Jimmy Cliff to receive posthumous honour at Waga Hunt scholarship gala

The late reggae icon Jimmy Chambers Cliff will receive a posthumous honour when the David ‘Wagga’ Hunt Scholarship Foundation hosts its 12th annual red-carpet gala in Washington, DC, on February 21. The recognition places one of Jamaica’s most influential cultural figures at the centre of an event more commonly associated with education funding and diaspora philanthropy.

The gala, to be held at the National Education Association Building, will also honour corporate executive Wayne Hewett and accounting pioneer George Willie as the foundation marks 17 years of supporting Jamaican students through secondary education scholarships. Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States, Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, is patron of the gala and will deliver the feature address.

Since its inception, the foundation has disbursed more than $40 million in scholarships to students at Kingston College and Calabar High School, two institutions closely associated with David ‘Wagga’ Hunt. For the 2023 to 2024 academic year, individual awards were increased by 50 per cent to $150,000 per student, with support now spanning grade 8 to grade 13.

“Recipients must display commendable academic performance and aptitude, be involved in extracurricular activities, and be deemed to need financial assistance,” the foundation noted. It is an approach intended to reflect Hunt’s belief in developing balanced students, rather than focusing solely on examinations, said foundation chairman Christopher Hunt.

Beyond secondary education, the foundation supports Jamaican students attending Howard University, providing mentoring, career guidance and care packages at the start of each academic year. The programme is intended to ease the transition to university life in the United States.

Hunt pointed out that this year’s gala carries additional significance. In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, the foundation has pledged US$10,000 to recovery efforts, extending its role beyond education to emergency response’.

David ‘Wagga’ Hunt, who died in 2007, was a prominent sports administrator and coach. His career included roles as general secretary of the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association, Manning Cup coach at Kingston College, Calabar High School and Meadowbrook High and national under-17 football coach. He was also regarded as one of Jamaica’s most astute track-and-field analysts.

“As we embark on our 17th year of operation, we are pleased with our growth and the deepening bond with the community,” Hunt noted. That continuity, expressed through annual scholarships and steady fundraising, has been central to the foundation’s longevity.