Tendai Franklyn-Brown, Staff Reporter

Some of Jamaica's largest corporations contributed their time to various communities in Kingston and St Andrew as part of yesterday's Labour Day activities.

With the theme 'Grow what we eat ... eat what we grow', most of the activities revolved around the planting of fruits and vegetables in institutions such as schools and children's homes.

Staffers from Capital and Credit Financial Group, Life of Jamaica and Jamaica National exercised social corporate responsibility by participating in the community project at Best Care Lodge in the Corporate Area.

In keeping with the theme of helping children, under the guidance and assistance of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), they planted sweet pepper, Scotch bonnet pepper, lettuce and pak choi, among other vegetables.

Oliver Fagan, senior manager of public relations and advertising at Capital and Credit, told The Gleaner it was important for organisations to contribute to community efforts in creating food security.

"The objective is that the school and its wards will be able to use their products once they reach maturity. Hens are reared here also, and so we want to use this to supplement the food security of this school," he said.

Fruit trees galore

Maxfield Park Children's Home was supplied with more than 30 fruit trees and plants, which were planted with the assistance of councillors from the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC). Kingston Mayor Desmond McKenzie stressed the importance of maintaining and cultivating the grounds beyond Labour Day.

"We are going to employ two persons whose responsibility is to maintain what we have put down today," McKenzie said. "A 5,000-gallon water tank will be used for the sole purpose of irrigation, to ensure the viability and to maintain this project through the year, with the support of RADA and the KSAC."

Volunteers from various organisations and groups within the Harbour View community extended their time and labour to Harbour View Primary School, which started a beautification and maintenance project.

Lawrence Wright, principal of the school, pointed to the impact voluntary efforts have in facilitating nation building on a community level.

"It demonstrates that the school is a community institution, where all the stakeholders, parents, guardians and corporate bodies feel that efforts made in the school will make their community better," he said.

tendai.franklyn-brown@gleanerjm.com