Information Attache at the Jamaican Embassy in Washington DC in the USA, Derrick Scott (centre) hands over a cheque for $150,000 to Manager of the Granville Child Care Facility in Trelawny, Eunice Scott-Shaw, while His Excellency the Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Collin Gager looks on. The cheque, which was handed over yesterday (Sept. 23), will go towards the construction of a counselling centre on the grounds of the facility.

The Jamaican community in Washington D.C. in the USA has donated $150,000 to the Granville Child Care Facility in Trelawny, which will go towards the construction of a counselling centre on the grounds of the facility.

Information Attaché at the Jamaican Embassy in Washington, Derrick Scott, yesterday (Sept. 24) handed over the cheque to administrators of the centre at the ground breaking ceremony held for the project.

He explained that the money was part proceeds from this year's Independence thanksgiving service organised by the mission in Washington.

"Every year, the Embassy of Jamaica, in celebrating Jamaica's Independence, plans various events in Washington D.C.. and one of the highlights of the events is a thanksgiving service," he informed, noting that Granville was one of three charities to benefit from the collection received at the event.

Mr. Scott encouraged the wards of Granville to make good use of their time at the facility.

He further called on the Trelawny community to support the construction of the counselling centre, noting that "it is like sowing a seed and the seed that you sow, you will see in the future, when the young girls of the Granville Child Care facility take their rightful place in society."

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Child Development Agency (CDA), Alison Anderson, in a message read by Director of Human Resource and Administration at the CDA, Rosalee Gage-Grey, said that construction of the counselling centre comes at a time when the CDA is putting emphasis on intervention measures.

"In fact, it comes directly on the heels of the launch of the pilot of our Children and Family Support Unit, which became operational on Monday, September 14," she stated.

She explained that the unit is an early intervention initiative, which will provide support for fragile families at the first indication of trouble. Its primary objective will be to prevent children from entering the tertiary protection system.

His Worship the Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Collin Gager, who was also at the ground breaking ceremony, made a call for parents to stand up to their responsibilities.

The Granville Child Care Facility is a state-run residential place of safety for girls.