Lucea drop-in centre to open soon

Mayor of Lucea, Councillor Sheridan Samuels, has said that the Lucea Drop-in Centre will officially open soon.

“Plans are now in place to open our drop-in centre. The centre will provide for homeless persons warm meals, a place to shower, and a change of clothes. It will also allow homeless individuals a place to rest temporarily,” Samuels said.

He was speaking at the Poor Relief Department’s Health Fair, which was held last week Friday.

The mayor praised the department for taking care of indigent persons in the parish. “I would like to publicly acknowledge the effort of the Hanover Municipal Corporation’s Poor Relief Department in building awareness as well as sensitising us about the issues surrounding homelessness,” he said.

The mayor also commended the department for staging the fair. “I am for anything that brings out a positive image in Hanover, and this health fair is one such example,” he said.

The health fair was staged for indigent persons from across the parish. The Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Registrar General’s Department, as well as the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, gave presentations on their programmes at the fair, and representatives from the Lucea Fire Department made a presentation on fire prevention.

Care packages containing food and clothing items were distributed to attendees at the fair by main sponsor Sandals International Resorts, Negril Region.

Medical and dental services at the fair were provided by staff of the Hanover Health Department and Hanover Health Services. Staff from the Western Regional Health Authority also did HIV testing, and members of the Lucea Fire Department performed blood sugar and blood pressure checks.