The Hugh Desmond Hoyte Family Recreational Park in Rose Hall, Berbice was officially opened on Saturday.
According to a GINA press release, the park, which is named after the former President of Guyana who served from 1985 until 1992 and was one of the first patrons of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, was declared open by Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence.
The project was funded by the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club with support from the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Nand Persaud Company, GINA said.
Lawrence expressed her joy with the park while noting that all the furniture and play equipment were locally made. “The mayor ought to be proud of what has been done here, not only by the club but the fact that the private sector sought to join hands with you because they see it as a good purpose and development for the young minds in Rose Hall,” the release quoted hr as saying.
According to the release, Club Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, Hilbert Foster said the recreational park was a special gift to the township of Rose Hall as part of the 46th anniversary celebration of Guyana’s smallest township.
The release quoted Foster as saying that “one of the main focuses of the recreational park is for families to come out and relax together and develop social cohesion among residents of Rose Hall and we are hoping also that by getting families to come out here, it will help reduce the drug abuse, suicide and crime rate in the community.”
According to the release, the town’s mayor, Vijay Kumar Ramu expressed his gratitude to Foster and the sports club’s members for their dedication and hard work. Ramu said he is “concerned with the people of Rose Hall and their development.” He noted that 26 years ago he was part of the sports club and “it has come a long way.”
The release quoted Mahendra Persaud, CEO of Nand Persaud Company, as saying that, “our economy cannot be built without young kids” and that the playground “must be fully utilised for the physical fitness, mental health, and for the enhancement of kids.”
