Seine Bight residents protest site of new community centre
It is said that progress brings problems and tonight that adage is playing out in southern village of Seine Bight. As part of the project to pave the Placencia Road, plans were made for the Seine Bight community centre to be demolished and a new multi-purpose building erected in its stead … but that new building is causing controversy in the small community. This morning, two to three hundred villagers staged a protest objecting, not to the construction of the facility, but to its location. Apparently, the village council and a number of residents want the centre built where a shed currently stands near to the school’s compound. But according to the chairman, that decision was reversed during a Cabinet meeting and the new mandate is to instead place the multi-purpose building where the football field is currently located and to move the field to the school compound. That decision has sparked the outrage of a number of villagers and the Parent Teacher’s Association, promoting today’s demonstration.
Anne Ramirez, Protestor
“The reason we protest against it is because there is an area allotted for the multi-purpose building, which is beside the school building. So that’s we are protesting against it because we need our football field. We need our playground for our children; for our grandchildren.”
Protestor [Video Courtesy: Millennium Enterprises, Hopkins]
“Where do our kids go from here? This is originally a playground which have to be respected.”
Freelance Reporter
“What is the village council saying about this?”
Protestor
“The Village Council is inline with the people who want…”
Freelance Reporter
“Are you saying the Village Council is in agreement of building this multipurpose bulding…”
Protestor
“Here on the field, hence the reason why you see police here today. Because yesterday, just yesterday, these guys were removed from the field because the people of Seine Bight disagree.”
Freelance Reporter
“And yet still they are back to …”
Protestor
“Exactly, but the leader of the committee choose to have it yah. For what reason, I noh know.”
Agnes Ramirez
“The playfield is there for the children to recreation on. The multi-purpose was designed to be build at the back area by the school. That was the spot that Hulse picked when he was in power about two years ago. So we are still fighting with whosoever want to put it at the field, to put the building at the spot that Mr. Hulse wanted it to be. We, the villagers of Seine are not happy for the building to be on the playground.”
Ellis Guzman, Protestor
“We want the multi-purpose building but we don’t want it on the spot that was selected for it.”
News Five understands that one reason why the new site may have been proposed is because the cost of filling the land was not factored into the one point two million dollar budget. While we were unable to get in contact with someone from the Ministry of Works, we did reach Area Representative Melvin Hulse, who told us he understands why the residents are upset and is in agreement with them that the site of the building should not be moved. He added that the land near the school is not big enough for a football field.
