Kevar Bennett – Pharmacist with a purpose

It is a general feeling that the job of a pharmacist is boring and routine. That might or might not be so. But in the case of registered pharmacist, Kevar Bennett, it is certainly not an uninteresting life that the recent Prime Minister’s National Youth Award for Excellence (PMNYAE) nominee leads.

Born and raised in Parottee district, Bennett attended St Elizabeth Technical High School, and graduated from the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. He is a past president of the UTech Association of Pharmacy Students (UTAPS), and is currently a community pharmacist whose imprint is left on many areas of Jamaican life.

“My role as a pharmacist is to improve patient outcomes through medication, therapeutic management and pharmaceutical services. In a nutshell, it’s getting more intimate in the lives of patients and their medication to prevent any potential harm and improve their quality of life. The community pharmacist role is quite fulfilling as it gives you a first-hand approach in serving your patients and getting to know their conditions and seek the best solution to remedy. It requires you to collaborate with the medical team for optimal outcomes,” Bennett shared.

Nationally, he is a medicinal cannabis consultant and has conceptualised the medicinal cannabis training of medical professionals with the Caribbean Institute of Pharmacy Policy Practice and Research, for two consecutive times. He is also an executive member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica (PSJ) and the Caribbean Association of Pharmacists Student Affairs committee, has been a key PSJ representative for the Cannabis Licensing Task Force since 2022, and has published a book entitled, Herbal Medicine with Emphasis on Medicinal Cannabis.

The budding politician was a 2022 national youth parliamentarian, speaking in the capacity as Opposition spokesman on industry, investment and global logistics. He is the National Youth Parliament of Jamaica parish representative for St Elizabeth youths and a Cornwall county executive member, who successfully aided in the execution of the ‘Business ova Badness Project’, which presents young people with entrepreneurial opportunities. He has participated in two key areas of policy review, nutrition green paper writing and safe-school policies, undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Youth.

To achieve his political objectives, he is a candidate in the upcoming local government elections for the Mountainside division in South Western St Elizabeth. “This avenue will position me to represent the people and holding the Government accountable to deliver on the people’s behalf. It will also contribute to strengthening the democratic practices and sustaining democratic value,” Bennett said.

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP

The 2022 Chevening Scholarship shortlisted candidate is the recipient of numerous awards, which include the 2020 Pharmacy Youth Leader Award; the Jamaica Pharmacy President’s Award for leadership and service to the pharmacy profession (2019, 2020); the 2021 Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica President’s Award for outstanding and dedicated service to the PSJ; and the 2020 Jamaica Pharmacy Youth Leader Award.

He is also the recipient of the 2019 Caribbean Association of Pharmacists (CAP) Afzal Abdool Leadership Award; the 2018 CAP Award for Excellent Display in Leadership; the 2018 UTech, Jamaica Pharmacy Student Association Award for leadership and fortitude; the 2017 UTech, Jamaica Students Union Club and Society Certificate for leadership in UTAPS; and the Dr Tonoya Toyloy’s Grant Award for excellent work in dispensing 2018. He was nominated for the 2022 PMNYAE in the area of national leadership.

To that he told The Gleaner, “I was most elated to have been shortlisted among Jamaica’s best group of young people who are continuing to lead their respective fields in nation building. To have been considered for a national leadership award … I’m humbled by the shortlisting and will continue to impact the future generation of young people through mentorship, personal development and leadership.”

“I live a life of committed service. And by no means less I would like to serve our country Jamaica through representational politics. Too often we have seen where our people are neglected and their voices are diminished and left unheard.