TRELAWNY — The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) will provide funding for major rehabilitation work at the Granville Place of Safety in Trelawny.

According to member of parliament for the area, Wendell Stewart, the work at the institution would include the rehabilitation and expansion of the existing kitchen facility, to include a new dining area and the refurbishing of the dormitories to accommodate new bathroom and sanitary facilities. Work is also slated to be carried out on the administrative block during the refurbishing exercise.

The MP could not say when the work would begin, but he said that the contract had been put to tender.

He also disclosed that JSIF had approved funding for two other projects in the parish.

“JSIF will be providing furniture and a perimeter fencing at the Jackson Town Basic school, at a cost of $286,000 and will be equipping the Trelawny Mediation Unit with computers and furniture,” Stewart explained.

Meanwhile, Superintendent at the Granville Place of Safety, Isaac Smith, has welcomed the decision by JSIF to carry out the refurbishing work at that institution.

He said the work would go a long way in improving the conditions at the institution.

“The dining room is woefully inadequate to accommodate the girls, and the office area is in need of a face-lift,” Smith said.

The Granville Place of Safety is a holding facility for juvenile girls between the ages of seven and 17.

At present, there are 75 girls at the government-run institution.