Clean-up jobs coming for west Kingston
Published:Friday | June 4, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is considering measures to assist the recovery process in west Kingston.
Among the projects being explored by the UNDP team in Jamaica is a clean-up of the May Pen Cemetery, which could provide well-needed employment to residents of Tivoli Gardens and adjoining communities.
"We are looking at immediate support to persons living in the area who have lost their livelihoods and are at risk of other problems," assistant resident representative of the UNDP, Sonia Gill, told The Gleaner yesterday.
"This (the cemetery) is a location in which people can be gainfully employed and persons without a great deal of skills can at least have an opportunity for an income. There are also health and sanitation benefits that would come from a clean-up at this time," added Gill.
However, she pointed out that no concrete decision had been made.
"We have made no commitments, nor have we made any guarantee of support, but we are getting first-hand information about the situation," Gill added.
She said, however, the decision making would not be a "months-long process".
Team tour
The UNDP's team, led by resident representative to Jamaica, Minh Pham, and officials of the United States Agency for International Development were taken on a tour of the Coronation Market and the May Pen Cemetery by Town Clerk Errol Greene yesterday.
They saw the level of devastation to the market, which was damaged by fire during last week's violent confrontation between the security forces and gunmen.
The May Pen Cemetery is also in need of a facelift. Overgrowth in the cemetery provided cover for some of the criminals who challenged the police and soldiers.
The UNDP joins the Delegation to the European Commission in Jamaica which has already indicated that it will help in the Tivoli restoration project.