco Refinery communities in Clarendon will also be introduced to robotics systems at a robotics workshop, made possible through a partnership between New Fortress Energy and the World Robotics Olympiad.