Dear Editor,

Kindly permit me space in Jamaica’s most informative and educational newspaper to pay tribute to the Christiana’s Ministers’ Fraternal and justices of the peace (JP) for honouring all the sanitation workers within the Christiana zone.

Recently, these two groups, headed by Reverend Sacha Lambert and JP Rueben Gray, spearheaded an awards and appreciation function for all the sanitation workers within the Christiana region. Over 40 sanitation workers, comprising street sweepers, garbage truck workers, drivers, and route supervisors, were given awards for their contribution towards the cleanliness and general aesthetics of Christiana.

As a resident of the area and a justice of the peace who played an incremental role in promoting and supporting this great initiative, I want to extend profound gratitude to all the organisers and donors who made it possible. Special commendation to JP Margaret Mills who went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that our sanitation workers felt appreciated, valued, and respected.

For too long, this set of workers were never shown the respect and appreciation befitting the importance of their jobs. In many respects, the general public see our sanitation workers as the rectum of the workforce and this initiative is a giant step towards changing that perception.

I want to publicly commend the JPs and ministers of religion within the Christiana region for conceptualising and orchestrating this commendable initiative. I am also appealing to the general public to become more appreciative and respectful towards our sanitation workers.

Let us endeavour to treat them as decent citizens with human dignity who are deserving of respect. The word is always love for our sanitation workers.

Andre’ A O Wellington

Justice of the Peace

Christiana, Manchester

andrewellington344@yahoo.com