Nine promising students yesterday received public service bursary awards which will help them get qualified to return to the Island to work for Government.

The students, who will receive $10,000 per year for their studies, up from $7,500 last year, are studying everything from physiotherapy to information technology.

Premier Alex Scott told the recipients: ?You don?t know how many people are quietly looking up to you now. Help somebody else and give them a word of support. Keep them focused.?

He said when he was growing up, opportunities were scarce compared to today: ?You young folks are now a part of a generation of which my preparation was inadequate.?

Jokingly he added, ?You are committed to public service and I was just committed to growing up.?

Marvelling the drive of the young adults he listed the fields in which the award recipients are studying, stating that when he was young ?marketing? would?ve meant going to the grocery store.

After praising the the parents and guardians for raising such successful individuals, he added: ?When I say congrats?, and when I say well done, it?s from an old man at an old age.

?Really, you are the leaders of this country ? this country needs you.?

Winners of the bursaries are: Kim Thornhill (physiotherapy), Jacqui Simons (business information technology), Jamari Douglas (marketing), Sidkai Tavares (information systems specialist), Don Vickers (social work), Kristen Darrell (computer and information science), Tawana Thomas (Law), Nicola White (physiotherapy) and Shannon Dyer (history).