Fresh plants at the Golden Grove Agricultural Youth Project. - contributed

WESTERN BUREAU:

While critics continue to affix the 'pork barrel' label to the Government's $1.2 billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF), for Patrick Harris, the member of parliament for North Trelawny, it is a blessing for his constituents.

"It provides me with a wonderful opportunity to get the youngsters in my constituency engaged in meaningful projects," said Harris, a People's National Party MP.

He has three projects at various stages of implementation now under way in North Trelawny.

"I am pleased, especially with the attitude of the youngsters towards the projects," Harris related.

The three projects he is pursuing with CDF funding are the Golden Grove Youth Agricultural Project in the Friendship/Wakefield area, a full-service Food Laboratory in Clarke's Town and a car-wash project in the community of Compound in Falmouth.

"It would be difficult to single out any of these projects as being more important because they all have strategic value and meet different needs," Harris told The Gleaner.

Same energy

Harris

"They are all dear to my heart and I am putting the same amount of energy behind each of them."

According to Harris, it will cost just under $2 million to equip the food laboratory project to make it fully functional. The project is being housed in a refurbished community centre in Clarke's Town.

Harris said it would be operated under the ambit of the Heart Trust/NTA and will serve Trelawny as well as participants from neighbouring St James and St Ann.

The car-wash project, which is located in the tough community of Compound, Falmouth, is primarily geared towards creating employment opportunities for at least six youngsters from that community, which has a history of both violence and unemployment.

"The infrastructure is already in place and I have already bought the power spray and vacuum," said Harris. "All that is now needed is to put a secure storeroom in place."

Harris is currently making plans to have the young men who will operate the car wash properly trained in entrepreneurship to enhance their success.

More projects needed

"I like the idea behind this project very much because it is showing these youngsters another way of life," said Falmouth resident Devon Haynes. "We need many more projects like this because we have many other youngsters out there who need an opportunity to make something of themselves."

The Golden Grove Agricultural Youth Project, which is already up and running, is now the pride of residents in Friendship/Wakefield, who are overjoyed for the 30 youngsters who are involved in the $4-million project.

"This is easily the best thing that has happened for the youngsters in this area," said senior citizen Marlene Smith. We have good land, a river nearby and youngsters who need to get themselves engage in meaningful activities."

Under the project, which involves the use of the latest farming techniques to develop a 50- acre property, young farmers will be produce mostly tubers and various types of vegetables for local consumption with the possibility of export as well.

"We are introducing greenhouse technology and the young farmers are excited about it," said Harris. The cost of preparing the land is roughly $500,000 and the greenhouse is another $2 million, so, in total, this project is costing less than $4 million.

Once the current projects are fully functional, Harris plans to turn his attention to other projects.

He says he intends to use all the resources at his disposal to create as much training and employment opportunity for his constituents.