Very little labouring out west - Residents flock to beaches to party
Western Bureau:
The fear that Labour Day is steadily losing its essence was very real across western Jamaica yesterday as there were far more persons hanging around in their communities, treating the day as a holiday, than those who were out working on projects.
"We nuh have time fi Labour Day. Man jus a hang out and play some ludo and beat (drink) some juice," a young man in one of Montego Bay's inner-city communities told The Gleaner. "This is just another way fi rich people get dem picture inna de newspaper."
In Westmoreland, where activities were quite low-key, members of the Central Westmoreland People's National Party Youth Organisation (PNPYO) and footballers from FC Reno were seen painting pedestrians crossings at Sir Clifford Campbell Primary School, Godfrey Stewart High and at the parish library in Savanna-la-Mar.
"We would have been happier if we had more people coming out, but we are doing what we can to give the community a facelift," said Diana Frater, secretary of the PNPYO group. "It is our civic duty and more people need to realise this."
DISMAL IN HANOVER
In Hanover, the situation was even more dismal, as, instead of working, many persons headed to the various beaches, including the popular Old Steamer in the town of Hopewell.
"All I have seen since morning by way of work is two fat woman whitewashing the wall at the Sandy Bay Police Station. This is all a big joke," a Hanover resident told The Gleaner. "All the people dem gone to the beach. Right now, a sound system blasting up at Old Steamer."
In Montego Bay, the energy was a little higher than that across the other towns in the west as staffers at the
St James Parish Council, the Jamaica Defence Force, the St James police and students of the western Jamaica campus of the University of the West Indies gave the Charles Gordon Market an impressive facelift, painting the building, fixing stalls and doing a general clean-up.
"As you can see, a significant amount of work is going on here, and we must say thanks to all those who have come out to support this effort," said Montego Bay's mayor, Councillor Glendon Harris. "It is my hope that the persons who are using the market will do their part to keep it clean."
In Trelawny, where the parish project was at the Spring Garden Primary School, there were several activities in the capital, Falmouth. Residents came out in their numbers to participate in drain-cleaning work. However, midday rains forced them to abandon the projects,
"The support was not really that good, but we really appreciate what work was being done," said a Trelawny Parish Council official. "It is a pity that the rains came, because I am sure we would have achieved much more."