Parish Councils Take Lead in Registering Labour Day Projects

Parish Councils islandwide have been leading the charge in the registration of projects at the community level, to be carried out on Labour Day, May 23.

This was disclosed by Principal Director of Culture in the Ministry of Youth and Culture, Sydney Bartley, at a  JIS ‘Think Tank’ on May 16.

“The Parish Councils have been very very active. The enthusiasm of the parish councils this year has been phenomenal. We got Labour Day projects from all parish councils before we did the Labour Day launch, recently, so we know all the municipal projects,” he said.

Mr. Bartley also pointed out that apart from the parish or municipal projects, councillors have been working assiduously  to get projects recognised.

“The councillors themselves in their divisions, working with the Social Development Commission (SDC), have identified quite a large number of projects and people have been registering projects on-line. So, this is going quite well,” he pointed out.

Labour Day activities will be centred around  the theme: ‘Step Forward…Make Jamaica Beautiful’, with a focus on the cleaning  of communities and public spaces.

Mr. Bartley said that in this  the country’s 50th year of independence, the theme and focus are very appropriate, adding that  there is need  for a  resurgence of voluntarism.

“We’ve been encouraging persons, communities, individuals, clubs, groups and churches to get out and do some community work for Labour Day.  The idea of making our town squares look a particular way is part of the Labour Day legacy of stepping forward and making Jamaica beautiful,”  argued.

Several town squares  which will be cleaned, will also host activities marking Jamaica’s Independence Jubilee.  

The national  project for Labour Day will be the  cleaning of  National Heroes Park in Kingston.

Projects can be registered at the local parish office or on-line at: www.jis.gov.jm/labourday. Persons can also call 754-0992-9 or 920-8152 or email: communications@mlge.gov.jmor amitto@mlge.gov.jm.

By O. Rodger Hutchinson, JIS PRO