10 community grounds in Better Hope/ LBI being upgraded

– ‘Pathway employment helping families, changing lives’ – Vice Chair

The Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport has been channelling significant investments into the upgrading of recreational facilities along the East Coast corridor, providing vital opportunities for the youth across villages.

Specifically, within the Better Hope/La Bonne Intention (LBI) Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), there are 10 community centre grounds, with four already undergoing significant upgrades.

Works on the remaining facilities are scheduled to be completed shortly.

NDC Chairman, Zaman Shaw emphasised the ongoing efforts to improve these facilities during a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI).

He highlighted the allocation of funds towards regular maintenance, levelling of grounds, installation of proper lighting, construction of washroom facilities, fencing, and the provision of pavilions for spectators during events.

“We have been directing a lot of those resources with help from central government to ensure that we maintain those facilities and make them easily accessible to the people,” Shaw stated.

He further noted the positive impact these upgraded facilities will have on youths, particularly those attending school, as they will now have designated spaces for participating in co-curricular activities.

Additionally, these improved amenities will help unleash the potential of youth within the villages, who often utilise the grounds for sports and recreational activities.

“Anybody traversing the East Coast would remember that the Better Hope Community Centre was in a deplorable condition. Now we have an excellent facility that is serving members of the public, especially the young people,” the NDC chair expressed.

The sum of $8.9 billion was approved by the Committee of Supply during this year’s budget estimates for the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport, with $1 billion earmarked specifically for the upgrade of sports grounds in each of the 10 administrative regions.

National pathway employment

Meanwhile, Vice Chair of the NDC, Haroon Khan emphasised the major role that the National Pathway Employment programme has been playing in the lives of residents, especially single parents since many of them are now earning an income to provide for their families.

Khan pointed out that there are currently over 50 persons throughout the Better Hope/LBI NDC who are gainfully employed under the programme.

“So, whether they are required to work at the schools, NDCs or health centres, they will fill in themselves there in whatever capacity they can work in. They work collectively to assist each other in the environments that they are placed in and they have been contributing significantly to the development of our villages,” the vice chair posited.

Currently, at the NDC, five pathway workers are helping in the operations of the council.