Rival PoS communities put aside differences to host family day

by Derek Achong

For the first time in well over a decade, residents of neighbouring communities of east Port-of-Spain gathered at Mango Rose, East Dry River, for a joint sports and family day on Saturday.

Speaking with Guardian Media at the event, East Dry River councillor Clint Baptiste said he had been approached by a group of residents to organise the event which had been an annual fixture before being derailed by gang warfare between gangs based in the different communities.

“A group of young mothers came to me and said Clint, let’s do a sports day and take back our community,” he said.

Baptiste said that he and the other organisers were seeking to help reduce gang activity in the communities by giving at-risk youths a forum to meet and interact.

“We tried to bring all the communities that are supposed to be warring with each other. We are trying to break down barriers because we think it is about time we take back these communities and shape it into what we would like it to be,” he said.

“This is the first step to make the youths understand that they can come together and congregate without warring with each other. For us to grow as a community it has to be done in unison,” he added.

He said that the event was warmly received by residents with many pitching in to help ensure the venue was ready in time.

” Up to late last night young men were here painting walkways and women packing bags to ensure that the children could come out and enjoy each other’s company,” he said.

He said that there were teams from Sea Lots, Harpe Place, Stratford Court Duncan Street and Nelson Street.

Baptiste said that the event received corporate sponsorship and support from small businesses in the community.

“Today’s infrastructure was done by a contractor within the community and the food was done by a caterer in the community,” Baptiste said.

He noted that Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Stuart Young, SC, and Port-of-Spain South MP Keith Scotland, SC, were among the sponsors.

Baptiste expressed optimism over the event helping to achieve its intended goal.

“My heart is filled…I hope that this is the first step for us to eradicate the turf wars,” he said.

The post Rival PoS communities put aside differences to host family day first appeared on CNC3.