ACROSS JAMAICA…ACROSS JAMAICA…ACROSS JAMAICA…
Labour minister says thanks
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Labour Minister Horace Dalley has expressed appreciation to the more than 500 property owners participating in the Overseas Employment Programme, for continuing to provide Jamaicans with gainful work abroad.
“One of the most important programmes that the ministry operates is the Overseas Employment Programme and I want to tell you all that Jamaica appreciates the fact that you take our women and men to work in your establishments,” he said.
The minister was speaking at a recent reception at the Sunset Beach Resort in Montego Bay for the property owners, who employ Jamaicans in hotels and on farms, mainly in Canada and the United States. The employers were in Jamaica to participate in the annual meeting of the Jamaica Central Labour Organisation.
Dalley noted that the 12,000 Jamaicans, now participating in the programme, “were rated as the best, most reliable and responsible among all other countries”, by more than 90 per cent of employers.
“Jamaicans are the best workers anywhere you go. We are the most courteous, we are warm, friendly and hardworking, and we go beyond the call of duty for our employers,” Dalley said.
Clarendon residents get free health care
MAY PEN, Clarendon — Residents of Clarendon are benefiting from free dental and medical services provided by Healthcare International, a 33-member team of health professionals from the United States.
The group is in the island at the invitation of the Rotary Club of May Pen and has been working through the Ministry of Health since January 20 to offer free health care to more than 2,000 residents, including students.
Valerie Wilson, co-ordinator of the team, said Healthcare International, based in New York, comprised mostly a group of concerned Jamaicans, who have been visiting the island for the past 15 years to offer their services to communities in need.
Residents from the communities of Beulah, Rock, Canaan Heights, Osbourne Store, Treadlight, Hazard, and Mitchell Town have been benefiting from the effort in addition to students of the School of Hope in the Denbigh community.
Expansion for Mitchell Town Health Centre
MITCHELL TOWN, Clarendon — The Alcoa Foundation, through its subsidiary Jamalco is funding the expansion of the waiting area of the Mitchell Town Community Health Centre in Clarendon at a cost of $150,000.
At the launch of the project at the Mitchell Town Community Centre this week, Blossom Laidlaw, Jamalco’s public relations and communications manager, said her company was happy to fund the improvement work. The project, she said, would be carried out under the Alcoans Coming Together in Our Neighbourhoods (ACTION) Programme, which seeks to encourage employees to go into communities and give voluntary labour.
Laidlaw also commended the Mitchell Town Citizens Association for their assertiveness in seeking to develop the community, adding that this was the second project implemented in two years through the initiative of the community members.
Major upgrading for Black River RM Court
BLACK RIVER, Clarendon — The Ministry of Justice is undertaking improvement work at the Black River Resident Magistrate’s Courthouse at a cost of almost $1 million.
The scope of work include the installation of new roof and ceiling, and undertaking general repairs to the building. Upgrading of the facility started on January 2 with the replacement of the roof, while work on restoring the ceiling is underway.
Court administrator for St Elizabeth, Elaine Romans, has welcomed the improvement work, noting that the facility, which is several hundreds years old, had fallen into disrepair. “The roof leaked and the courthouse needed a good paint job,” she told JIS News.
She said that most of the work was being done on weekends to ensure that disruptions were as little as possible and for the timely completion of the project. “Court is still in operation at the courthouse, but we have to suspend the work on the building when court is in session,” she said.