ANCHOVY, St James

After years of neglect, the Anchovy Community Centre is finally getting some attention.

The centre, which has been without water and electricity, had been serving the populous community for decades, but it fell into a state of disrepair several years ago, and was subsequently abandoned.

In addition to being without utilities, sections of the roof are leaking, while several doors and windows on the building are fast decaying.

But Member of Parliament for the area Derrick Kellier told the Jamaica Observer West last week that centre will soon be put back in use.

According to Kellier, repairs on the building started recently, and should be completed within another few weeks.

” The labour for the repairs are being provided by volunteers from the community, while the funding for the materials are from private sources,” Kellier noted.

He said on completion, the centre will initially provide training in art and craft.

Councillor for the Anchovy Division Homer Davis, as well as area residents, have long called for the refurbishing of the centre.

Davis told the Observer West that over the years he has been lobbying for repairs to be effected on the building.

” In 2009 the member of Parliament (Kellier) promised to make funds available for the repairs , but that did not materialise,” Davis s said, adding that he had also approached several non- government funding agencies.

He argued that the refurbishing of the building was badly needed to conduct literacy programmes and skills training.

Meanwhile, Anchovy residents have welcomed the start of the repairs to the building.

“The centre has been locked down for a long period of time and it is well needed in the community to provide training, so I feel good that work has started on it. It is a good thing for us,” explained Prince Hibbert, a resident of Anchovy.