Jamaica expressed gratitude for Canada’s assistance after a loan agreement was signed to provide $272,727 for printing reading materials for the National Literacy Programme. Finance Minister David Coore said the support would significantly strengthen the initiative and encourage the many volunteers involved. Canadian High Commissioner J. M. Harrington noted that his Government recognised the importance of Jamaica’s literacy campaign.

Published Thursday, November 29, 1973

Canadian loan for literacy programme

The National Literacy Programme received a financial boost yesterday when the Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon David Coore, signed a loan agreement under which the Canadian Government will lend to Jamaica $272,727 for the purpose of printing reading material for the programme.
Mr  J. M. Harrington, the high commissioner to Jamaica, signed on behalf of the Canadian Government.
The loan bears interest at the rate of 3% per annum and will have a life of 30 years, including a grace period of eight years.
Mr Coore, in signing the agreement, expressed the Jamaican Government’s appreciation for “this generous assistance” from the Canadian Government.
He said that the Government attached “a great deal of importance” to the literacy programme and this financial assistance would go a long way in giving “the encouragement to scores of volunteers involved in the campaign”.
 Harrington said that his Government shared and understood the importance of the literacy campaign to Jamaica.
Present at the signing were Senator Maurice Tenn, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Finance; James Graham, first secretary in the Canadian High Commission; Danny Williams, chairman of the National Literacy Programme; Joyce Robinson, director of the programme; and Cynthia Warmington, assistant director, special projects, of the programme.

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