JSIF to Reconstruct Schools in Clarendon

Reconstruction work is to be carried out on some 14 schools in Clarendon under the first phase of the Hurricane Ivan Reconstruction programme being carried out by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).

In a JIS News interview on Monday (November 29), Omar Sweeney, Operations Manager at JSIF said that the schools are part of a total of 47 schools to be repaired in the central region of Jamaica.

“The first phase of the reconstruction programme involves work to be done in the parishes of Manchester, St. Elizabeth, Clarendon and Westmoreland, four of the parishes which were hardest hit by the Hurricane. In the second phase, 54 Primary, Basic, All Age, Infant and Junior High schools in all 14 parishes are expected to benefit,” he informed.

According to Mr. Sweeney, the schools included in the first phase in Clarendon were the Chapelton, John Austin, Main Ridge, Mitchell Town, Sunbury and Portland Cottage All Age Schools; the Milk River, Watsonton, Smithville, Victoria, and Alley Primary Schools; the Salt Savannah Primary and Infant School, and the Faith Basic School as well as the Hope Basic School.

He said at least five of these schools including the Mitchell Town, Portland Cottage, Watsonton, Salt Savannah and Alley Schools were in communities that were hardest hit by the Hurricane more than two months ago.

Contracts valued at a total of J$5.3 million have already been awarded for five of the 14 schools including the Milk River Primary, the John Austin All Age, the Faith Basic School, the Alley Primary School, and the Portland Cottage All Age School.

The JSIF Manager noted that at least four more schools would undergo reconstruction in the second phase of the programme.