Thousands of youths to audit streetlights, street names
Published:Friday | August 11, 2017 | 12:00 AM
Come Monday, 2,300 youngsters islandwide are to be employed to audit the nation's more than 100,000 street lights.
Other aspects of the employment will see the auditing of streets, are not properly labelled, as well as the identification of vulnerable persons within communities who may require assistance during periods of natural disasters and other forms of emergency.
This was announced at the launch of the National Youth Summer Employment programme on Thursday at the Jamaica College Auditorium in St Andrew.
This initiative is specially designed to meet a key government priority, which is to facilitate the empowerment of Jamaican youths by creating opportunities for them through employment.
Conceptualised by Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie, the programme will run from August 14 to September 8, with workers being paid $16,000 every fortnight.
"Your contribution will go a far way in the latest initiative of changing out the old street light system and opting for energy efficiency in terms of proper lighting," said McKenzie.
"Your accounting mechanism of the number of street lights across the country that aren't working will help us to work closely with the Jamaica Public Service in improving the service and, most importantly, reducing the cost to the Government that we have to pay for street lights on an annual basis."
In launching the project, Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated that such a programme was key to restoring order, safety and security in the country.
He also declared confidence that Jamaica could transition to First-World status in this current youth generation.