The Alpart Community Council has adopted a business approach to generating income and employment projects with the aim of funding community development in its operating area.
The Council, which represents some 45 districts around Alpart’s operations in St. Elizabeth, formed a business unit in the latter part of last year officially named ‘Essex Valley & Associates. It will operate on a non-profit basis to facilitate community projects in the basket parish.
Speaking in an interview with The Gleaner on Wednesday, January 7, Apart’s public relations manager, Lance Neita, said that the Council also last year secured a lease from Alpart on a 56-acre Orchard Farm located at Baalbec, and is gradually converting it into a marketing base for fruit processing and sales outlets in the parish.
“The Farm, which was developed by Alpart with over 3,000 fruit trees was extended in July to accommodate a further 16 acres planted out with 1,000 june plum trees donated by the Ministry of Agriculture” he said.
The business unit has gotten the support of Alpart’s Managing Director, Alberto Fabrini who has described it as “an outstanding example of an industry/community partnership with a goal of providing sustainable growth opportunities for community development.”
The Community Council itself was established in 1994 as a forum for constructive communication between Alpart and its operating areas regarding the resolution of issues affecting both company and community.
It has gradually evolved into an organization aimed at establishing mutual understanding and support between the two entities, as well as seeking to develop economic and social projects undertaken in partnership with Alpart, says Council Chairman Lenworth Blake.
Blake points out that the process towards development was moved along by the registration of the Council as a Non Government Organization NGO in 2004.
The chairman said that in forming the business unit last year the company and Council were being proactive by seeking ways to generate funds with all returns going to the Council’s community development fund on a non-profit basis. He also said that in preparation for this move the Council has sponsored leadership seminars and training programme for its members in project writing and project implementation.
Council members have also been proactive in working on a number of educational, agricultural and hurricane relief projects in partnership with Alpart.
Minister of Education Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton visited the Orchard Farm in November and said he was impressed with the progress of the Council.
