KINGSTON, Jamaica – The National Labour Day project for 2025 will focus on the establishment of the Environmental and Research Park at Maison River in Clarendon.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange made the announcement Tuesday during a statement in the House of Representatives.

“Maison River is an area of environmental awareness and protection that has gained international recognition over time. In 2022, the area was designated a Protected National Heritage Area under the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act (1991) and a Protected National Heritage Site under the Jamaica National Heritage Trust Act (1985),” said Grange.

She shared that the site was also declared a Game Sanctuary in 1998 under the Wildlife Protection Act (1945). More recently, in 2011, the site gained recognition as a wetland of international significance, becoming Jamaica’s fourth Ramsar Site under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

“These designations underscore the property’s national significance as a heritage area, rich and unique in biodiversity as well as for the vital ecosystem services it provides. The Maison River Protected Area plays an essential role in the lives and livelihoods of surrounding and wider communities, offering numerous ecosystem services, including water regulation, carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling, biodiversity support, as well as providing recreational and cultural value,” Grange outlined.

Meanwhile, Workers Week will commence with a church service on Sunday, May 18 at the Holiness Christian Church at Port Henderson Road, Portmore, St Catherine beginning at 9:30 am. It will conclude with Labour Day on Monday, May 26.

With the focus being on the environment, the theme for the week is ‘Protect the Environment: Our Land, Our Duty, Our Future’.

The slogan is ‘Jamaica Nice, Protect Wi Paradise’.