Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter
Ferris Ziadie (left), chairman for Area 4 Civic Committee, Rosie McDonald-Barker (centre), Police Superintendent for Area 4, and Labon McDonald, Senior Supt. for Area 4, repair damage to the Cross Road Police Station on Labour Day. The station was shot up by gunmen when they killed District Constable Canute Brown on May 4. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
DESPITE THE inclement weather yesterday, several Labour Day projects went ahead as planned across the island. Some 453 projects were registered with the Social Development Commission (SDC).
The community of Buena Vista, located five and a half miles outside of Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth, was alive with energy as residents and visitors alike gave of themselves to assist in the rebuilding of the Buena Vista Community Centre.
Under the day's theme: 'Prepare for Disaster Recover Faster', the $8.5 million project was chosen to be the model structure for the construction of disaster shelters in the island.
MINISTER LAUDS TURNOUT
Lauding the turnout of the community members, Minister of Education Maxine Henry-Wilson told The Gleaner that the Buena Vista centre was chosen based on the hardships that St. Elizabeth has experienced in recent time. "Over the last year the St. Elizabeth communities have suffered they have actually had two hurricanes (Charley and Ivan), droughts and fires," noted the minister.
Constructed in the 1970s as a community centre, the Buena Vista land was donated by Ucal Stewart, for the furtherance of community development. However, over the years the building has been deteriorating, ultimately losing its roof in Hurricane Ivan last year.
In St. Catherine, residents and members of the police force effected much needed repairs to the Sydenham Community Centre, which has been in a deplorable condition since Hurricane Ivan. The Kiwanis Club of Spanish Town repainted a pedestrian crossing in front of the St. Jago Cathedral Preparatory School, while residents and community groups cleaned several blocked drains, as well as paint facilities at the Crescent Primary and Dempshire Pen Basic schools.
The parish project in Clarendon failed to get under way as a result of poor communication between the parish council and the relevant groups. Their parish project was to repair the New Bowens Community Centre. Mayor Milton Brown said the work will be done at a later date. In the meantime, residents, with the assistance of Jamalco, replanted some 500 trees in the Salt River area. The Hayes Police Station was also given a facelift by Jamalco. Minor repairs were effected to the building and broken fixtures replaced.
Similar exercises were carried out in St. Mary with the cleaning of drains in Hartlands, Hampstead and Sandside. Residents of Boscobel were assisted by the staff of the Beaches Boscobel Hotel in repairing potholes in the area. Residents of Richard Pen and Albion Mountain also focused on repairing potholes in their community. Several pedestrian crossings at a number of schools in Port Maria, Highgate, Annotto Bay and Oracabessa were also repainted.
Residents in St. Ann pooled hands and hearts, with the assistance of their respective political representatives, businesses and the police, to clean several drains, effect repairs to the Liberty Hall All-Age and Mansfield Heights Basic schools and carry out beautification works on the Ocho Rios Police Station. Staff members of the Breezes Runaway Bay Hotel took time out to construct a house for fellow staff member, Errol Hall, whose house was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan last year.
Correspondents Rasbert Turner, Stephanie Elliott, Rayon Dyer and Devon Evans contributed to this story.
