All Hands On Deck For Communities

It takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes the collaboration and cooperation of various sectors of society to change a community. This was the general consensus of the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, together with the private sector, as they joined to launch the full implementation of the National Policy on Sustainable Community Development on Tuesday. The project aims to make communities, centres of development, productivity and growth by helping them in skill building or supporting a cause that aids in community development. Minister of Sport and Community Development, Shamfa Cudjoe, says she is committed to leading this effort, together with the private sector, such as NGC, Digicel and others. Meanwhile, President of the National Gas Company, Mark Loquan, says the company has already invested heavily in the past in La Brea via marine coastal programmes in boat building and repair, a reforestation programme, as well as an ongoing sponsorship with a steelband. He believes this project will enhance the need to continue to invest in such communities. The National Policy was approved by Cabinet in September 2019 and was launched in February 2020, but due to COVID-19 it was not fully implemented. The pilot will focus on the communities of Beausejour in Diego Martin, Perseverance Village in Chaguanas, Marabella, La Brea and Canaan/Bon Accord in Tobago.