A team from the Department of Community Development and Social Services interacted with residents of the Conaree community on Wednesday (May 17, 2023) to get a better sense of issues or challenges impacting the area and opportunities to fill gaps.

A team from the Department of Community Development including Mrs. Erslyn Patrick Bridgewater (far left), Senior Community Development Officer, visits Conaree residents

The walk-through was led by Erslyn Patrick Bridgewater, Senior Community Development Officer, who noted that the feedback from persons will help to plan intervention strategies and development initiatives for the area.

Recommendations shared by residents included adding external steps to access the top floor of the community centre, proper cleaning of street drains, damages to backyard gardens by monkeys, traffic flow and parking, and garbage collection.

A senior resident bemoaned the reduction in community spirit over the decades. She noted that currently many younger persons often seek tangible compensation for tasks that were readily done by volunteers in the past. Another shared that there are too many young people walking the streets after school looking for something to do.

Mrs. Bridgewater commended the community residents who gave feedback during the engagement.

“The level of interaction was very high,” she said, “Through community participation, residents would realize that every individual in the community is integral in development processes and the process of decision making.”

The senior community development officer added that action is already being taken to address some of the issues raised.

“Individuals would have identified an issue where children are loitering the streets at night, so we are in the process of putting a homework or after-school programme in place for the children in Conaree,” said Mrs. Bridgewater.

The walk-through was held in commemoration of International Day of Families on May 15. A similar initiative will be held on Tuesday, June 06, 2023, in Dieppe Bay.