Labour Day National Projects in St. Ann and St. Catherine

The St. Ann’s Bay Infant School in St. Ann, and Cumberland Health Centre in St. Catherine are the National Projects for Labour Day on May 23.

Both Labour Day and Workers’ Week were launched on Tuesday (May 1), by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, at Jamaica House.

The activities, being held under the theme – ‘Ramp it Up… Fix it Up’, will focus on constructing ramps in schools to enable physically challenged persons to access these buildings, and installing additional facilities at health centres to enhance the environment for medical staff and clients.

The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, which is spearheading the coordination of activities, has partnered with the Ministries of Education, Youth and Information; Health; Local Government and Community Development; and Labour and Social Security, as well as Municipal Corporations islandwide to get the work done.

This year’s commemoration is also significant as it coincides with two very important national historic events – the 80th anniversary of the 1938 workers’ protest; and the 186th year since National Hero, the Rt. Excellent Samuel Sharpe, was martyred for his role in the 1831/2 Christmas rebellion, which started at the Kensington Estate in St. James.

The Prime Minister, in his address, underscored the importance of Labour Day, which, he noted, is used by communities to engage in developmental activities, including: physical enhancement, fostering of a spirit of volunteerism and promoting social cohesion through improved community planning.

Mr. Holness, who indicated that he will be focusing on schools in his West Central St. Andrew constituency, urged civic-minded Jamaicans to “carry forward the spirit of volunteerism and service (and) allow it to become part of everything you do and a fixture in your daily lives”.

Additionally, he encouraged persons to “make every day meaningful and productive, doing more for your families, your community and your country”.

For her part, Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Minister, Hon. Olivia Grange, said this year’s stakeholder collaboration, which also involves the Digicel and China Harbour Engineering Company as main sponsors, is a testament of joined-up governance at work.

“Labour Day 2018 will have life-changing impact for many Jamaicans… and this is just part of the transformative approach that we are taking towards improving the lives of our people,” the Minister said.

“Our schools, our health centres and our communities are our responsibility. Just as we pay homage to those heroes who battled hard so we may enjoy the rights and privileges we do today, we have a duty to build out an enabling environment, so that generations to come will have a platform on which to continue the work to make Jamaica the place of choice to live, to work, to raise families and to do business,” she added.

She urged persons and organisations to register their projects on the Ministry’s website at www.mcges.gov.jm, and the Jamaica Information Service website at: www.jis.gov.jm.

Other speakers included Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid; Labour and Social Security Minister, Hon. Shahine Robinson; and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Marsha Henry-Martin, who represented Portfolio Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie.

The launch also featured the unveiling of the Labour Day jingle, titled ‘Ramp it Up… Fix it Up’, of which there are two versions done by recording artistes, Etana and Abijah.