Students earning through Hanover summer programmes

Western Bureau:

Some 400 students from Hanover are now gainfully employed for the summer holiday, thanks to programmes being implemented by the Social Development Commission (SDC) and the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC).

The programmes, which started in early June and will extend until the end of August, feature students from the high school through to the university level.

"We acted more like a facilitator in our case, as students who were being paid by other agencies were placed with us to work, and we had a lot for them to do," Mashario Bisasor, the parish manager for the Hanover SDC, told The Gleaner.

"Approximately 100 students are benefiting through the programme at the SDC," added Bisasor.

Meanwhile, David Gardner, chief executive officer (CEO) at the HMC, told The Gleaner that approximately 300 students are benefiting through two summer employment programmes that are being run concurrently by the corporation, one facilitating students employed by the Ministry of Local Government and the other students employed by the corporation itself.

In outlining the duties assigned to the students, Gardner said their responsibilities covered data gathering in various areas, which will assist the corporation in its day-to-day decision making.

"For example, they will be dealing with streetlighting, checking on those that are not working, [and] they will deal with trade licences for businesses that do not have the necessary licences - barbers, and hairdressers and advertising signs," said Gardner.

"The opportunity has been used as well to utilise some of them to distribute the high value property tax notices, so they are going to be centred around those activities," he continued.

Gardner said the students, who are working on a rotating basis to facilitate as many as possible, will be placed at the disaster-preparedness unit to assist in whatever way they are needed. He said the programmes are geared towards giving the students well-needed work experiences, as well as an opportunity to earn some money.