JCDC Receives Shade House

The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) has received a Shade House valued at $2.2 million from the Digicel Foundation.

The Shade House, which was handed over at the Louise Bennett Garden Theatre in Kingston on March 11, will enable the JCDC to have an independent and sustainable source of plants for the decoration of its various cultural activities.

Chair of the Digicel Foundation, Jean Lowrie Chin, said the project will enhance the sustainability of the JCDC, while promoting productivity.

“This is an (example) of a type of new thinking that will help both our public and private sectors overcome the budgetary challenges that we are all facing. The Digicel Foundation sees this project as one that exemplifies good governance,” she said.

The shade house is an initiative of the JCDC, which will see the Commission growing plants for the various activities to commemorate all the anniversaries of national significance. The agency also offers events and decor planning services to the public and private sectors.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the JCDC, Delroy Gordon, said the project resulted from the recognition that the agency needs to be self sustaining in the staging of its events.

“We recognised that we spent a lot of funds on the rental of plants for decor services for the various events that we have to coordinate from time to time. So, we decided that if we grow our own plants, it would greatly reduce expenditure in this area as well as having the potential to increase our revenue,” he noted.

The shade house is 30 feet long and 10 feet wide, with an irrigation system that has been installed with a pressure tank and pump. The system is connected to a water tank to ensure that the plants have a constant supply of water.

Mr. Gordon is projecting that within  nine months, a return on investment in the purchase of the plants will be realised.

“The shade house will increase the revenue of the JCDC, reduce our expenditure in events production and provide much needed additional funds in support of our other programmes and activities,” he said.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Northeastern St. Elizabeth, Raymond Pryce, lauded the initiative of the JCDC, pointing out that  the shade house will become an income centre instead of a cost centre to the organization.

He noted that the project is an example of innovation and entrepreneurship at the corporate level.

The shade house, which was constructed by the landscape contractor and designer company, Nature’s Paradise, has a variety of plants, including:  Aglaonema, Areca Palm, Dracena Cane, Anthurium, and Spathiphyllum.