Yvonne James-Tonge, the grandmother of ten year old Jaleel F. Cameron believes it is time to leave the negativity of a few persons during the elections campaign cycle in the past and concentrate on the future. Photo: VINO

Jaleel F. Cameron in the company of his St George's Primary School classmates. Photo: VINO

Jaleel F. Cameron at the end of the benefit concert. Photo: VINO

Cameron performing a duet with this woman on stage. Photo: VINO

Winner of VI Idol 2014 Monique C. Chapdelaine performing during the concert. Photo: VINO

James-Tonge was speaking to this news site following the conclusion of a benefit concert held at the Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Paraquita Bay on Saturday June 20, 2015.

During the campaign trail of the just concluded 2015 general election in the Virgin Islands, members of the Opposition Virgin Islands Party (VIP) lambasted the National Democratic Party (NDP) for not purchasing needed equipment for Peebles Hospital but instead depending on the efforts of Cameron who has to be in the sun every Saturday selling bottled water in an effort to raise the needed funds to purchase an EEG machine for the hospital.

Ms James-Tonge said that despite the critics, her grandson made the conscious choice to leave his footprint on the sands of time with his effort, at the tender age of ten.

Target met

She said that following the pledges and donations made at the benefit concert they might have met or exceeded their target of $24,000 for the purchase of the EEG (Electroencephalogram) machine needed by Peebles Hospital to examine persons like Jaleel, who has been diagnosed with epilepsy.

“I am positive that with the $7,000 that we have donated already we have reached that goal as there are still some pledges out and I know once we count up we will reach that goal,” she said.

“I would prefer to forget about all of the negative because there are more positive than negative. We were overwhelmed by the amount of support that we got from the community, from the churches and everybody. It is just so overwhelming it is indescribable how people came out and supported both financially and morally,” said James-Tonge.

“We are just so touched by people’s good gestures so the handful of persons who are negative about it we would just prefer to forget it,” she said.

It was Jaleel’s initiative

Jaleel's grandmother argued that even though Government might have had money to afford the purchase of the machine for the hospital, it was Jaleel’s initiative to do what he could to raise the funds to buy it.

“Yes we know that the Government might have had the money to spend on it but he just wanted to do something to give back to the community. He said he wanted to leave his footprint in the sands of time in the BVI so that his children and grandchildren down the line would know that he was here,” she related.

“He is just too small for politics…he just knows he wants to do something on it and he is so happy about the support,” she said.

According to the woman, the fact that Jaleel could not get the treatment he needed locally and that he had to leave the shores of the VI for treatment said something to him. “We as a community can do something to help because he has said that the Government cannot do it all and that is what he has said,” she stated.

The fundraiser saw performances from a number of noted entertainers in the Virgin Islands, including Monique Chapdelaine, B'More, Zion Sounds, King Paido, BVI Heritage Dancers, Lashing Dogs, Adagio Dancers, St George’s Dancers and many others.