MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport, Frank Anthony, last Monday handed over the warrant for the grant for rehabilitation works on 21 community centres in Region Five.

Speaking to villagers at the Bath Community Centre, West Coast Berbice, Dr. Anthony said community representatives for the projects over the last two years started the project eagerly but after a while became slack, placing the project in a calamitous state.
“The challenge that we have had over the last two years was that a lot time requests were made but then for some reason the committee in charge would stop functioning,” he said.
“Therefore, we have tightened up the procedures and we are disbursing the money to the Regional Democratic Councils (RDC) and they would work with the contractor in the region to make sure that this thing is properly done so that we don’t repeat some of the problems we had in the past,” he remarked.
“We are partnering with the RDC so that we can make sure everything is done properly,” he reiterated, asserting that he would be meeting with the project representatives for each centre by the end of the year to evaluate the progress of the rehabilitation.
The projects are scheduled to be completed ‘hopefully’ by the end of 2013 and it is part of the Government of Guyana initiative to renovate community centres across the country, for which $300M was passed in the Budget this year, so that the countrywide project can be under way.
There were 160 submissions from various communities across the country for the rehabilitation of their community centres, but only 155 were selected to be given grants.
In addition to the 21 grounds that will receive grants from the Ministry in the first phase of the project, another three centres are under consideration for reconstruction in the second phase, added Dr Anthony, who said he would be pleased to see ‘active’ management committees established for each community centre so that the affairs of grounds would be supervised efficiently.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Alfred King also reiterated Dr Anthony’s plea for a management committee.
“It is not just about developing the facilities, it is about utilising them, maximising the opportunities and bringing young people to use them,” he said, adding that he was overjoyed by the villagers’ response to the project and eagerness to participate.
“I look forward (to) working with you and delivering these projects on time and in keeping with the quality expected.”
Region Five would be charged with the job, he said, for monitoring the project in individual communities. “No financial releases would be made unless that contract is designed and signed,” he added, stating that there was need for stricter monitoring of the grants.
The 21 grounds that will be receiving grants are Blairmont Settlement Sports Club, Shieldstown Sports Club, Block D Phase 3 Bath, Mortice Sports ground, Bath Community Centre, No. 5 Village Sports Club, Esau and Jacob Sports Ground – Phase, Mahaicony Community Centre, Fairfield Community Centre.
Also on the list are Bush Lot Sports Club, Calcutta Community Centre, Seafield Sports Club, Paradise Sports Club, Rosignol Community Centre, Hopetown Community Centre, No.8 Village Community Centre, No.7 Mangrove Site Building Woodley Park Sports Club, Karamath School ground, Gordon Table School ground and Woodlands/Farm District – De-Hoop Manila.