The Social Development Commission (SDC) research day and St Mary creative art and skill festival held at Claude Stewart Park, Port Maria has been hailed as a success as persons from St. Ann, St Mary and Portland who have been involved in the Local Economic Support Programme (LEDSP) participated with various produce on display and for sale.
The day also involved workshops, demonstrations and research including possible solutions to economic woes in rural communities so that they can become viable. The research looked at data mapping of communities with their profiles including population, education, unemployment, poverty distribution and challenges with the possible solutions for youth and adult up-liftment in the use of indigenous material for eco-tourism projects.
The research revealed the main challenges in the parishes St. Mary — fire; Portland — Health, pre-teen delivery, and St Ann — unemployment . The possible solutions stated were: Portland — eco-tourism, bird sanctuary, agro industry in utilizing waste fruits; St. Mary – agriculture, bamboo, utilization of the rivers for social events and tours, and St. Ann — bamboo production and utilization of the human resource in the rural areas.
