Faced with a vast portfolio of responsibilities and ongoing initiatives, the Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure (PLAHI) recently held its first staff retreat.

On Friday, 13^th November 2015, the Ministry’s management and administrative staff left the office to work on a community service project and team-building, combined with a focus on personal relaxation and rejuvenation.

The team spent the morning outdoors painting and beautifying West Bay Cemetery. As the Ministry is responsible for cemeteries it was an easy matter for officials to identify the site as a community service project.

PLAHI staff used the resources of the Recreation, Parks and Cemeteries Unit to scrape and paint some older graves, and perform a general cleaning of the surrounding area – including the popular Cemetery Beach and the roadsides by the West Bay Fire Station.

Later that afternoon an “ice-breaker” at a local resort encouraged staff to focus on their mental and physical health and wellness.

Chief Officer Alan Jones was the driver behind this teambuilding initiative. Back in office the following week, he asserted that staff still displayed the benefits of a refreshed outlook. Plans are already being discussed for another such working retreat to be held mid-2016.

Some projects presently that the Ministry of Planning is presently undertaking include the George Town Revitalisation Project as well as the National Food and Nutrition Security Policy.

Photo Credits:  Lennon Christian / GIS

Ministry officials and staff participate in clean-up and beautification of West Bay Cemetery and picturesque Cemetery Beach.