Strong Support for Labour Activities in St. James

Labour Day in St. James was well supported as local officials, residents, members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and other stakeholders collaborated to execute several projects across the parish.

Salt Spring Primary and Infant, Maldon High and the repainting of the pedestrian crossing at Alice Eldemire Drive, in the vicinity of the Montego Bay Community College and Herbert Morrison Technical High School, were the parish projects by the St. James Municipal Corporation.

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Leeroy Williams, headed the team at Salt Spring Primary and Infant, which conducted a tree-planting exercise in keeping with the national Labour Day theme, ‘Plant a tree for life – Promoting Climate Change Mitigation, Food Security and Road Safety’.

More than a dozen fruit trees were planted on the school grounds with the support of Custos of St. James, Bishop the Hon. Conrad Pitkin; Principal of the institution, Norma Brydson; Acting Commanding Officer for the second battalion, Jamaica regiment, JDF, Major Anthony Lysight and a team of JDF personnel as well as community members.

Speaking with JIS News, Mayor Williams, who has divisional responsibility for the community, said the fruit trees planted will help to boost Jamaica’s food security as well as reduce the impact of climate change.

“It is important that we plant trees because one, it provides food and we talk of food security, and apart from that, it helps with rainfall so that we can help to mitigate drought,” he noted.

Mayor Williams urged students of the institution to play their part in protecting the newly planted trees, noting that it will benefit the community for generations to come.

“The children for this community, I’m hoping that they make sure that these trees are taken care of. It will be a part of their growth experience, and I encourage them to make sure they water them and care for them because later on, some of them will be reaping what is here,” he noted.

Bishop Pitkin welcomed the tree-planting project, noting that the initiative will contribute towards global climate resilience and bolster Government’s reforestation efforts.

“I planted a naseberry tree and I also saw an Otaheite apple tree. Trees provide shade, food and also help in the [watersheds]. So, I want to encourage Jamaicans to join together not just for today but to continue to replace trees in the areas where they are being taken out, so that we can once again rebuild our watersheds and stop the erosion of our hillsides,” he urged.

Major Lysight, for his part, said the JDF members are pleased to put “heart and muscle” into planting trees to aid Jamaica’s climate change mitigation measures.

“This particular year, [Labour Day] is looking at planting a tree for life and part of that is climate change mitigation and we are big on that. We really believe in protecting the environment, so we saw it as a wonderful opportunity,” he told JIS News.

An elated Mrs. Brydson expressed pleasure that her institution was selected as a parish project and vowed to protect the trees planted on the school grounds.

“I am happy to have come out with my teachers, parents, and community members. This is indeed an awesome project,” she said.

Teams of volunteers, including parents and teachers, repainted a faded pedestrian crossing at the entrance to the Farm Primary School in the Green Pond community.

Meanwhile, the Cornwall Courts Citizens in Action group and the Cornwall Courts Citizens Association executed three projects – construction of a bus stop; rehabilitation, beautification and addition of new infrastructure to the kiddies play area; and the removal of construction debris from the community space.