Community activist Garth Christopher, who received a month's notice to vacate the North West Regional Health Authority's (NWRHA) premises on Dos Santos Street, Morvant, was on the sixth day of his hunger strike yesterday.
The lease to the premises expires today. When he was given the letter of eviction by head of the NWRHA, Acting CEO Anthony J Moore, Christopher said no reason was given for the move.
Christopher said the facility, which they use as a community centre, provides a safe heaven for all students in the area. He said Malick Secondary School students also use the facilities, which supports students involved in the arts and IT.
Christopher, the founder and president of Lemra (Laventille East Morvant Residents Association), which operates the Community Impact Complex at Dos Santos Street, said “I am on this hunger strike because I refused to support state-sponsored child abandonment which is being promoted and pursued by the Government.
“I am being persecuted because I am perceived as a UNC activist, which I'm not, and they want to see all the worth and value we're doing in the community be destroyed and I am from Mon Repos Road, Morvant.
“The PNM has been doing nothing for us for decades and it's a PNM stronghold and we decided as residents that this is too important to be left up to uncaring politicians. “
He said the former government had started construction of a Morvant Central Community Centre on Cipriani Street, but work had stopped on the project. Christopher said he was going to see his lawyer for him to intervene in the matter.
MP: They have good programmes
Adrian Leonce, MP for Laventille East/Morvant, said he had spoken to Christopher.
He said his main concern was that the facilities had a number of good programmes, he wanted to ensure that they continued and that it does not impact negatively on residents.
When Leonce was asked if the residents could use the St Francois Valley Road and Romain Lands Community Centre, formerly Misir Community Centre, which was just a five minutes drive further up the road, he said sometimes specific locations would be more convenient.