NiCE Project 2016 ends on a high note

The National Community Enhancement Project (NiCE) positively impacted the well-being of almost 600 individuals and their families just before Christmas 2016.

The programme offered up to three weeks of paid work to the unemployed. It deployed a total of 19 work teams assigned to two public sector agencies: Public Works Department (PWD), Department of Environmental Health (DEH) and a statutory authority, the National Roads Authority (NRA).

These teams undertook extensive roadside and beach access cleanups, as well as beautification and refurbishment projects across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac.

The now complete schedule of works resulted in significant improvements to the physical appearance and functionality of dozens of public spaces and facilities.

The 2016 project lead was the Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs, with support from the Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Community Affairs, Youth and Sports.

A high degree of co-ordination and collaboration between agencies characterised the initiative. In addition to deciding current and projected materials, tools and equipment needs, agencies also worked together to allocate labour, assess health and safety demands, as well as ensure a comprehensive clerical backup including human resources administration.

Minister for Employment, Hon. Tara Rivers said, “2016’s NiCE project has built on the 2015 scheme. I understand that the work assignments were completed on time and to a high standard by the programme’s ad hoc labour force, which is a testament to the hard work of participants involved in the project.”

“It also speaks volumes as to the ingenuity of departmental managers and staff whohad to co-ordinate the project while maintaining their existing workforces and schedules,” the Minister added.

Programme organisers have compiled costs of the initiative for Cabinet and participants’ performance indicators for the National Workforce Development Agency.

The Public Works Department (Parks, Cemeteries and Beaches) under the management of Mark Bothwell, employed 174 individuals in five district teams. These groups were tasked principally with sprucing up Crown lands, facilities and several overgrown or obscured beach accesses.

The National Roads Authority under the management of Brian Chin Yee signed up 174 workers, which it also put into three district teams. As well as undertaking comprehensive roadside cleanups and road marking, an additional NRA team worked in concert with PWD where possible improving beach access.

The Department of Environmental Health under the management of Mark Rowlands employed 201 workers at the landfill and dispatch area, as well as assisting with clearing beach accesses. Work undertaken at the island’s two solid waste facilities, run by the DEH, included painting, landscaping and improving drainage systems.

“Clearing over 32 beach accesses was a particularly satisfying outcome of this project, and addressed something that has been an issue of concern to me for some time now” said Hon. Kurt Tibbetts, Minister of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure.

Mr. Tibbetts went on to describe the project as, “a successful initiative aimed at enhancing public access to Cayman’s beautiful beaches.”

District Administration also employed 44 unemployed persons as part of the project.

Another significant highlight of the 2016 programme is that at least seven persons will gain the opportunity for long-term employment with an initial three-month contract to work in the Government’s new recycling facility.

Project Co-ordinator, Peter Gough, stated that he “was pleased that the project was completed smoothly, had achieved its objectives and had come in under budget, he thanked overall Project Manager Levi Allen, “for a job well done.”

(GIS)

Captions:

Beach access before:

An overgrown beach access before it was cleared.

Beach access after:

The same beach access after a team of NiCE project workers had cleared it.

Trash collected:

Acres of land were cleared and tons with of trash collected.

Crown property north:

Litter was cleared from roadsides and areas such as from Crown property near the Queens Highway.

Nice landfill:

Teams of NiCE undertook a variety of tasks at the George Town Landfill.

Nice trash:

The three-week programme collected tons of trash and scrub.