The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) is undertaking several projects on the island’s south coast, aimed at beautifying the area as well as creating employment for Jamaicans.

One such initiative is the $4 million beautification project at Milk River and the surrounding areas in Clarendon.

The project, which was implemented by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), received funding support through the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP).

Providing details on the initiative, Parks Manager at the NSWMA Donovan Solomon said the project is part of efforts to develop the ‘whole tourist product’ in Kingston, St Catherine and Clarendon.

“Once we improve the product at Milk River in terms of beautification and landscaping, the whole aesthetic beautification project takes you right into Milk River bath, where tourists and our locals can go and enjoy (themselves),” he said.

Work was undertaken on approximately 20 kilometres of roadway from York Town to Milk River in Clarendon, which involved the cutting of verges, among other things.

“This project entailed landscaping in three areas, first by the Garvey Maceo High School and down into the community, and from the community down to the police station,” he said.

He further informed that more than 70 people were employed to carry out the beautification project.

“No work was done on this roadway for many years, so we ended up having to do extensive work to clean the verges and all the debris that had been there for so many years,” he added.

Highlighting the significance of the project, Councillor for the Milk River Division Carlton Bailey said the beautification project is an important venture in the development of the area.

“Based on the fact that the Milk River hotel and spa is earmarked for development, we are of the opinion that the stretch of road leading towards it needs to be beautified and maintained. The community is receptive and they are loving it. When they were doing the bushing and the cleaning up, people were hailing it as something very good,” he said.

Parks manager at the NSWMA Donovan Solomon said there has been positive feedback from residents about the project.

“It has been well received. When we were doing the landscaping, the community people came out and (supported the project),” he said.

Solomon said most of the residents have adopted the plants that are in front of their homes with a view to maintaining them.

“The police have adopted their area also and the school has adopted the trees as well,” he said.

JEEP is one of the Government’s strategies geared at countering chronic unemployment among some Jamaicans, particularly those in lower socio-economic groups.

It also provides employment for persons with special needs, as well as those with low skill levels.

The JEEP, now in its third phase, has already provided over 40,000 Jamaicans with employment opportunities.