2021 Civil Servants of the Year Spruce-up Racecourse Health Centre

The Racecourse Health Centre in Clarendon has been given a much-needed facelift, creating a more pleasant environment for the health care workers and residents, who use the facility. 

The work was undertaken by the 2021 Civil Servants of the Year through sponsorship of $150,000 from First Heritage Co-operative Credit Union (FHC). 

It included the tiling of the passageway, which runs the length of the building and the painting of the front exterior walls. 

The 2021 Civil Servants of the Year are Manager for Special Projects at the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), Andrine Davidson (management category); Manager of Information Systems at the Administrator General’s Department, Ronald Frue (middle management category); and driver at the Lionel Town Hospital, Clayton McCalla (technical support category). 

Speaking to JIS News at the handover of the project on Friday (Oct. 21), Mr. Frue said that the tiles replaced the red-stained concrete floor, giving the area a clean, fresh look.  

He said that the installation of the tiles will lessen the workload of the janitorial staff, who were charged with cleaning the floors, and eliminate the cost of purchasing and stripping the polish when required. 

“With this initiative, a clean and safe environment will be maintained. I say a special thank you to the First Heritage Credit Union for allowing us this opportunity to assist in such a fulfilling venture and to the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA), thank you for your kind assistance in making this possible,” Mr. Frue said. 

He also expressed gratitude to the five team members from the Clarendon Health Department for helping to ensure completion of the project in the shortest time possible. 

Mrs. Davidson, for her part, thanked FHC for “your vote of confidence, and for standing by us.”  

Delivering the keynote address, Regional Director at SRHA, Michael Bent, said that seeing the new tile flooring at the health centre has lifted his spirits. 

He hailed Mr. McCalla, who recommended the project, as a “selfless” worker, who goes “beyond and above the call of duty,” citing his dedicated service during the “turbulent period” of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Chief Executive Officer at the Lionel Town Hospital, Nadine Preddie, commended the three civil servants for undertaking the project, noting that they are “kind-hearted souls, who have made a meaningful contribution to health. You saw a need and acted.”  

In her remarks, Principal Director in the Employee Relations Branch at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Lorna Phillips, said that the Racecourse Health Centre is “well deserving” of the attention, while Senior Marketing Officer at FHC, Carlene Coley, lauded the civil servants for taking the time to “do good for others”.  

 The Civil Servants of the Year are selected annually by the Civil Service Week Steering Committee in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service with sponsorship from the FHC.  

As part of activities for the year, they are required to plan and execute a community project. 

Since 2019, three new categories of awards have been introduced to broaden the scope of eligible nominees as part of efforts to revitalise the initiative.