By Tahna Weston
An 11-member committee has been put in place as efforts are being made to get the government to hand over the Community Centre to the people of the Gray’s Green community.
The centre was constructed by the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the request of former Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer.
However, since the completion of the complex, the residents are yet to make use of the facility, which housed the St John’s Magistrates’ Court for over four years.
The court was moved into the complex due to the conditions at its High and Temple streets home. It has since been returned to its original location.
But Member of Parliament for the St John’s Rural West constituency, Richard Lewis, who has been calling for the building to be turned over to the people of the community, told Observer that the committee, of which he is a part, was put in place last Tuesday.
It is headed by Ivor “Ninja” Luke and also includes the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) caretaker for the area, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Senator Michael Joseph.
Lewis added that the committee is working on trying to meet with the individuals who are in charge of the complex, which he understands comprises three members.
“The complex, I am told, was placed under the Ministry of Sports via a Cabinet decision two years ago. I have a meeting tomorrow [Thursday] with the person who manages the complex and so I will get further [information] on that after I would have met with that person.
“And then after that I would love for the committee to meet with that individual so we can chart the way forward,” Lewis said.
The meeting was set for 10 am.
The MP said he is pushing for the newly formed committee which comprises of members of the community, to have a significant say in the way forward for the complex in order to keep the politics out of it.
