Strong Support for National Labour Day Project at Holland Primary School
By: , May 23, 2019The Key Point:
Photo: Okoye Henry
Student of Santa Cruz Preparatory in St. Elizabeth, Rovonae Cowan (left) holds the trash bag as Holland Primary School teachers, Osheim Spence (centre) and Samantha Scott, dispose of litter. The engagement formed part of activities carried out at Holland Primary School on Labour Day, Thursday May 23.The Facts
- The institution was among four selected as national projects by the Labour Day Secretariat.
- Scores of community members, school staff and students came out in full support to offer their services and expertise in giving the school, which sits along the world-famous Holland Bamboo Grove, a well-deserved facelift.
The Full Story
The spirit of volunteerism was evident at Holland Primary School in St Elizabeth, where many persons turned out to participate in Labour Day activities focusing on children’s safety, on Thursday (May 23).
The institution was among four selected as national projects by the Labour Day Secretariat.
Scores of community members, school staff and students came out in full support to offer their services and expertise in giving the school, which sits along the world-famous Holland Bamboo Grove, a well-deserved facelift.
The activities included rehabilitation of the institution’s driveway, installation of lights, repainting of the play area, tree planting, and cleaning of the schoolyard and classrooms.
Work was also carried out along the Holland Bamboo Grove, which included the construction of a small bridge and general cleaning up.
Among the day’s participants were representatives from various government agencies, including the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information; St. Elizabeth Parish Court; Lay Magistrates Association; Jamaica Defence Force; and HEART Trust/NTA. There was also support from corporate Jamaica, notably JN Bank.
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, who visited the school, told JIS News that the institution was deserving of the works undertaken.
“It [was] a big turnout and I [was] pleased to see the support that the Principal [got] from everybody,” he added.
Mr. Hutchinson said the bridge’s construction is a welcome safeguard for persons traversing Holland Bamboo Grove, particularly when it rains and flooding occurs.
“When it floods, we find that many of the children coming from school going home have difficulty in going across. So we are putting in a bridge there, so that they will be able to have access,” he said.
Acting Regional Director for the Ministry of Education Youth and Information’s Region 5, Ivoline Fletcher, told JIS News that the day’s activities were consistent with the Ministry’s strategic objectives.
“We [were] here to emphasise [the] safety and security of our students. We would have been quite familiar with what has been happening on the roadways in Holland Bamboo, so we were quite happy to be here to participate in this activity, [and] quite elated to see the number of stakeholders who [were] involved,” she stated.