–during ministerial outreach

IN advancing the government’s people-centred agenda, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister Kwame McCoy, and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond met with residents of ‘B’ Field Sophia and surrounding areas.
They were accompanied by personnel from the Board of Industrial Training (BIT).
At the meeting, which was hosted at the ‘B’ Field Community Centre Ground on Saturday, the ministers addressed the concerns of residents, and encouraged them to tap into the training opportunities being offered by the government.
“We have to all work together with you to make sure that we can bring our youth on board, and to guide them in the right direction, through the programmes of the GOAL scholarship; and there is the GROW programme. Through the BIT programme; through all the programmes that we offer as a government, and that we can make available to the community. I would like us all to consciously make that effort,” Minister McCoy said.
Minister Walrond assured the residents of the administration’s commitment to meeting people and listening to their concerns, so that there could be informed policy decisions.

“The reasons we are out here is because it is our job as a government. We can’t sit in our offices in town and figure out what is happening with the residents in ‘B’ Field, Sophia; what are the things that are really affecting you; what are the things affecting your family, your community. And, as a government, our service is to you; you the people,” Minister Walrond noted.
Residents expressed their satisfaction with the meeting’s outcome. Colin Marks said that it was an opportunity for residents to have their longstanding issues addressed.
“I think it was a tremendous engagement,” he said. “I must say kudos on the part of the government to come out and reach the people; I’d like to say any government worth its salt should always be listening to its people, and this was an opportunity for us to speak. And I think it was well received by the residents.”
Another resident, Marcia Kato, said: “In regards to the ministers visit here today, I think it was very good that they could come; it’s not the first set of ministers that came here to interact with the people, and we can see that they are not sitting in their offices; they are coming out to meet people; to hear our needs in the community, and see how best they can address our issues.”
The ministers will be following up with BIT to ensure that residents take advantage of the available opportunities to upskill themselves in various vocational and other training programmes.
Minister Walrond also informed the residents that several other ministerial meetings will be held in the other fields in Sophia, as the government is interested in addressing the concerns of every citizen, regardless of where they live. (DPI)