By Tracey Khan

SEVERAL young aspiring leaders from the “I am a big deal/ Miss Berbice Beauty and Empowerment Pageant” removed the glitz and glam associated with pageantry and teamed up with the police from Rose Hall outpost, the Mayor, workers of the Town Council and other youth, in a clean-up exercise of the country’s smallest town on February 18.

The initiative was not the traditional clean-up campaign that is executed across the country and was the brainchild of RD Production.

Royston Drakes targeted at-risk youth and used the exercise to encourage and involve them in creating positive changes within themselves and the town.
One of the youths Steve `Rudy’ Sukaloo who was living a life of crime explained that he was locked up several times for wrongdoings, but is thankful to Police Sergeant Philbert Wilburg, who took him under his wings.

“I am happy that I can help out the community and I am behaving myself because I was a mischievous youth man and [was] doing a lot of crime with friends but I’m glad like how I come off the street,” he said. “I hope [other young people like me] will come out… Sergeant Wilburg, I will always big him up because he always put me in the right way, although he locked me up a few times which is his work and I know I was wrong and accept it, but thank you.”

The focus of the RD Production is to empower youths which will result in a stronger community. The young people who were involved were elated to play a part in the exercise and are hopeful that more persons will contribute to the development of Rose Hall Town.
Sergeant Wilburg said under the Police Social Crime Prevention Programme they were delighted to embrace RD Production’s initiative which saw a surprising number of youths showing support.

“We are here to provide security but we know that youths are much more vulnerable in terms of getting themselves involved in crime so we want them to know that we intend to build a much safer community,” the Sergeant said. “They need to understand that life has a place for them and not to go on the other side. We have several programmes [planned] for 2018 in terms of getting youths active to stay away from drugs and crime.”
The Mayor, Mr. Vijay Ramoo, wants the exercise to become a regular one and applauded the efforts of the team.

“I am elated because I love when people come together and can do community work like this. This is very good and encouraging for the future and I want this to be done three times for the year, Mashramani, Independence and toward the Christmas season,” he said. “This might sensitise people to be conscious to keep their environment clean…I’m glad the police is on-board and I think more residents should come on-board in the future.”

One of the high points of the clean-up was when the youth decided that they will help the Police to decorate the outpost in their community.
Meanwhile, there was a celebration of love on Valentine’s Day through a small but significant gesture to mothers at the maternity and children wards of the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Delegates presented patients with roses and hampers which helped to cheer them up, despite being hospitalised and away from their families.
The initiative was supported by Nand Persaud Charity Foundation, Integrated Security Service, Extra Beer and Jumbo Jet Auto Sales.
The outreach is among several initiatives by the Miss Berbice Pageant team to give back and build stronger community relations in the region.

The team is hopeful that other groups will emulate their actions, spread love and give back to others regardless of the magnitude.
Allisha Rasheed, a representative of the Nand Persaud Charity Foundation shared her satisfaction with this initiative and committed to working with the Miss Berbice team throughout the year on similar ventures.

The foundation was recently launched to inspire change and help to eradicate social problems.
The event was well received by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital, Colin Bynoe, who commended the organisers and their partners for making the institution more hospitable for patients. He expressed gratitude and urged that the event becomes an annual one.