Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth & Sports

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Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange (right), says thanks after receiving cheque for $600,000 from the Acting General Manager, Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Joy Douglas, at the Ministry's New Kingston offices on May 16. The money will go towards the National Labour Day Project, to be undertaken at the Buff Bay High School in Portland and will see the construction of green houses and nurseries.

Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, has expressed appreciation for the $600,000 contribution the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) has made towards the National Labour Day Project.

"In keeping with the theme, 'Eat What We Grow.Grow What We Eat' and the focus on food security, we are very happy that we have the UDC joining us in this initiative in response to the National Project," the Minister said.

Speaking yesterday (May 16), at the handing over ceremony at the Ministry's New Kingston offices, Miss Grange said that the "contribution would greatly aid the National Labour project."

The national project will be undertaken at the Buff Bay High School in Portland, as a medium to achieve sustainable food security. This will be carried out with the construction of greenhouses. In addition, the nurseries that were previously established, would be restored.

Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange (second right), engages in a light dialogue with Director, Corporate Relations, Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Doreen O'Conner (right), while Acting General Manager, UDC, Joy Douglas (second left), and Manager, Corporate Relations, UDC, Joan Smalling, look on. Occasion was the handing over of $600,000 towards the National Labour Day project, at the Ministry's New Kingston offices on May 16.

"The project will also entail the demolition of the retaining wall and reconstruction of a higher wall that will ensure greater security, reduce the potential of praedial larceny and contain land slippage; and construction of a shade house, which will house a seedling nursery. It will also include the planting of the following vegetables: tomato, sweet pepper, callaloo and pak choi. The vegetables have been selected to enhance and complement the food offered by the cafeteria. The nursery and the beds are also projected to add to the school's earning capacity," the Minister said.

She implored everyone to participate in Labour Day activities, as this would be a means of ensuring sustainable food security within the country.

Acting General Manager, UDC, Joy Douglas said that the project would be an essential element of the UDC's philosophy of sustainable development, which must of necessity involve the care and enhancement of the natural and built environment to facilitate the provision of a better quality of life for the citizens of Jamaica.

"We are very pleased to be a part of the National Labour Day project. We are in fact going to be doing smaller projects in the Reach area of Portland, Caymanas and Hellshire in St. Catherine and Montego Bay in St. James to undertake community projects, but we thought it was so important to show our support for this particular Labour Day by making a significant contribution and that we will be fully funding the nursery and green house for Buff Bay," she said.

The Minister urged Jamaicans to join the effort on Labour Day, to plant new seeds, "as we pursue our vision of eating what we grow and growing what we eat."

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