The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development will be providing more than $50 million to be shared among Municipal Corporations across the island to support Labour Day activities.
Emphasis this year will be placed on persons with disabilities, the elderly and the vulnerable. Labour Day will be observed on Thursday, May 23, under the slogan: ‘Ramp up di access… Show that you care’.
Addressing a monthly meeting of the Portland Municipal Corporation in Port Antonio, Portfolio Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said the initiatives are being undertaken to provide greater access for the targeted groups.
“We are doing that because it is important that the persons who are physically challenged should not feel intimidated by the lack of access to facilities,” he said. He urged members of the Corporation’s building and planning committee to ensure that applications that are being made will also cater to persons who are physically challenged.
“I am hoping that your building and planning committees will pay attention to building applications, especially those that the public must access, to see that the requisite provisions are in place to facilitate persons who are physically challenged,” the Minister said.
“Whatever roadwork that the Municipality is going to be undertaking, we must ensure that our sidewalks are constructed in a way that it provides access, and it is not just the intention of the Ministry to use Labour Day as the only day.
We will be working on a programme that will allow the municipalities to do a lot more work in ensuring that persons with physical challenges have easier access to the public thoroughfare,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mayor of Port Antonio, Paul Thompson, said the parish project will be the construction of a ramp at a primary school. “This will benefit children who are disabled and use wheelchairs. This will also ensure that no one is left behind,” he said, noting that the selected institution will be named soon.
