Hundreds Turn Out to Labour in Western Jamaica

Hundreds of persons turned out in Western Jamaica to work on their various Labour Day projects, on Thursday, May 23.

With a total of 150 registered projects in the parishes of St. James, Trelawny and St. Ann, and many unregistered ones, the residents began to labour from as early as 8:00 a.m.

In St. James, a wreath laying ceremony took place promptly at 8:00 a.m. in Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay, in honour of National Hero, the Right Excellent Samuel Sharpe, which marked the beginning of the day’s activities throughout the parish.

Attending the ceremony were Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Glendon Harris; Members of Parliament from the parish, Lloyd B. Smith and Derrick Kellier; Custos of St. James, Ewen Corrodus; Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Area one, Warren Clarke, and several other officials.

At the parish project – the Charles Gordon Market – more than 300 volunteers were on hand to carry out refurbishing work.

Mayor Harris told JIS News that the work forms part of a more comprehensive project to transform the market into a more shopper friendly facility. The project is expected to cost approximately $4.5 million.

Other projects undertaken in the parish included the beautification of several areas, gully and drain cleaning, painting of pedestrian crossings, building houses for the elderly and vulnerable persons, and the repairing and painting of several basic schools.

Mayor Harris said he was very pleased with the turnout, and that the shopping experience at the Charles Gordon Market should be very pleasant going forward.

Over in Trelawny, Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Garth Wilkinson, said work was undertaken on 33 registered projects and many unregistered ones.

The main focus was on the parish project, which was the cleaning of the town of Falmouth.

“What we are doing is trying to get the town looking in such a way that it is more presentable and beautiful for the visitors and residents of Trelawny,” he told JIS News.

In St. Ann, the Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay, Councillor Desmond Gilmore, led a team of volunteers to do work on the St. Ann Infirmary, the parish project.

“We are doing some tiling, some painting, replacing some windows and bushing the property,” he said.

Labour Day 2013 was held under the theme: ‘Lend a hand…..Build our Land’.

Contact: Bryan Miller