$2M for CARE

In her feature address at the ceremony, Culture Minister Joan Yuille-Williams said that the bursaries and grants were in keeping with the ministry’s effort in transforming lives in communities.

Benefiting from the programme were non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBO’s), faith-based organisations and some lesser privileged youths seeking tertiary education.

The minister said there are a number of groups who were willing to make their contributions by embarking on projects that positively impact and benefit their communities.

And mindful of the small staff at the ministry, they were unable to undertake the magnitude of the programme on their own, hence the reason for assisting the groups.

Williams said she now looked at the groups as honorary members of the ministry that can be expected to be called on to assist in other ministry projects, having mandated them to register with the ministry.

Fifty of the 100 groups collecting cheques yesterday included Amica House, Citizens With A Vision, Caroni Hindu School, St Helena Development Corporation, Felicity Church of the Nazarene, Friends of the PoS Hospital Association, Girl Guides Association, Gospel Steelband Organisation, Maturita Village Council, Morris Marshall Foundation, Nicole Ballosingh-Holder Ministries, La Pastora Sports and Cultural Organisation, and Fyzabad Community Council.

In the last year the ministry has given funds to some 1,100 plus organisations and groups for various projects ranging from multi-religious celebrations to national events.

The ceremony was punctuated with entertainment from the Beaucarro Pranava Sevaks Dance Group, North-West Laventille Cultural Group, pannist Martin Cain and National Extempo champ, Sheldon John, who brought the house down singing topics that included CARE, no crime, sports, culture, his red hat and the Death March.