Cobbla Community Centre Renovated Under JEEP

Residents of Cobbla and surrounding communities in Manchester now have access to a newly refurbished community centre and playing field.

The facility, which had been out of use for some time, was renovated through funding from the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP) at a cost of $3.49 million.

Speaking in a recent interview with JIS News, Councillor for the Walderston Division in North East Manchester, Burton Wright, informed that prior to the work the facility was in a deplorable condition.

He said the improvement work entailed refurbishing and replacement of furniture and fixtures, and repainting the building. He informed that the playing field was also scraped, graded, and replanted, and the area fenced. “So the whole playing field was redone and is now ready,” Councillor Wright said.

Approximately 50 persons were employed on the project, which was undertaken over a three-week period.

Mr. Wright said community members are excited about the newly renovated facility. “The community on a whole, they were excited and happy because now they have seen a playfield or a complete play area,” he said, adding that the intention overtime is to create a multipurpose area.

In expressing appreciation for the work undertaken, Delroy Roper, an employee on the project and a resident of Cobbla, said the playing field is now in a better condition and is available to persons in and around the community.

“Mi like how it a gwan enuh because we never have nowhere to play football so we have to give thanks…presently dem set it that all di baby can go kick ball over there now,” he said.

JEEP is one of the Government’s strategies geared at countering chronic unemployment among some Jamaicans, particularly those in lower socio-economic groups.

It forms part of the Government’s 2013/14 strategic priority focus on employment opportunities.

Members of Parliament, other political representatives, government agencies, citizens associations, church groups and non-governmental organisations are able to make submissions to the JEEP Secretariat for projects to be executed under the initiative.  Interested individuals may contact the Secretariat at 754-2584-9 or jeep@mtw.gov.jm