$4.7M multi-purpose centre commissioned at Tigerbone/Banakari

A $4.7 Million Multi-purpose Community Centre was officially commissioned on Saturday in Tigerbone/Banakari located along the along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway.

The project, realised through the combined efforts of Community Support Officers (CSOs) and other villagers, was funded by the Presidential Grant and the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) programmme.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McCoy emphasized that the new facility represents the government’s ongoing commitment to developing communities along the highway, ensuring that residents have easier access to basic services and programmes..

“This [building] was not here three years ago. And so, this is building [is a symbol of] how far you have come and what you have achieved,” the minister affirmed.

Minister McCoy urged residents to take care of the building, highlighting the importance of the facility for the community’s growth and development.

“It allows the community to have an additional facility in which it can lead to the development of talents and use for meetings and other purposes,” Minister McCoy stated.

Vice Chairman of the Hararuni/Yarrowkabra Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), Rohan Pillay, told residents that community cohesion is vital for sustainable development along the highway.

“One of the things I would like to see personally is that we come to together to spread that message of cohesion so that we can continue to build our communities along the highway,” the vice chairman told the gathering.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Community Development Council (CDC) for the village, James Williams noted that the centre would be highly beneficial, as many activities were previously held at the village’s pavilion.

“All that the President said on the campaign trail, all of it is coming through for our village. And I am so happy about that,” Williams expressed.

Construction of the centre began in 2021 with funding from the Presidential Grant and was completed with support from the LCDS.

The building measures 30 feet by 40 feet and includes a hall, kitchen, community office, and a room for the village’s assets, such as sports equipment and other items.