Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corp helping families in need

THE Tunapuna-Piarco Regional Cor-poration has taken the initiative to   “adopt” selected families who are in genuine need. The adoption exercise is for a six-month period, during which, the Corporation will provide food and clothing, facilitate the education of children, through the provision of school books, uniforms, transportation, shelter (if required), health care, counselling on quality family life, youth guidance and spirituality and training for sustainable employment.

The Social Delivery Services programme has as its theme: “It takes a Village to care for a Family.” The programme took roots two years ago, but on a token basis.  It realised its true potential yesterday when more than a hundred  mothers and children were presented with parcels, at a function held at the Bon Air Government Secon-dary School, Arouca. Yesterday’s exercise was carried out in conjunction with the Community and Village Councils  of St George East. Addressing yesterday’s distribution function, the Chairman of the Corporation, Pat-ricia Mejias said the programme was aimed at poverty eradication. She said, the objective was to place into society, families who would be able to survive comfortably — mainly through training and education.

The Corporation is looking forward to the co-operation of not only community and village councils, but government as well in a big way. “The partnership with communities is to improve access to social services and job creation for disadvantaged communities. “Our partnership will address such issues as primary health care, HIV/AIDS, adult literacy and of course, crime.” Mejias said: “As Chairman of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, I give my Council’s commitment to continue to offer our support to all of our communities in their quest for development.”

She felt though that not enough communities in the region were accessing government programmes, and she would like to see a change in those areas. In this regard, she referred to the Community Development Fund which provides capital funding for large projects. Yesterday’s programme was also addressed by Minister in the Ministry of Com-munity Development and Gender Affairs, Eulalie James.