THIS DAY IN OUR PAST

The following events took place on June 23 in the years identified:

1965:Education Minister of Edwin Allen announces that 2,025 children are awarded scholarships and free places as a result of the Common Entrance Examination. Twenty-five scholarships, including the Marcus Garvey Scholarship for boys and the J.A.G. Smith Scholarship for girls are awarded to 13 boys and 12 girls. Those awarded from primary schools are nine boys and eight girls, while there are four each from preparatory or secondary schools. The 2,000 free places are divided equally between boys and girls, with primary schools getting 704 boys and 704 girls, and preparatory and secondary schools getting 296 boys and 296 girls.

1988:Quebec Jamaica and sign a Social Security Reciprocal Agreement. It is signed by H. Dale Anderson, Jamaica’s High Commissioner to Canada, and M. Yves Seguin, minister of revenue in Quebec, at the House of Parliament in Quebec City. Under the agreement, contributors to the National Insurance Scheme in Jamaica who also contribute to social security in Quebec can have their contributions linked to receive benefits. The same arrangement applies to residents of Quebec who worked and has made contributions to social security in Quebec and Jamaica. Speaking at the ceremony, Anderson says: “This agreement completes the picture for Canada as Jamaica has already concluded agreements with the other nine provinces. The signing is the result of extended negotiations. Officials from the Quebec Ministry of International Relations met with Enid Bennett, minister of state for social security, in February 1988. The signing ceremony is attended by Vernon Bell, director of National Insurance from Jamaica, and officials of the Quebec Ministry of Revenue.

– The Gleaner Archives