Police Stations Selected as Labour Day Parish Projects

Fifteen police stations across the island that are in need of repairs have been selected as parish Labour Day projects.

Labour Day will be observed on Friday May 23, under the theme, ‘Take a Stand…Beautify our Land.’

The stations were identified by the National Labour Day Planning Committee in collaboration with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the parish councils.

Some of the stations selected are: the Spring Mount Police Station in St. James; Whithorn Police Station in Bethel Town, Westmoreland; Race Course Police Station in Clarendon; Morant Bay Police Station in St. Thomas; and Gordon Town Police Station in North St. Andrew.

“We have identified police stations that are in need of repairs and so we will be mobilising teams on Labour Day to go into the stations and do the necessary infrastructural changes,” Principal Director of Culture in the

Ministry of Youth and Culture, Dahlia Harris said at a Jamaica Information Service Think Tank on Wednesday, May 14, at the agency’s head office in Kingston.

She noted that work by citizens at the stations will help to improve relations between the police and communities.

“We thought it was a great way to say to communities, let’s extend a hand of friendship to the police force and vice versa and try to shore up that relationship that the police have with the people. We are showing them some love because we expect them to protect and serve,” she said.

Miss Harris, who is also the Chairman of the National Labour Day Planning Committee, said the JCF has identified project managers to monitor activities at each station on Labour Day.

“We are providing the workers, the police team will supervise what happens on the day,” she added, stating that representatives from parish councils, along with community groups, such as neighbourhood watches, will also be part of activities at the stations.

However, Miss Harris is advising persons who want to volunteer on Labour Day to submit their names early to the project managers or to the Labour Day Secretariat at the Ministry of Youth and Culture.  “Let us know in advance so that we can advise the project team that you will be coming to make a difference,” she said.

The Ministry is also accepting contributions towards Labour Day activities. “We are always still willing to accept contributions in whatever form…we have a resource list, if it is paint, nails, brushes, water, food, in whatever way you want to contribute, be a sponsor, come on board and be a part of the project,” she said.

While police stations have been selected as the parish projects, parish councils have the option of participating in other projects of their choice.