The issue over the development of a community ground at De Kinderen, West Coast of Demerara, has been resolved, the Department of Public Information (DPI) has reported.
Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr George Norton, and Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, yesterday afternoon, met with the residents of De Kinderen, to address the development of a community ground into a multipurpose facility.
Last August during a community meeting that was attended by Norton, the residents had called for the establishment of a multi-purpose centre and playground in the area to support talented youths. The minister at the time reminded the residents that the government had already committed $7.7 million for the development of the Boerasirie community ground. In addition, some residents had suggested that the plot of land on which the old GuySuCo’s “Pay Office” was situated, be converted since it had suitable space for such a facility.
According to Minister Norton, there seemed to have been some issues among some residents regarding which of the facilities the money should be invested in.
“Some wanted, rather than the Boerasirie ground, the pay office ground to be done. And they did not want to continue with the Boerasirie,” Dr Norton explained.
However, since the money was already allocated to develop the Boerasirie ground, the minister said the work will continue, but that the other ground will also be developed.
Director-General Harmon explained to residents that monies have already been allocated for the development of the Boerasirie ground, and the contract has already been signed and explained that to change that now, would be to induce a lengthy process.
“If we want to change this, what it would mean is that it would have to go back to the Ministry of Communities which will have to get permission from the Ministry of Finance to apply this money to anything else,” Harmon was quoted as saying.
He added the process could take a while and the community could eventually lose the money while awaiting the changes as the end of the year is swiftly approaching.
In the final analysis, the minister asserted that “This money is being allocated and, in my view, it should be spent for that purpose”, which was met with agreement by the residents.
According to the DPI, work on the Boerasirie ground will commence next week, while residents will start the clearing of the “pay office” ground the following week.
