St. George’s: More and more young persons are being given opportunities to study at universities all around the world, including USA, UK Canada and the Caribbean, as part of a government scholarship programme. Since the passage of Hurricane Ivan, government has intensified its efforts to secure more scholarship opportunities in response to the heightened need for financial assistance of students both at home and abroad. To date government has initiated close to one hundred and twenty (120) scholarship opportunities for the 2005-2006 academic school year. Just recently 37 successful applicants left the island to study at universities in Mexico. According to information from the Department of Human Resources (DHR), preparations for the selection of students for the Cuba-Grenada and Cuba Caricom scholarship programmes are nearing completion and it is expected that approximately seventeen candidates will be successful. In addition to scholarships, government continues to assist students whose source of funds have been depleted by the passage of the hurricane, through the Needy Students Assistance Programme and a number are currently benefiting, through the provision of airline tickets, stipends, books and tuition to supplement their income for the duration of their studies. This programme also gives financial assistance to students in the primary, secondary and tertiary level institutions. Source: Government Information Service