Spanish Town residents learn about opportunities in agriculture

THE National Housing Trust (NHT) Saturday staged a one-day workshop to inform and educate more than 200 residents from communities in Spanish Town about job opportunities available in agriculture.

The event was held at the Chedwin Gardens playfield in Spanish Town under the theme 'Make Money in Agriculture'. Several other local organisations also participated in the event.

"The purpose of the workshop was to get people to look at ways they could benefit and get themselves involved or earn from agriculture," said Wendy-Jo Williams, social development manager of the NHT.

According to Williams, too often people would sit back and say the government was not doing "enough".

"That is why we want people to realise that there are a number of options they can get involved in," said Williams, explaining that the move was part of efforts by the NHT to assist in getting people within the communities involved in positive activities.

Claud Sawyers, branch manager for Churches Co-operative Credit Union, Portmore branch -- one of the organisations that collaborated with the NHT -- welcomed the move, but said more of these programmes were needed in other areas.

"The aim of the credit union here today is to educate and to inform persons about the opportunities that are available for starting a business in agriculture, and it is (the credit union) the place that will offer interested persons the necessary capital to start this effort," Sawyers said.

Meanwhile, Carol Nelson, marketing and public education officer at Heart Trust, said her organisation was at the function to make residents aware of the many programmes available to them.

The importance of the message, it appeared, rang very close to home for Vil Joan, a pregnant woman from the Chedwin Gardens community.

"The work that is being carried out is very positive and I believe it will help a number of persons in the area such as myself," said Jones.

Another resident, Dorothy Georges, said she was happy about the programme.