President of the Excelsior Club 2020-2021 regime, Quinell Ming.

Photo Credit: Quinell Ming

By: Trisanya Drummond

Mandeville, Jamaica- President of the Northern Caribbean University’s (NCU) Excelsior Club, Quinell Ming is promising a smooth transition for both new and returning students to the male dormitory, Cedar Hall, amidst the new COVID-19 restrictions.

In a release issued by the Club on Monday, August 17, 2020, Ming assured students that his regime has already taken the necessary steps to ensure a smooth transition for prospective residents of the Hall for the virtual school year ahead.

“We are currently securing a number of sanitization items inclusive of hand sanitizers, detergents and disinfectants along with a number of facemasks to assist in the preservation of our health amidst the existing threat of COVID-19.”

The Guyanese national noted that the NCU administration is also finalizing strict measures that will govern residents’ stay on the dorm to ensure safety among residents and the school population at large.

“Well, our goal at the moment is to do our best to make preparations to assist students to keep themselves safe. Other efforts that we’ll make will depend on the structure that the school will introduce that will govern how we live on dorm after we learn of those guidelines, we’ll plan accordingly but for now, we wait,” explained Ming.

Meanwhile, returning resident of Cedar Hall, Dominic Balfor told the Hilltop Trumpet that he’s excited about returning to the dormitory but hopes safety guidelines will be implemented and enforced.

“While I’m excited to return on dorm for school I am still very concerned about my safety and that of others. I trust that the administration will implement safety measures to ensure our wellbeing while on dorm as well as I hope my fellow dorm mates will exercise caution and adhere to all policies a protocol surrounding Covid-19,” he said.

The Excelsior Club, which is listed among the university’s social clubs, is geared towards maintaining and promoting a holistic experience for male residents at the Cedar Hall.

In a few weeks, the doors of the dormitory will be opened to a number of freshmen and returning students who have been hand-picked by the administration to reside on the Hall for the upcoming academic year due to academic fulfilments that cannot be done virtually.