LAST Tuesday, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, acting on behalf of the Government of Guyana, presented the Salvation Army with a cheque worth more than $16M, to be used for the expansion of its ongoing drug rehabilitation programme. The money had been promised the Salvation Army some time ago to aid in rehabilitating a building on Water Street, Kingston, Georgetown to house persons who are enrolled in the Salvation Army’s programmes.
The cheque was presented to the present Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Salvation Army, Mr Edward Boyer, who told this newspaper that its receipt was very timely because it is urgently needed for the continued workings of the Salvation Army and to put in place systems and infrastructure to properly serve those enrolled with the drug rehab programme.

Boyer said the Salvation Army had raised funds to rehabilitate its building on Water Street, and this Government assistance would enable the completed structure to house more persons than are currently catered for, besides seeing modernization of the gym and other facilities provided by the programme.
He said rehabilitation of the building can no longer be postponed, since the last time the building had any extensive work done on it was in the late 90s. He also pointed to the round-the-clock attention usually given to persons on drug rehab.

The building in question is the property of the Salvation Army, but since the Government of Guyana has no established programme to deal with drug use and abuse, it provides financial and other support for operations of that religious organization, which serves citizens all across Guyana.

Partnership between the organization and the Government of Guyana is nothing new, since the government has constantly supported the workings of the SA.

Government mainly focuses on ensuring the building is kept in good and habitable condition, hence the assistance for its rehabilitation and expansion.
But despite the millions handed over to the organization, there is still need for more money to complete rehabilitation of the building.

Boyer said the overall cost for rehabilitating the building and for fitting and upgrading its facilities amounts to more than twenty million dollars; and the church would have to raise additional funds needed, even as it approaches its headquarters in Jamaica. Boyer said the input of the Government of Guyana is vital and necessary.

The building in Water Street that is being used by the organization is, according to Boyer, a half-building which, when completed, will house more persons than it currently does.

Boyer said that while the Salvation Army is doing its part to minimize and eradicate cases of drug and substance use and abuse, there is still a lot more which needs to be done, since the practice is destroying the society.

He said that, in the past, the organization received funding from the British High Commission and the Head Office in Jamaica, but that was in the early stages of the programme. Those funds have since dried up, and it is now up to the Salvation Army to put in place systems to ensure that it sustains the programmes it is running.

Boyer is of the view that the programmes will continue to run, and he registered his appreciation for the many other programmes being run by various organizations similarly engaged.

He called on Guyanese who are in position to help not to hesitate, while assuring that their monies would be well spent and accounted for.
He said the Salvation Army is subject to financial and other audits twice a year, and those audits are conducted by personnel from the Head Office in Jamaica.