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Alumina Partners of Jamaica, Alpart, is celebrating its 30th anniversary of operations in Jamaica, and this is as good a time as any to say thanks to a company which has made a significant and outstanding contribution to Jamaica - especially in sport.

Operating under the motto, Partners of Jamaica, Alpart has indeed been a friend, a good friend of Jamaica, and anyone who doubts it simply has to look at the company's involvement in, among other things, agriculture, health and most importantly, in education where its contribution, financial and otherwise, to schools in the Essex Valley and elsewhere in the home parish of St. Elizabeth demonstrates its commitment to community development.

Sport, however, is the area in which Alpart has probably made its greatest contribution, not only to the community around its plant at Nain, but also to the entire society.

It has been a contribution which, especially at this time of celebration, should move every Jamaican who believes that sport plays an important part in the development of young people, that sport, as recreation and competition, is an important part of any civilised society, and that success in sports impacts on the psyche of the nation to stand and applaud a company which has spent its money, given its time, and offered its expertise towards the development of young Jamaicans.

As a sponsor, Alpart, one of the first companies to step up in support of the Reggae Boys, has been involved in Jamaica's football, Jamaica's cricket, and Jamaica's track and field.

Alpart's real contribution to the country's sport, however, is at the grassroots level, and that is why, like other stalwarts in support of sport, companies such as Desnoes and Geddes, Cigarette Company of Jamaica, Grace Kennedy and Company, J. Wray and Nephew Ltd., it deserves the applause.

Alpart believes in the development, that is why it has invested in a programme like the Alpart/Essex Valley Sports Council which exposes boys and girls to cricket, football, netball and track and field, that is why it sent a team of under-14 footballers to the Norway Cup last July, and that is why, at Nain, New Forest, Myersville and Downs, it has provided topclass facilities so that those who want to can play and enjoy themselves, and that those with the talent, the desire, and the commitment can hone their skills in the pursuit of excellence.

Among those who have excelled, among those who have come out of the cradle of the Essex Valley programme are current Jamaica cricketers Ricardo Powell and Matthew Sinclair.

Will there be more? The odds are heavily in favour.

According to general manager Ray Gendron during his speech to launch the year's celebration at the Terra Noval Hotel on Tuesday, Alpart has been experiencing good times in Jamaica, the future looks bright, the employees at Alpart have been topclass workers, there has been a lovely relationship between employer and employees, and whatever has been happening at Alpart will continue to happen. The only change, he said, is better for all.

In a time when so many, especially in business and more so when asked to contribute through sport to the development of the nation's young people, are saying that times are difficult, at a time when so many are prophets of doom, it was wonderful to hear Gendron, in the presence of Governor General, Sir Howard Cooke, a man who has always believed in Jamaicans and the potential of Jamaica, showering praises on the members of what he called the Alpart family as he looked forward to another successful year.