Beetham Gardens residents tell Warner: Give us jobs to prevent crime

Residents of Beetham Gardens are claiming government neglect and are demanding jobs to prevent crime in their community. They told National Security Minister Jack Warner of their concerns during his tour of community centres in the area yesterday. Warner was accompanied by Community Development Minister Winston Peters to Beetham Gardens, Pelican Extension and Never Dirty, Morvant.

A resident told Warner something should be done immediately to ensure residents had money to spend as the Christmas season approaches. “Christmas is for children and people will get a little food to put on their table and so on,” he said pointing out that residents could benefit from the construction of the Beetham Community Centre.

“We want an employment level where you would not be hearing anybody gone in maxis and snatch this and snatch that, nothing so...We are trying to curb it, we are trying to curb everything,” he told Warner. The man said there were no Unemployment Relief Programme  (URP) projects in the area and suggested there should be an increase in CEPEP contracts.

The resident said Beetham residents were not about to engage in any fiery protests and supported Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. “We’re not going and block no road, we decide we ain’t going down that road,” he said. Warner replied: “Okay, all right” and left the tour before reporters were able to interview him. Peters said $23 million had been allocated to complete the centres and he was prepared to work with anyone, including Opposition MPs, to ensure the quality of lives of all citizens improved.