District hopes to pilot social revival |28 December 2012

The leaders and professionals first analysed how the district has fared this year so as to plan ahead, avoiding 2012 pitfalls.

Anse aux Pins is ranked high among districts where social ills and crimes are rampant, a fact that came out strongly during interviews with security personnel and service givers when President James Michel visited the area on October 2.

Among those present at the meeting was the member of the National Assembly for Anse aux Pins Meggy Marie, who listened to the experts offering their informed opinions how crime rate and substance abuse can be reduced and teenage pregnancies better addressed.

The experts taught how community members can be roped in to better take part in voluntary work, work to cut unemployment, dig deeper to see why some children do not go to school and how to encourage them to do so and resolve disputes between neighbours, many of whom district administrator Sylvia Stravens said “keep grudges against one another for long”.

After reviewing their 2012 work plan, the delegates adopted one for next year “in line with pertinent issues and current needs of the district”.

Mrs Stravens said the team looked at all the existing district’s programmes already in existence and suitably modified them to suit Anse aux Pins’ mission and vision which now lay emphasis on the social renaissance campaign.

“The meeting also gave us a chance to recruit and prepare potential members of the community to join our clubs and committees.”

Mrs Stravens also apprised the delegates of the role and functions of the district administration and the need for its various groups as well as scope for residents to be involved.

“We also tried to instill in them the motivation they need to take leadership and ownership roles to better run the district.

“The experts also tried to arm office bearers with skills to improve the performance of their clubs and committees,” she said.

Organisations which sponsor some of the district’s activities were scheduled to make presentations, before the district’s beautification campaign was launched.

Mrs Stravens said today the district will hand over keys for housing units the administration has put up for two needy families.