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Urban Renewal Liveable Neighbourhood Programme to Promote Four Key Objectives
by Llonella Gilbert
Posted: Feb 14, 2008 19:28 UTC
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NASSAU, Bahamas (BIS) - The Urban Renewal Liveable Neighbourhood Programme has four key objectives: increasing public safety, wealth and independence, as well as giving communities a sense of responsibility.
Minister of Housing and National Insurance the Hon. Kenneth Russell said Ministry personnel have been working with coordinators, centre managers and community service facilitators to plan activities around these objectives for the programme.
The Englerston area has been chosen to demonstrate how the new thrust will work and projects have been selected for execution in this area to show how the goals identified can be achieved, Mr. Russell said at the launching of the Urban Renewal Liveable Neighbourhood Programme, Monday.
Also in attendance were Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and National Insurance, the Hon. Brensil Rolle, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Housing Camille Johnson, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Missouri Sherman-Peter, high ranking officials from the Royal Bahamas Police Force and persons working directly with programme.
Touching on the programme’s increased public safety initiative, Mr. Russell said public safety begins with eradicating the root causes of crime and criminal activities.
He said: “Refocusing the police on community policing has allowed them greater personal interaction with communities.
“Over the next several months,” Mr. Russell noted, “Urban Renewal in Englerston will focus on projects and programmes designed to offer alternatives to the behaviour that lead to crime in young people, especially boys and young men.”
He added that the staff will work within the community to identify youth and direct them to programmes with mentors and value systems that will replace the cult of violence and gang activities.
A project for empowerment through the development of entrepreneurship is actively underway for the Englerston community, he said.
In this regard, a one day workshop will be held on February 20 at the Ministry headquarters.
Speakers from the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation, the Ministry of Tourism, the Bahamas Technical Vocational Institute and the Bahamas Development Bank will expose the centre managers and community project facilitators to available government initiatives and assist in their understanding of the dynamics of small businesses.
In addition, Mr. Russell explained that a clean environment helps in crime prevention and detection.
So in conjunction with the Department of Environmental Health Services, projects will be put in place for the removal of derelict vehicles, the removal of bulk waste, clean up of excessive garbage and the identification and clearing of overgrown properties.
The Minister said, “These projects are not new, but we have committed sufficient manpower and resources to keep at these activities until we can see a measurable difference in the environment.”
He explained that the work of the Urban Renewal centres is to coordinate community activities so persons develop a sense of ownership of the community.
Mr. Russell said communities should assist the youth to understand the adult world and to accept their community and validate their own existence. Community pride must precede national pride and both cannot be left to develop on their own.”
Mr. Russell appealed to the public to support the Urban Renewal Liveable Neighbourhood Programme as it is designed to alleviate poverty, assist the indigent, re-create community spirit and foster acceptance of responsibility for the quality of life of residents.
“The revitalisation of inner city communities requires the buy-in and support of those communities, so that the anticipated outcome of the re-creation of community spirit and an acceptance of responsibility for the quality of your life can be achieved.
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