IT will cost the Government of Jamaica and the Inter-American Development Bank approximately $126 million to construct two new Youth Information Centres (YIC) in Jamaica.

This is information according to Andrene Blackwin, manager of Operation Phoenix — a programme which falls under the auspices of the National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD). The two new YIC centres, she told TEENage, will be located in May Pen, Clarendon and Spanish Town, St Catherine.

The building in May Pen will cost approximately $56 million and the other in Spanish Town will cost approximately $70 million to be constructed.

The contracts signalling the start of the construction process was signed last Thursday by Lisa Hanna, the new minister of youth and culture, Margery Newland, project manager of the Youth Development Programme project implementation unit, Richard Rogers, managing director of Rogers Land Development and Robert Martin, permanent secretary in the ministry of youth and culture.

Before inking the document, Hanna said having such facilities, which will also incorporate training facilities of the National Youth Service (NYS), is a “very happy marriage” and “timely”.

“It is important that these centres were actually put down on the ground in Spanish Town and in May Pen… I don’t know if it’s by divine intervention or shared luck, why I am actually in this position and being able to sign and be a witness to (the signing of the contracts for the) YICs/NYS centres,” the newly installed minister said before reminding those gathered that the project’s concept has been in the pipeline since the year 2005.

Hanna said these two new facilities are going to be launched in Spanish Town and May Pen because the youths located in these parishes, below the age of 30 years, are most vulnerable to engaging in crime and illegal activities.

“Even though we are not at the point where YICS are in all our parishes, what is important to recognise that when we look at the statistics of where crime is rampant.

she added before implying to the organisers that the construction of the new facilities is not the end of the journey.

“Block and steel will not assist if we also don’t put programmes in place that are critical for making sure that it impacts their development. And so, (although) the training is important, the support is important, the mentorship is important and the job placement is important,” Hanna made clear to the management teams of the YIC and NYS before signing the contract.

They two centres are scheduled to be fully constructed and opened by January 2013. Then, youths who are unemployed, unskilled and are in need of career guidance and counselling from St Catherine and Clarendon can visit, be counselled and offered career guidance and training.

This construction of the two facilities is a part of the Youth Development Programme organised and funded by the: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Government of Jamaica, National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD) and the National Youth Service.

— Ainsworth Morris