Plans in High Gear for Labour Day in the West

In keeping with the national Labour Day theme for 2004, ‘Road Safety First. Avoid The Worst’, planning committees in western Jamaica have been selecting parish projects which are geared toward the proper use of the nation’s roadways by pedestrians and motorists.
For St. James, the parish project is multi-faceted, as it involves the repainting of all pedestrian crossings in the city of Montego Bay, coupled with the erection of proper street signs. There are also plans to include a public education aspect for the parish, which should be carried out in schools and at community meetings.
Community Relations Officer with the St. James Parish Council, Suzette Brown-Johnson, told JIS News that already, the Council has received excellent support from the private sector for Labour Day (May 24), through donations of several gallons of paint and several paint brushes.
She issued an appeal to communities and individuals planning to carry out work on Labour Day, to register their projects with the planning committee in the parish, by completing registration forms that are available at the Parish Council offices, or at the Social Development Commission (SDC) office in Montego Bay.
In Hanover, about 10 projects have been registered to date, with the parish project being the rehabilitation of the sidewalk on Willie Delisser Boulevard in Lucea. Plans are also in place to repaint pedestrian crossings throughout the parish, and erect street signs where necessary.
Mayor of Lucea, Lester Crooks, who heads the planning committee, told JIS News that the Councillors and staff would be leading the work force on Labour Day. “I’m expecting workers from the Accounts Department, Administrative Department, Road and Works Department along with the Secretary/Manager, Councillors and myself to be fully involved in the work on Labour Day,” he added. Mr. Crooks argued that as leaders of the society, representatives of the people within the parish council should be first to try and get the job done. He pointed out that the erection of street signs across the parish has already started.
In Westmoreland, the parish project is a comprehensive public education campaign across the parish, aimed at educating the residents of the parish on the proper use of the roadways. The erection of proper road signs and the painting of pedestrian crossings will also be taking place, but emphasis will be on the public education programme.