Keisha Shakespeare Blackmore, Staff Reporter
Left: Citizens conducting Labour Day projects last year. Right: Super Plus supermarket staff from Manchester and St. Elizabeth paint a section of the roof of the Percy Junor Hospital in Spaldings, Clarendon, on May 23, 2005. This Labour Day project is one of several outreach projects that Chief Executive Officer, Wayne Chen undertook in lieu of staff fun-day activities last year. The team painted the corridors and exterior walls of the hospital.- RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
TODAY IS Labour Day and it is intended to be a day of reprieve from work. But instead, we are usually caught up doing volunteer work in the community. This has been so since 1972. Despite what Labour Day is today, in the past it was never a day of work but a day to have fun.
In 1961, the Rt. Excellent Norman Manley, National Hero, presented a Bill in Parliament that abolished Empire Day as a public holiday and replaced it with Labour Day. Then, Empire Day was observed annually on May 24. That was the birthday of Queen Victoria who was credited with granting freedom to slaves in Jamaica and the rest of the British Empire.
Vivian Crawford, executive director at the Institute of Jamaica said he remembered that as a child on Empire Day, he took part in the celebration. "In my community, Moore Town in Portland, we marched through the community singing songs such as: Hail to Jamaica island of Spring and There is a lovely island in the Caribbean. After the march we were refreshed with lime aid and bun," recalled Mr. Crawford.
WORK INTO LABOUR DAY
After the abolition of the Empire Day, May 24, Labour Day was observed on May 23, the date that marked the start of the modern labour movement in Jamaica since 1938. From then, it was commemorated mainly by the trade unions, in collaboration with the political parties to which they were affiliated. The celebrations, which took the form of public rallies and marches, were held mainly in the Corporate Area, and on several occasions marchers of the opposing groups clashed, contrary to the original concept of the late Norman Manley that the day should demonstrate the unity of workers in Jamaica.
In 1972, then Prime Minister, Michael Manley gave Labour Day a new dimension. He put in place a programme that allowed Jamaicans to participate in volunteer community projects that aid in the development of the country. The Prime Minister's new intervention was successful, resulting in a tremendous response. About 600 projects, mainly of a beautification nature, were identified across the island.
"What was very striking to me was seeing people of a certain class in society working on Manning's Hill Road," reminisces Mr. Crawford.
"This move was a genesis in the rural areas where one hand washed the other. It was the highest form of volunteerism, something we need to revisit as a country," he continued.
Labour Day, in 1972, played an integral role in the togetherness we now share as a nation every May 23. Since the inception of 'putting work into Labour Day', there have been projects selected in each community but the major, national project selected by the Government is the highlight of the day's activities for the nation.
FIRST PROJECT
The first national project was the Palisadoes Road, clearing land, planting and generally beautifying the hitherto barren strip of land. Thereafter, groups and individuals around the island followed the Prime Minister's lead and planned projects of their own. These included refurbishing schools, community centres, state institutions, and other public and private buildings.
In 1989, the Government decided to take the onus of introducing Labour Day themes as a guideline for persons assisting with the day's activities. A theme was meant to foster wider national involvement but did not compel citizens to be bound by it. The themes have included a wide range of issues such as health and the environment, youth and the community, respect for the elderly, road safety, and the planting of trees. This year the theme is 'Jamaica's Beauty Is Our Duty' and the national project is Water Square in Falmouth, Trelawny.
WATER SQUARE
Water Square is a central meeting place for the community of Falmouth, the capital of Trelawny since 1790.
The town has the largest collection of buildings from the Georgian period in Jamaica. The National Heritage Trust is in the process of producing architectural guidelines that will aid developers in producing projects that are in keeping with the Georgian theme of the town. Gavern Tate, director of estate management and business development at the National Heritage Trust said the buildings in the commercial town (Market Street, Duke Street and Cornwall Street) are to be painted in pastel colours, using shades of green, yellow, white and beige and darker colours for highlights such as the skirting of the buildings. He added that the Heritage Trust is advocating the use of more vibrant colours for the residential areas.
LABOUR DAY IN OTHER COUNTRIES:
1. USA: first Monday in September
2. France: May 1
3. Japan: November 23
4. Trinidad and Tobago: June 19
5. Venezuela: May 1
6. Russia: May 1
7. Panama: May 1
8. China: May 1, a week-long celebration
9. Haiti: May 1
10. Nigeria: May 1
11. Mexico: May 1
List of Labour Day projects for today:
PORTLAND, Port Antonio
Organisation: Portland Parish Council.
Project: Beautification of Port Antonio.
MANCHESTER, Mandeville
Organisation: Manchester Parish Project. Project: Beautification of Mandeville Town.
ST. JAMES, Montego Bay
Organisation: Montego Bay Credit Union.
Project: Beautification of Railsway Basic School
ST. CATHERINE, Spanish Town
Organisation: St. Catherine Parish Council
Project: Beautification of three parks within the city.
ST. ANN, St. Ann's Bay
Organisation: St. Ann Parish Council.
Project: Renovating the St. Ann's Bay Primary School.
KINGSTON, Kingston
Organisation: Sounds & Pressure. -
Project: Beautification of downtown Kingston.
ST. ELIZABETH, Black River
Organisation: St. Elizabeth Parish Council. - Project: New Market Mini-Park.
ST. ANDREW, Red Hills
Organisation: 100 Lane St. Andrew North Central Environmental Group. Project: Beautification of Community Centre.
TRELAWNY, Falmouth Gardens
Organisation: Falmouth Gardens Association. -
Project: Beautification of Falmouth Cemetery.
HANOVER, Lucea
Organisation: Hanover Parish Council.
Project: Beautification of Lucea Square.
WESTMORELAND,
Savanna-la-Mar
Organisation: Savanna-la-Mar - Westmoreland Parish Council. - Project: Beautification of Norman Square.
CLARENDON, May Pen
Organisation: May Pen Parish Council. -
Project: Beautification of the intersection of Trenton Rd. and Main St. up to Brooks Ave.
ST. MARY, Port Maria
Organisation: St. Mary Parish Council.
Project: Cleaning up the capital.
ST. THOMAS, Morant Bay
Organisation: St. Thomas Parish Council.
Project: Beautification of the capital, including the Town Centre.
