THE Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Re-integration, at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice, which was commissioned on August 10, last year, is expected to be occupied by mid-September.

This was according to Mr. Wentworth Tanner, Director of Social Services, who added that “almost” everything is in place for the centre to begin serving the less fortunate persons it was built to accommodate.
The centre was expected to begin accommodating homeless persons by the end of August, 2013, and was expected to cater for the accommodation of 100 males and 80 females.
At the opening ceremony, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Patrick Findlay, explained that a careful selection process is at present being undertaken that will involve a close examination of the mental states of the occupants that are to be housed at the facility,
Also in February this year, the Human Services and Social Security Minister, Jenifer Webster, said some 80 homeless persons have already been identified and evaluated by the ministry to take up residence at the facility.
The Hugo Chavez Centre for Rehabilitation and Re-integration constructed with US$2M funding from Venezuela comes with recreational, medical, kitchen, conference room, training and dining facilities. Also, a section of the land space is dedicated to meaningful occupation of residents in agricultural practices.
Construction of the facility started in January 2010 and was billed for commissioning in May during the visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic, ElíasJaua Milano, but was postponed because of unforeseen circumstances.
The commissioning came five months after the death of Venezuela’s much respected President Hugo Chavez, after whom the facility was named.

(Vanessa Narine)