Sod-turning Ceremony Taroudale Community Centre

Remarks Address

Presented by:

Dr. the Honourable Nyan Gadsby-Dolly,

Minister of Community Development, Culture and the Arts

Good afternoon

I’ve never been so happy to wear a pair of boots in my life – a little red going there so I am representing the red, white and black today. In wearing these boots means that something is happening in Taroudale. It means that there is work afoot to bring to you, your long awaited community centre. Just as recent as last week I had a group in my office petitioning with me for their community centre. There are community groups, there are Members of Parliament every single Member of Parliament, both government and opposition petitions for community centres and community groups’ petition.

Why is this such an important building? As I look around at all the houses of Taroudale and it speaks its own message. Where do a community meet? Where do they gather? Where do they sit down and decide on the plans for the community? Where do the NGOs come and give their offering to the community? Where do the children meet? Where do the men’s group meet, women’s group, children’s group and most importantly where do they practice for Best Village programme. All of this happen in a community centre and we have so many around the country. But what is becoming more telling is the fact that every little community now, wants to have whether it is however small, a place that they can call their own to gather and to bond as a community; and really that is where the essence of community development happens. As the Ministry is task with Community Development we are so please when we deliver a community centre to any community.

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