Bahamas Information Services Updates
Temporary Employees urged to be Professionals
By Kathryn Campbell,BIS
Feb 5, 2010 - 11:27:32 AM

Minister of Public Works and Transport the Hon Neko Grant speaks to some of the 150 people hired under the Government’s Temporary Employment Program on February 3. (BIS photo/Letisha Henderson)

Nassau, Bahamas - Public Works and Transport Minister the Hon Neko C Grant urged the 150 employees hired under the Ministry’s Temporary Job Employment Program to represent the Ministry in a “professional” manner.

“All of you will be provided an identification card that will clearly indicate that you are a part of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport’s Temporary Employment Program,” Mr Grant said.

“I wish to remind you that when you go out into the communities to participate in the various projects you represent the Ministry, and as such it is expected that you will conduct yourself in a professional manner and provide an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.”

Mr Grant delivered the keynote address during an orientation ceremony on February 3. Among those in attendance were Nicole Campbell, Undersecretary; Gordon Major, Acting Director; Bruce Walker, Deputy Permanent Secretary and Ursula Chisholm, Human Resources Manager.

The Government’s six-months national job program is designed to create 2,500 temporary jobs throughout The Bahamas.

Employees in the program will be assigned to projects including street naming, house numbering, repairs to cemeteries and maintenance of Government buildings.

Mr Grant explained that those employees who are assigned to the street signing project will conduct field surveys throughout New Providence to identify unnamed streets, confirm streets that are named and produce and install street signs.

Public Works and Transport Minister the Hon Neko Grant gives the keynote address on February 3 at an orientation ceremony organized by the Ministry for the Government’s Temporary Job Program. (BIS photo/Letisha Henderson)

Some will be assigned to inputting information collected from the survey into a searchable electronic database for archiving purposes and for use in researching names for new roads, he said.

Those assigned to the house-numbering project will use existing maps to conduct field surveys to determine the correct numbers for the houses on a particular street and apply those numbers to the buildings.

Mr Grant said phase one of the street naming and house numbering exercises include the southeastern portion of New Providence that is bounded by Robinson Road/Prince Charles Drive in the north, East street in the west, Fox Hill Road in the east and the sea in the south.

“The house numbering exercise requires you to access private property to install assigned numbers on the buildings.

You are therefore requested to dress appropriately, to always wear your Ministry identification and to conduct yourself in a professional manner to ensure the public’s support and cooperation in this exercise,” Mr Grant said.

He warned the employees to be cautious when applying the numbers to the houses and not to damage the buildings or other personal property of the residents or owners.

Mr Grant pointed out that those assigned to the cemeteries will be engaged in repairs to damaged curbing of tombs, replacement of missing slabs and patching and painting of perimeter walls. Cemeteries included in this exercise are Old Trail, Southern, Eastern and Fox Hill cemeteries.

Some of the employees will be involved in projects related to the beautification and painting of Government buildings.