THE Ministry of Public Telecommunications’ E-Government Department is set to establish an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) hub at the Ogle Community Centre, East Coast Demerara.

The development is expected to benefit scores of students and residents in Ogle and neighbouring communities.

The community centre’s Public Relations Officer Lalta Gainda, said before year-end, the hub is expected to become reality.

He told this publication that aside from providing much help for students, the hub will provide free computer training to interested residents.

According to the public relations officer, although the centre receives no subvention or government aid, it was able to execute several developmental projects through sponsorship from the business community.

One of those include an all-weather cricket practice area that is in the first phase of development.

“This will be developed into an international practice area with the requisite shed and facilities. The financing for these projects comes from the people within the community, since the current fees to run the centre are nominal,” he explained.

Gainda, who is a businessman by profession, said it is a challenge to find the time to develop the centre to its full potential, but he is always willing to work with others to achieve set goals and objectives.

“I have a personal interest, because this is where I born and grow up, I was at the age of seven when I was part of the boys club; this is more of a pleasure for me than it is anything else. I want to see this place develop into its full potential,” he said.

Since membership fees are nominal and cannot sustain the club as utility bills and basic services consume much of the funds, the businessman claims that many times he has contributed personal funds to the centre, so that the youths benefit.

Currently, a section of the bleachers is being refurbished from wood to concrete to ensure longer life and less cost for maintenance.

He explained that three of the club’s cricketers represented Guyana at the Under-15 level this year, while another made the national Under-17 squad, also this year.

During the recent August school holiday, the centre hosted a youth cricket academy which attracted over 70 participants from the community.