UDC Labour Day project delivers $1.7m upgrade at Ferry Basic School

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Ferry Basic School in St Andrew is set to welcome back students to upgraded facilities after a Labour Day project led by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and partner organisations.

The work covered several areas of the school compound. Repairs were done to the roof, sections of the structure were strengthened, the kitchen was demolished and rebuilt, and the play area received landscaping and playground improvements.

Crews also cleaned drains, addressed plumbing issues, built two bathroom vanities, repainted parts of the property, and carried out other renovation tasks. Corrugated steel mesh was also placed over drainage sections to make the grounds safer for students and staff.

UDC Customer Service Manager Diane Hanson told JIS News that the effort was part of the agency’s corporate Labour Day programme. She said about $1.7 million was spent on corrective and upgrade work at Ferry Basic School.

“We recognised that when we came here, the kitchenette, for example, was not functioning and we realised that our children having a warm meal for lunch is important instead of just having snacks,” Hanson said.

“What we have done is to carry out repair works in the kitchen. We actually rebuilt the cabinets and put in the necessary infrastructure to make sure that when we leave here today, they have a functioning kitchen and our children can enjoy a very warm meal daily,” she added.

Hanson said Ferry Basic School was chosen for the 2026 Labour Day project because it is close to the Raintree Development Complex, one of the UDC’s major projects.

On Labour Day, May 25, Hanson joined Junior Civil Engineer Kuffy-Hi Smith and Landscape Supervisor Christopher Cole, both of the UDC, in painting a section of the school. Ferry Basic School was one of several schools and community spaces that received rehabilitation support from the UDC and its partners for Labour Day.