By John Myers Jr., Staff ReporterTHE GRANTS Pen community is set to benefit from increased efforts to stamp out illiteracy and improve conflict resolution skills of residents with the opening of a new branch library and the re-dedication of a Peace Centre Tuesday.
The newly-refurbished centre, sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Kingston Restoration Company's (KRC) Peace and Prosperity Project, is located at 30 Shortwood Road, St. Andrew. It will now accommodate the peace centre and recently- established Grants Pen branch library.
"Through the Peace Centre, residents are breaking down turf barriers, and learning to deal with conflict," Karen Turner, Mission Director of USAID informed the gathering. "Families can come here to receive counselling and resolve their problems, people prepare themselves for employment, new computer skills can be learned and the children and adults now have a library they can utilise," she added. The library will be managed by the Jamaica Library Service.
Before the implementation of the Peace and Prosperity Project in the community, Maurice Facey, chairman of the KRC said "Grants Pen had been polarised, stigmatised and also fragmented by its political, territorial and other divides." This along with other programmes had assisted tremendously in removing this, he said.
Through the project, over 200 persons have gained employment so far and about 5,300 persons trained in conflict resolution techniques.
Dr. Paul Robertson, Minister of Development, in endorsing the efforts of the KRC and USAID, said "there is need for greater co-ordination of activities of various agencies, public sector and private sector, in order to have the desired impact in the target communities." He underscored the achievements of the programme and recommended a replication of the programme in other communities.
Delroy Chuck, the Member of Parliament for the area, noted that the project is especially important to the community as the various activities that have been undertaken "have helped to buttress the unity and peace in Grants Pen." He said the residents had an interest in ensuring that the sustainability of the programme "so that no more gangs find any space or turf within these boundaries, (and) no more gunmen find any support within the Grants Pen community."
The police have also extended their support toward the initiative. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Alric Lecky who represented Commissioner Francis Forbes, said the project is a reflection of efforts by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to reform and modernise its operations "to make it more responsive to the needs of the communities."
Alton James, resident of the community, expressed appreciation to the various agencies and individuals who made the project a reality and said the residents of the communities stand to benefit tremendously from the facilities provided.
