In the last year the Ministry of Community Development has opened eight new or refurbished community centres, trained over 9,000 persons in skills development and is scheduled to open 11 more new solar-powered facilities throughout T&T in the upcoming months.
Making the announcement was Community Development Minister Winston Peters. He was speaking at the formal commissioning of the refurbished $2.2 million community centre at Centenary Street, Tunapuna, on Thursday. He later cut the ribbon to officially open the facility.
"One of the major programmes of my ministry is the Community Centres Construction and Refurbishment Programme," Peters said. He added: "Over the last fiscal year, the Community Development Division, with the help of the National Commission for Self Help Limited, opened the doors of eight new or refurbished community facilities, including those at Sister's Road, Second Caledonia and Roystonia, Couva.
"Through skill-building programmes like the Community Education Programme, over 9,000 persons were trained earlier this year at over 300 locations." He added that community groups also had access to funding under the Ministry's Community Action for Revival and Empowerment (CARE) and the Community Development Fund.
Peters said in the last quarter, the ministry had invested over $1.1 million in community programmes. He said for the upcoming months several community centres were earmarked for commissioning in Cocorite, Patna Village, Calvary Hill, Jerningham Junction and Vessigny.
He told the audience 11 of the newly-constructed centres also would be outfitted with solar-powered security lights that would directly reduce the energy costs that community centres incurred. The state of the art Tunapuna centre boasts the following amenities: Auditorium with a teak stage; a modern kitchen and serving area; washrooms; changing rooms; gymnasium and a computer room.
At the ceremony, Peters, Legal Affairs Minister Prakash Ramadhar and Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation chairman Khadijah Ameen also presented awards to outstanding members of the Tunapuna community. They were Ruth Antoine, Peter Lashley Bailey, Vernon Bain, Gary Garnes, Earl Phillips and Edward Ramesar
Also present at the event were permanent secretary in the Community Development Ministry Donna Ferraz, Tunapuna Community Council secretary Patrice Fortune and Terrence Graham.