Community Centres have their value

Dec 05, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

It is a given that community centres, village halls and other local venues are at the heart of many communities. So, who can complain when it comes to the Sophia Community Centre project? I can feel the positive vibes already, as the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development just signed a $13.6 million contract with the North Sophia Community Development Council (CDC), to create its own space, in terms of a Community Centre, for those in the area, so that family and friends will get the chance to really connect.

First, I remind people that Community Centres are important hubs across any country, as they provide citizens opportunities to socialise, learn and access key services. Some may argue that these Centres aren’t seen as desirable places to spend time, but the truth is that they serve a vital function in bringing people together. No doubt, we’re living in challenging times that require us all to pull together, and this is where this Sophia venture will prove of great value. The word is that the execution of the project will be undertaken solely by members of the community with supervision from the Ministry. This alone will help in unifying people, and also add that dimension of pride in taking charge. It gets better, as I see that labour and materials for the project will also be sourced from within the community. This, as we know, is in keeping with the government’s repeated commitment to providing employment opportunities for all. Overall, it is a win-win situation from beginning to end.

Secondly, the PPP/C Government means business in its effort to bring people together in a most non-discriminatory manner. I get the distinct impression that this centre will be maximized for all kinds of cohesive and socialising events, in the areas of sports, religion, and recreation etc. and for all ages too. This is an opportunity for connectivity for people from all walks of life, to demonstrate how wonderfully they can all work, play and just about do anything together. Afterall, the ‘One Guyana’ theme is about gelding race, age, gender, class, education and other protected characteristics, used in the past to seclude and separate people. For example, the Blairmont and Skeldon’s Community Development Centres were dominant in serving educational needs at one time, and many sporting heroes originated from them and the others across the country. So, since the Government is all bent on bringing ‘Quality and Unity of Life’ to all Guyanese, then I can hardly wait for all of the existing Community Centres to be refurbished.

Yours truly,

H. Singh

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