East Bank Berbice residents sensitised about benefits of collaboration

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DPI, Guyana, Monday, September 17, 2018

Residents of Highbury and surrounding East Bank Berbice communities were informed about the benefits of working together. This was during a sensitisation programme hosted by the Ministry of Social Cohesion at the Indian Arrival Centre.

Technical Officer Natasha Singh-Lewis told the residents that diversity within communities should be used to strengthen partnerships and build relationship among themselves.

“I am here to tell you because we are different, we are stronger and if we see our diversity as our strengths then we would be able to promote equal opportunity and equity,” the Technical Officer stated.

She added that as part of building cohesion within communities, the ministry dedicates a large portion of its National Budget towards education. This is done via sensitisation programmes, diversity and inclusive education sessions within various schools and communities countrywide specifically targeting young people.

Newly appointed Commander of ‘B’ Division Clifton Hicken, in brief remarks, said that he is very committed to the development of young people. He spoke of the many ways the community can collaborate to nurture young people, noting that if there is to be unity, then there is the need to go back to the days “when it took a community to raise a child.”

“If we are speaking of cohesiveness and community development, then if there is a parent who cannot afford to send his/her child to school, the community must come to their assistance and ensure that the child is afforded the opportunity to attend school learning,” Commander Hicken said.

Residents described the session as very informative. Fay Chisholm said, “it helped us to realise that working together we can achieve great things. United we stand but divided we fall and many hands make work light.”

Reginald Cort, another participant echoed similar sentiments. “At least I have an idea about cohesion and what it is all about. It is about bringing the community together. I appreciate what the government is doing now because if we bring the community together, we will have fewer issues in our community. All we need to do is just cooperate”, Cort stated.

The participants are urging that more community sessions be held so that others can learn to resolve issues without conflict.

A similar exercise was held in Craig on the East Bank Demerara and encouraged to build relationships.

The residents there were urged “to use this activity as a model to illustrate the positivity’s that emerge when people from different backgrounds, beliefs, religious and political affiliation work together to achieve a common goal.”

These exercises are part of a series of sensitisation programmes being conducted countrywide by the Ministry of Social Cohesion.

By: Isaiah Braithwaite.

Image: Jules Gibson/Leon Leung.

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