GEORGETOWN Town Clerk Royston King recently held a meeting with workers of the Municipal Day Care Services, during which he stressed the importance of their services to the M&CC and to the citizens of Georgetown.He noted that the Day Care contributes to the social and economic functions of the family, since assistants play a crucial role in influencing the minds of the young ones; and Day Care staffers have an opportunity to impart core values such as discipline, respect, obedience and teamwork to the children they nurture and care for in the absence of their parents.

King said it is a popular belief that the Municipal Day Care services should be closed, since these have to be subsidised by the M&CC, but he feels that the Day Care services provided by the council should be extended to accommodate more children and to help parents in need of these services.

This suggestion was met with loud applause from the staffers.

He implored the staff to give of their best. “It is important to deliver a service of excellence,” King said.

The City Council manages five Day Care centres, located at Festival City; Bourda; Charlestown; East Ruimveldt; and Industrial Site, Ruimveldt. Total enrolment at all five of the Day Care centres stands at approximately 280 persons.

The South Road Care Centre was the first centre opened. It began operating in 1933 as part of the maternal and child welfare service to the citizens of Georgetown, and was established as a place for the care of the children of domestic servants.

It has remained the only child-care facility for over four decades. However, with the election of Ms Beryl Simon as Mayor, more emphasis was placed on child care, and a second centre was opened in East Ruimveldt in 1974. Also, in 1983, under the mayorship of Mavis Benn, another day care centre was opened in Charlestown.

Children of these Day Care centres are subdivided into age groups in a staff-to-child ratio, and their activities include routine resting, eating, health checks, and structured and unstructured play for early stimulation.

Parents are organised into parent/staff committees to help organise and implement programmes for children for the development of the centres. (Michel Outridge)