The Urban Renewal Centreville Centre yesterday announced a partnership with a construction company that will give jobs and training to some of the unemployed youth in the area.

Head of the Urban Renewal Centre Inspector Ricardo Richardson said that the decision by CEO of Inline Project Company Construction Firm Michael Jones to assist the centre and by extension the community will have a significant effect on efforts to reduce crime in the inner-city community.

“Mr. Jones has made a commitment to take some of the young men from this area under his wings and teach them a skill and give some of them gainful employment,” Inspector Richardson said.

“This is exactly the thing that we’re trying to encourage corporate citizens to do – to partner with us and get more jobs for the youngsters in the community. Once these young people have jobs, they are less likely to go out and commit crimes.”

The Urban Renewal Centres reopened three weeks ago and the objective behind the programme is to foil criminal attempts by fostering a stronger relationship in the community between law enforcement officers and residents.

Inspector Richardson said he hopes Mr. Jones serves as an example to other business owners who will in turn reach out to Urban Renewal centres in communities where they operate businesses.

Mr. Jones said he felt that it was his duty to give back to the community and lend whatever assistance he could.

“This is just a small part that I am playing; there is a lot of work that all of us can do to help get these young men off the streets and on a job where they can do something productive with their lives,” he said.

“We are going to train these guys and teach them responsibility and then watch the turnaround in the behaviours.”

Mr. Jones said that he has already hired some 25 people from the Centreville constituency and he said in the coming days he plans to hire even more.