Ebony Vale is NHT’s Best Kept Scheme for County of Middlesex

The Ebony Vale Housing Scheme in St. Catherine has emerged as the top scheme for the county of Middlesex in the National Housing Trust’s (NHT’s) Best Kept Scheme Competition.

The county awards ceremony was held on Friday, March 5, at the Hotel Versalles in May Pen.In a keenly contested competition Ebony Vale Housing scheme won by a narrow margin, with a total of 230 points, just one point ahead of Cedar Grove Scheme in Manchester with 229 points and the Ensom Acres Housing Scheme in St. Catherine accumulated 224 points for third place.

Dr. Jaslyn Salmon, National Coordinator of the Poverty Eradication Programme and guest speaker at the ceremony, said that the aim of the competition was to build communities that would protect and provide a place of comfort for residents.

He said that the participants were being recognised because they were involved in the business of community development and that they were expected to improve on those standards, which they had already set.

In a JIS News interview, Hornet Williams President of the Ebony Vale Citizens Association, said that the competition had been won through the implementation of a number of projects.

These projects, he said, included community development workshops; a youth week involving several motivational sessions, fundraising projects, a beautification exercise in the community, among other things.

He pointed out that the Ebony Vale scheme had won the competition before in 1996 and 1997 and that other projects were being put in place such as the completion of a multi purpose basketball court by the end of March.

At least 15 schemes participated in the county competition with Longsville Park emerging the winner for Clarendon; Ebony Vale taking the top spot for St. Catherine, Cedar Grove lifting the title for Manchester, Stockholm Park winning in St. Mary and Greenwich Acres emerging the winner in St. Ann.

The Best Kept Scheme competition is judged on the criteria of excellence and accountability in the areas of beautification and environmental awareness; integrity in adherence to local ordinances and mortgage payments; and teamwork.

It has been running for over 10 years and is held every other year.