CAMBRIDGE, St James — As lotto scamming takes root in several communities across western Jamaica, President of the Cambridge Police Youth Club, Oneil Gordon, says his club is willing to mentor individuals from the community who may be involved in the illicit activity.

“The police youth club is here to garner youth, keep them out of danger, to assist in the mentorship, to help them to understand the cause and effects of lotto scamming …come on over to the police youth club. There are persons here willing to talk about it,” Gordon urged.

He was responding to queries by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Mission Director, Rebecca Robinson, about the impact of lotto scamming on the community.

“So, just curious, in the Montego Bay area we have been aware that there has been a lot of lotto scamming, and just wondering as we drove up into the mountains, has that affected the community of Cambridge?” Robinson asked.

Both individuals were speaking last Thursday at the handing over of a USAID grant valued at roughly $1.3 million.

The bulk of the grant is expected go towards the club’s equipment rental project, which is expected to create jobs for community members.

A portion of the funds is also to be used to repair the community playfield which was destroyed last year during the construction of the Cambridge Benevolent Society Community Resource Centre.

In the meantime, Robinson congratulated club members while encouraging the community, and the youth in particular, to continue working together, not only amongst themselves, but also with the police.

In April, insted of keeping the cash prize it won in the lucea West CDC criket competition in hanover, the club donated it to the less fortunare residents of the Cambridge community.

Meanwhile, at last Thursday’s function, 10 hand-held, two-way radios, two repeaters and a base station were presented to the Cambridge community for use during a disaster.

Robinson, in handing over the radios, urged the community to take care of the equipment, which she said would be extremely helpful in getting help during disasters.

A resident, Dorret Grant, who accepted the gift on behalf of the community, emphasised that the community will make good use of the technology.