Melville-Jack urges greater involvement in community life

Tobago residents must be partners in the island’s development.

So said Marslyn Melville-Jack, Secretary of Community Development, Enterprise Development and Labour, speaking at a sod-turning ceremony on September 26 for the new Belle Garden Multipurpose Facility. Construction began shortly after the sod was turned on the compound of the old community centre.

Saying that the community centre was “where our children come to host their Easter Bunny Show and our young people, their parties and wedding celebrations… where we practise for our heritage celebrations, sit and decide and plan for our community activities, where the politicians and officials come to meet and to ask our opinion and our support...It serves as a cultural hub and is the civic heritage of this community”, she said it was important for persons to become more involved in initiatives that improve their communities.

The Division’s manager of the Building Maintenance Unit, Neil Alleyne, said residents would also have the “best of two worlds” as the old Belle Garden Community Centre would also be renovated for use by the community.

Protran 1977 Ltd is the contractor on the project, which is expected to be completed within ten months. The National Maintenance Training and Security Company (MTS) is project manager.