From left: Joseph Dollison, Main Road Construction representative Gerard “Rudy” Harrigan, VSA Minister Emile Lee and SMDF representative Keith Franca.
HOPE ESTATE–Residents of Hope Estate and surrounding areas will soon have access to certain services closer to home once the expansion of the Hope Estate Community Helpdesk has been completed.
The office of Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs VSA Emil Lee said over the weekend that the helpdesk expansion is anticipated to be completed by February 5. The expansion will accommodate Women’s Desk services.
The community helpdesk services are part of the government services of the Ministry of VSA. Project funding was made available by the Dutch Government to the tune of NAf. 253,000. The project calls for an extension to the building of 54 square meters with a concrete roof and 46 square meters of a covered concrete open recreation area with expansion possibilities on the ground and first floor. In addition, fencing, air conditioning and lighting are included in the works.
The funding for the expansion project was requested by the Ministry of VSA. The execution was assigned by BZK and the Dutch representation office in Philipsburg to the St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF). SMDF coordinated the tendering procedure in which Main Road Construction was the successful contractor. Work began on November 26, directly after the building permit was expedited by the Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (VROMI).
Joseph Dollison oversees the execution of the contractor on behalf of SMDF and conducts quality assurance inspections. The design for the expansion was provided by member of the SMDF’s technical team Alfonso Reiph. Due to construction holidays in December, concrete deliveries ceased from mid-December to January 7, delaying the completion of the project.
Lee said the Ministry is thankful to the Dutch Government for providing the funding and is delighted to work with the SMDF in bringing the project in a true partnership to fruition along the wishes of VSA to better service the surrounding communities of Hope Estate, Guana Bay, Sucker Garden and the Keys.
The community helpdesk’s main objective is to bring government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) services to residents within their own community in a low threshold manner. These services range from counselling, social empowerment programmes such as workshops, chat groups, lectures and dissemination of information.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/84793-hope-estate-community-helpdesk-expansion-to-be-completed-feb-5
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