Kingston, 2 May 2023 – The planting of ten thousand trees along Highway 2000 will be this year’s National Labour Day project.

The announcement was made this afternoon by the Prime Minister, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, at the launch of Labour Day 2023 at the Office of the Prime Minister.

The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, who leads the National Labour Day Planning Committee, said the majority of the trees would be planted in the vicinity of Hartlands in St Catherine.

The Minister said the work would be led by the Prime Minister with the support of the Forestry Department and the Jamaica Defence Force.

Mr Holness said the government decided to “put the focus on climate change, food security and road safety” for this Labour Day.

Highlighting the importance of trees in reducing the harmful effects of climate change, the Prime Minister said the government aims to “mobilise the nation in one action that we all can take — regardless of our circumstances — and that is to plant a tree.”

Mr Holness said that Labour Day would be used to re-ignite the country’s Three Million Trees Initiative which was started in 2019. Although the Initiative has been affected by the covid-19 pandemic, Mr Holness said that 2.5 million trees had already been planted. He said “if every Jamaican household were to decide to plant one tree” the Initiative could be completed on Labour Day. “Let’s do that,” urged Mr Holness.

The Forestry Department will make seedlings available to members of the public; and this will be coordinated through Municipal Corporations. Jamaicans are being encouraged to plant trees that are endemic to (or thrive in) their respective parishes.

The list of parishes and their endemic trees, as selected by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, is as follows:

Kingston - Yellow Poui
St Andrew - West Indian/Jamaican Mahogany
St. Thomas - Breadfruit
Portland - Water Mahoe
St. Mary - Annatto
St. Ann - Santa Maria
Trelawny - Gold Spoon
St. James - Cotton Tree
Hanover - Red Nickel
Westmoreland - Royal Palm
St. Elizabeth - Logwood
Manchester - Spice Wood
Clarendon - Brazilleto
St. Catherine - Lignum Vitae
Portmore - Scarlet Cordia

Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will be providing 15,000 assorted fruit seedlings to be distributed by all the parish offices of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority and the National Irrigation Commission. Fruit seedlings to be distributed include: ackee, carambola, jackfruit, guava, apple, naseberry, cashew, soursop, sweet sop, pomegranate, guinep, cherry and june plum.

Backyard farming kits will also be distributed to encourage home gardening in urban communities as part of the food security initiative.

Labour Day will also focus on road safety primarily through the creation of new and the repainting of existing pedestrian crossings in every parish.

The theme for Labour Day is ‘Plant a Tree for Life: Promoting Climate Change Mitigation, Food Security and Road Safety’.

Minister Grange has encouraged Jamaicans to register their projects on the Jamaica Information Service website or here.

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