HEART trainees helping to restore Jakes Hotel

A team of 25 HEART/NSTA Trust trainees is helping to advance restoration efforts at Jakes Hotel in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth.

The hotel was badly hit during the passage of Category Five Hurricane Melissa on October 28. The trainees were deployed on December 2 from three Southwest TVET Institute campuses - Black River and Derrick Rochester (Junction) in St Elizabeth, and Newport in Manchester. They are pursuing programmes in general construction, industrial electrical maintenance and plumbing.

Chairman of Jakes Hotel and Founder and Chairman of BREDS Treasure Beach Foundation, Jason Henzell, told JIS News that BREDS has been fortunate to have had a partnership with HEART, through the Treasure Beach Skills Training Institute for the past seven years.

"After the hurricane, director Dwayne Bent reached out to me and said that several of the HEART locations and venues had been damaged and that a lot of the students needed work experience and asked if I would be open to some work experience - an internship, to which I agreed immediately," he said.

Within a few days, he said a team from HEART met with the contractors to discuss safety and the expectations of the students, among other things.

"I'm pleased to say that they have joined our team. I think that they're learning a lot. I also think that they're of great help to us. So, you know, it's a win-win situation," he said, noting that they are working alongside four contractors to repair the 32-room property.

The trainees will work under the guidance and supervision of engineers and technical experts for a minimum of two weeks, ensuring they gain hands-on experience aligned with national industry standards.

HEART NSTA/Trust Deputy Managing Director with responsibility for National Training, Dr Cheryl McLaughlin, underscored that the entity's commitment extends beyond standard training, noting that it is also about national service and strategic investment in human capital.

"The devastation from Hurricane Melissa has presented an urgent need for skilled labour, which our trainees who are being deployed to Jakes Hotel are now directly addressing. The trainees are not just learning, they're actively contributing to critical infrastructure repairs," she said.

Henzell said the hotel will partially reopen on December 18 and is targeting a full reopening by the end of January 2026.