IN the latest in a series of improvements to the Vineyard Town Golden Age Home in Kingston, the Government-run institution has received a $25-million centralised storage facility.

The newly constructed building, with office spaces, archives and rooms for the storage of food and other supplies, was officially opened by Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie on Friday.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, McKenzie noted that the 3,600-square-foot building will ensure that food is stored properly, to prevent contamination.

He explained that the centralised storage facility is among several other improvement projects undertaken recently at the Golden Age Home.

“We have been improving the wards [and] the bathroom facilities. We have put in CCTV [closed-circuit television] cameras to ensure that the safety of the residents is paramount. And we have also said to the staff, that we are going to provide further training to improve service delivery here at Vineyard Town and right across the infirmaries in the country,” the minister disclosed.

He said the training will ensure that residents receive the best possible care.

The minister added that during his sectoral presentation in May, he will be making further announcements as to what “we are going to be doing to continue to build and improve the facility here at Vineyard Town.”

McKenzie also reiterated the Government’s commitment to the less fortunate in the society, noting “we have now taken poor relief from being poor”.

“It is no longer poor relief; it is service delivery that we’ve been offering to the people since 2016. And I’m proud that I’m a part of a government and the minister with responsibility that is offering this kind of service to Jamaicans, some of whom have fallen on hard times and some who have been abandoned by their families,” he stated.

He further assured that the Government will not abandon those who are in need of support.

Meanwhile, McKenzie was lauded for the work he has done for the less fortunate in the society by mayor of Kingston, Councillor Andrew Swaby.

Swaby, who is a board member of the Vineyard Town Golden Age Home, said the storage facility is the result of vision and good planning.

“If you can’t store things properly, things might just go missing. You don’t know your inventory and those things. So, it’s a simple act, but it goes a far way,” the mayor explained.

He thanked the local government ministry for funding the project, while noting that the minister cares about the poor.

“I want to say minister, thank you very much for all that you have been doing for the homeless population and for the less fortunate in Jamaica,” Swaby added.

The Vineyard Town Golden Age Home is the largest care facility for seniors in Jamaica and the Caribbean, housing over 450 residents.