Social Services Outreach Centre officially commissioned

The government has officially commissioned the newly renovated Horseshoe Drive Outreach Centre on Pitt Road, marking what officials say is a significant step in strengthening the delivery of social services to thousands of Bahamians.

Prime Minister Philip Davis, senior members of his Cabinet and Minister of Social Services Barbara Cartwright joined officials at the commissioning ceremony.

The centre will house the Department of Gender and Family Island Affairs and the Protection Against Violence Commission, bringing key social support services under one roof.

Davis said the government has a responsibility to ensure families facing hardship can access the support they need.

“When a family is struggling, the government has a responsibility to show up and show up well,” Davis said.

He noted that the centre has been serving New Providence for more than four decades and said more than 4,000 people depend on the services delivered there.

Cartwright said the ministry has been working to strengthen both its staff and operations ahead of the centre’s reopening.

She said the department has “renewed, reorganized and retrained” its staff, with the goal of redefining its operations and taking service delivery to the next level.

Cartwright added that staff are enthusiastic about the renewed facility and are committed to providing services with compassion, efficiency and greater responsiveness to the needs of the people they serve.

The upgraded centre is expected to play a critical role in supporting families, addressing gender-based concerns and providing assistance to vulnerable members of the community.