The emphasis was on upgrading school buildings with groups across the country helping to clean, repaint or fix the classrooms. In one instance, members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) prepared a flower and vegetable garden.

Prime Minister Michael Manley helped build a house in an area of Kingston where a fire had left many homeless. Clean-up campaigns were run in several Portmore communities with many citizens chipping in to clean up the sidewalks.

'Unions urged to consider plight of unemployed' was the headline on May 23, 1983, after Governor General Sir Florizel Glasspole called for better relations between employers and employees.

As the labour movement celebrated its 45th year, the governor general challenged the organisations to be more aware of the national economy.

He said they must be concerned about the mass of the unemployed as well as their own welfare.

tree-planting exercise

May 29, 1993, saw the headline 'The nation labours today'. The country's leadership showed the way as Governor General Sir Howard Cooke took part in a tree-planting exercise and Prime Minister P.J. Patterson helped renovate the Maxfield Park Children's Home in east Westmoreland.

Flood-damaged areas of St Thomas were given donations for several projects by Goodyear of Jamaica Ltd who also contributed $10,000 for construction of a bus shed in Port Morant.

Several hospitals were beautified, including the cleaning and repainting of the Lionel Town Hospital by members of Blue Cross of Jamaica.

On May 24, 2003, The Gleaner published the story 'Islington Basic School gets Labour Day facelift.' Jamaicans from all walks of life collected tools and set to work on refurbishing the St Mary school. JDF soldiers and community workers spent two weeks repairing the roof, sanitary facilities, electrical systems and floor of the school while students were lodged in a nearby community centre.

Patterson took part in painting a section of the building.

In the story on May 19, 2008, entitled 'Gov't makes pitch for backyard gardening', The Gleaner quoted Olivia Grange as saying that the focus for Labour Day was "the common and necessary cause of food giving".

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority distributed 200,000 packets of seeds to schools nationwide, as Jamaicans were urged to plant vegetable crops as part of Labour Day.

"This Labour Day," the minister said, "we want our schools to become involved in establishing school gardens, nurseries and greenhouses. As adults, let us work side by side with our children and help them to invest their energies and drive in laying a foundation for a prosperous country."

- O.C.