By GEORGIO RUSSELL

Bishop Michael Eldon School's staff and students took time out of their busy schedule to honour cook and janitor Pauline Kemp who is retiring after giving 32 years of service.

The school held a "Fond Farewell" themed

assembly for Ms. Kemp, which included singing presentations and a skit about how irresponsible littering is, set to Barney's "Clean-up" song.

Adrian Bethel, Pastor of Bethel Ministries and former head boy and senior master, has experienced Ms. Kemp's dedication first-hand.

He said: "She did her service well. She was a very down to earth island woman. She'd encourage those who would take encouragement and now she is moving on to the next level in her life."

Bethel said it must be understood that the field she works in is not "glamorized" and on many occasions the children at the school showed their insensitivity, but Ms. Kemp pushed through it.

He said: "She was humble. I know being a janitress is never easy, children can be very brutal and cruel, but Ms. Kemp weathered it all. It is not a glamorous field I know, but I feel that somebody who does their work well and has been as committed as Ms. Kemp is somebody you want to commend."

School Principal Anita Doherty, who has been at the school for one year more than Kemp, described her as "rowdy" when she saw students doing wrong.

"She was very respected. Students would know better than to do certain things around her and she didn't take any nonsense," she said.

Ms. Doherty says the school felt as though Ms. Kemp deserved a special service due to her committed labour for the many years at the school.

"We need to give people their roses while they are alive. She leaves us at the end of the year and we thought that it was an excellent way of telling her thank you," Doherty said.

The Principal exclaimed that Ms. Kemp, who has been at the school for all three of the name changes, has many fond memories, but none higher than her "macaroni, fried chicken and beef patties made from scratch."

Ms. Kemp described the assembly as "wonderful and very appreciated."

For her future plans, the Turks & Caicos native plans on moving back with her family. "Sometimes I would get six weeks to stay out but I never stayed out. I like to work and I like to work hard, but with my age now being 70, I want to relax now."