GB-Bahamian-Boy
08-03-07, - 06:31 PM
:) I told ya Mr. Ingraham had a plan in place for this Program. Unlike all the propaganda that has beeen spread around by the PLP, as confirmed, Urban Renewal has not be 'shut down'. It's just the focus and managemment that has changed
Source: http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/305237592434456.php
Lewis to head 'new' Urban Renewal
By JASMIN BONIMY, Guardian Staff Reporter
jasmin@nasgaurd.com
A revamped version of the internationally acclaimed Urban Renewal Program will be re-launched over the next two weeks, the initiative's newly-appointed coordinator, Ella Lewis, told The Nassau Guardian yesterday.
Lewis, a Free National Movement candidate who lost to former Prime Minister Perry Christie in the May elections, will replace former chairman of the program, renowned psychiatrist Dr. David Allen. The new Urban Renewal coordinator for
New Providence is a trained teacher who has served with the Ministry of Education and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Bahamas Development Bank over the past decade.
Yesterday, while addressing the concerns of senior citizens at the Fox Hill Urban Renewal office (see story pg 4), Lewis outlined the Ingraham administration's plans for the community program that now falls under the Ministry of Housing.
"We are in the process of the reorganization of Urban Renewal as we speak," explained Lewis. "Over the last five years the centers were completely run by the police, and what is happening now is that the centers are going to be run by managers and assistant managers. But the centers will be running.
"So we are about reorganizing and putting everything back together," she said. "One of the things we want to do is take all of the politics out of Urban Renewal because Urban Renewal is for the Bahamian people, whether they are PLP or FNM." attempted to reach Farm Road MP Perry Christie and former Minister of Social Services Melanie Griffin for comments yesterday, however, our calls were not returned up to press time.
Still, according to Lewis the core of the program will be run by a managerial team that will partner with other stakeholders that include the police, the Department of Social Services, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Department of Environmental Health, the church, local businesses and various civic groups.
"In each center we will have five persons who will be working for the Ministry of Housing in Urban Renewal," said Lewis. "They will have a manager, an assistant manager, two clerks and a janitress to keep the place clean.
"We are in the process of hiring people to work in our office [so] within the next week or two we will be opening these offices and keeping them opened dealing with whatever issues, problems or concerns that are in the community."
Under the Christie administration Urban Renewal offices were run by police officers that partnered with social services, environmental health and other government agencies. But Lewis insisted that the push behind the reorganization of Urban Renewal was to place police back on the streets, a position that was taken by Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest at a press conference last month.
"Police will still be a part of the Urban Renewal Program, however, they will not be in charge of running the centers. But two officers will be attached to the centers to check and work the area."
Lewis added that currently, the nine Urban Renewal offices in New Providence are functioning with only enough employees to keep the Urban Renewal centers open.
"Three of the centers are now fully functional because they have their managers already and they are Bain and Grants Town, Farm Road, as well as Englerston," explained Lewis. "However, the other centers are partially functioning."
She added that once the program is fully reinstated at all the centers over the next two weeks, residents across New Providence can look forward to programs being brought back along with "more programs to come."
The brainchild of former Prime Minister Perry Christie, the Urban Renewal Community Policing Project has been hailed as one of the most ambitious crime reduction programs in the RBPF's recent history.
It was launched in June 2002 in Farm Road in response to the past and current problems facing a number of inner-city communities in The Bahamas, such as crime, poor housing conditions, joblessness, illiteracy, homelessness and other social ills that contribute to crime.
Over the past two months the government-backed program has been steeped in controversy after it was anounced that officers would be removed from Urban Renewal offices. Two weeks after their removal police were ordered back into Urban Renewal.
Christie has heavily criticized the Ingraham administration for dismantling the program; however, the government has insisted that it had not stopped the initiative.
In June, the government announced a neighborhood policing program which encompasses officers going into the community and collecting information to help fight crime, but the program, said officials, would not replace but would work alongside the Urban Renewal initiative.
Source: http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/305237592434456.php
Lewis to head 'new' Urban Renewal
By JASMIN BONIMY, Guardian Staff Reporter
jasmin@nasgaurd.com
A revamped version of the internationally acclaimed Urban Renewal Program will be re-launched over the next two weeks, the initiative's newly-appointed coordinator, Ella Lewis, told The Nassau Guardian yesterday.
Lewis, a Free National Movement candidate who lost to former Prime Minister Perry Christie in the May elections, will replace former chairman of the program, renowned psychiatrist Dr. David Allen. The new Urban Renewal coordinator for
New Providence is a trained teacher who has served with the Ministry of Education and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Bahamas Development Bank over the past decade.
Yesterday, while addressing the concerns of senior citizens at the Fox Hill Urban Renewal office (see story pg 4), Lewis outlined the Ingraham administration's plans for the community program that now falls under the Ministry of Housing.
"We are in the process of the reorganization of Urban Renewal as we speak," explained Lewis. "Over the last five years the centers were completely run by the police, and what is happening now is that the centers are going to be run by managers and assistant managers. But the centers will be running.
"So we are about reorganizing and putting everything back together," she said. "One of the things we want to do is take all of the politics out of Urban Renewal because Urban Renewal is for the Bahamian people, whether they are PLP or FNM." attempted to reach Farm Road MP Perry Christie and former Minister of Social Services Melanie Griffin for comments yesterday, however, our calls were not returned up to press time.
Still, according to Lewis the core of the program will be run by a managerial team that will partner with other stakeholders that include the police, the Department of Social Services, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Department of Environmental Health, the church, local businesses and various civic groups.
"In each center we will have five persons who will be working for the Ministry of Housing in Urban Renewal," said Lewis. "They will have a manager, an assistant manager, two clerks and a janitress to keep the place clean.
"We are in the process of hiring people to work in our office [so] within the next week or two we will be opening these offices and keeping them opened dealing with whatever issues, problems or concerns that are in the community."
Under the Christie administration Urban Renewal offices were run by police officers that partnered with social services, environmental health and other government agencies. But Lewis insisted that the push behind the reorganization of Urban Renewal was to place police back on the streets, a position that was taken by Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest at a press conference last month.
"Police will still be a part of the Urban Renewal Program, however, they will not be in charge of running the centers. But two officers will be attached to the centers to check and work the area."
Lewis added that currently, the nine Urban Renewal offices in New Providence are functioning with only enough employees to keep the Urban Renewal centers open.
"Three of the centers are now fully functional because they have their managers already and they are Bain and Grants Town, Farm Road, as well as Englerston," explained Lewis. "However, the other centers are partially functioning."
She added that once the program is fully reinstated at all the centers over the next two weeks, residents across New Providence can look forward to programs being brought back along with "more programs to come."
The brainchild of former Prime Minister Perry Christie, the Urban Renewal Community Policing Project has been hailed as one of the most ambitious crime reduction programs in the RBPF's recent history.
It was launched in June 2002 in Farm Road in response to the past and current problems facing a number of inner-city communities in The Bahamas, such as crime, poor housing conditions, joblessness, illiteracy, homelessness and other social ills that contribute to crime.
Over the past two months the government-backed program has been steeped in controversy after it was anounced that officers would be removed from Urban Renewal offices. Two weeks after their removal police were ordered back into Urban Renewal.
Christie has heavily criticized the Ingraham administration for dismantling the program; however, the government has insisted that it had not stopped the initiative.
In June, the government announced a neighborhood policing program which encompasses officers going into the community and collecting information to help fight crime, but the program, said officials, would not replace but would work alongside the Urban Renewal initiative.