A new $2.2 million one-flat concrete community centre was opened last Saturday at Port Mourant, Corentyne, compliments of the President's Youth Choice Initiative.

Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, who represented President Bharrat Jagdeo at the opening ceremony, reminisced on the rich history of the centre's location which was the site where many great Guyanese cricketers converged prior to being selected to play on the international scene.

The names of Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, and the brothers Alvin and Deryck Kallicharan, Romain and Tyrone Etwaroo and Mahendra and Vishal Nagamootoo, among others, were easily recalled as men who united in a common purpose to bring glory to the Port Mourant Community Centre.

The 30' x 50' centre is equipped with a TV and VCR which would facilitate the showing of educational documentaries and there would also be literature on health issues. It is expected that a public health nurse would be assigned to the centre from November 1.

Ramsammy observed that HIV/AIDS, alcohol, illicit drugs, teenage pregnancy and abortion are preventing youths from achieving their potential. "We have got to reverse the trend, we have to work in closeness, and projects such as these will educate individuals to become more aware of what society expects of them."

He noted that while AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases have a huge impact on youths, in the case of Guyana which is the second most affected country in the Americas, the greatest effect is on the 15?30-year-old group who are in their most productive years.

The minister stated that the Youth Choice Initiative is meant to get young people together despite their ethnic, religious or political affiliation in order for them to develop themselves.

Odinga Lumumba, Ministerial Advisor on Empowerment and Presidential Advisor on the Youth Choice Initiative noted that society moves forward owing to vision and creativity. He said that the president has created a project to assist young people to become independent. And while some of them requested computer centres and sports gear, etc., the main objective has been to deal with the race issue through improved communication in addition to the fundamental aspect of preparation for leadership.

Lumumba stated that the building which would be used for skills training and educational workshops is not for religious services, dominoes, bingo or 'bubbling'. It is a centre for growth and development, he reiterated.

The Health Minister was assisted in the cutting of the ribbon by Dr. Wendy Rudder, National Co-ordinator of the GOG/UNFPA project.

A number of Corentyne-based youth clubs were beneficiaries of sports equipment valued in excess of $4 million while the Port Mourant youth group received an electrical generator.

Also present at the mid-morning function, which featured a number of cultural presentations by members of Tain Mandir, were Minister within the Ministry of Human Services, Bibi Shadick, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Regional Health Officer Dr Kalika, Hospital Administrator Audrey Field, and Director of Sports Neil Kumar.