Principal of Tydixon All-Age School in St. Catherine, Lloyd Hines, was honoured for giving 10 years of service to the institution, and a total of 44 years to the teaching profession,at a function held Wednesday at his school.

Several persons paid tribute to the veteran educator, who goes on pre-retirement leave at the end of the current school year. Those in attendance included education officer from the Ministry of Education and Youth's Region Six office, Patricia Perry, and former Member of Parliament for the area, Robert Pickersgill.

- Elgin Taylor

Mayor of Savanna-la-Mar, Delford Morgan, speaking at the monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Parish Council, said on Thursday that the parish Labour Day thanksgiving service would be held at the St. Barnabas Anglican Church, George's Plain, on Sunday, May 20, commencing at 10:30 a.m.

On the matter of the parish project, he said these would include the clean-up and beautification of Tate's Cemetery, the beautification of the Guyottey Park, and the documentation of Westmoreland's history. Some 18 other projects will be going on across the parish.

- Junior Grandison

Agrofest 2007, the premier agricultural and industrial show for Kingston and St. Andrew, promises to be a grand event this year, with impressive displays of farm produce and an exciting entertainment package guaranteed to please the entire family.

"We are mixing agriculture with festival and fun," said Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) President, Senator Norman Grant, at the launch of the event on Wednesday at St. Judes Church Hall in Stony Hill. An annual event of the Kingston and St. Andrew Associations of Branch Societies of the JAS, Agrofest 2007 will be held on May 26 at Jamaica College under the theme 'Advancing Rural and Economic Development through Agriculture'.

- JIS

Albert Stewart, retired superintendent of roads and works at the Westmoreland Parish Council, handed over a package of books and other educational materials to Ezekiel Clarke, the current superintendent of roads and works.

Stewart received these materials whenhe went on a two-week training course in Miami, Florida in 2005. The training course relates to the international building code which will be adopted by countries across the world. The handing over took place at the monthly meeting of the Westmoreland parish council, held at the St. George's Anglican Church Hall, Savanna-la-Mar on Thursday.

- Junior Grandison

Following several periodic demonstrations by the residents of Slipe, over the poor state of the main road leading from the area to Santa Cruz, the St. Elizabeth parish council has started marling the road despite no funds having been granted by the Ministry of Local Government and Environment to repair the road.

This was disclosed by chairman of the council and Mayor of Black River, Franklyn Witter, while speaking at the monthly general meeting of the agency in Black River recently.

"While we are yet to receive any funding from the Ministry of Local Government and Environment, we are doing what we can," Mr. Witter told the meeting. "So far we have marled a section of the road. The marling that we did on the road should be seen as part of the efforts to have the Slipe road repaired."

- Rayon Dyer

The second phase of the $1.6 million Bluefields People's Community Association computer project got under way recently with some 125 youth at risk from eastern and central Westmoreland, benefiting from training in information and communication technologies (ICT).

The project, which is being supported by local and international organisations, is being carried out under the theme: 'Youth inclusion through information and communication technologies' and involves youngsters, age 17 to 25 years, engaged in training for up to 10 weeks. Courses offered include fundamentals of computer/ Internet, word processing, excel, web design, digital media and presentation skills.