Group seeks legal action against government over eviction from community centre 

CKDO Seeks Legal Action After Eviction from Redemption Sharpes Community Centre

By Admin. Updated 7:13 p.m., Saturday, July 25, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4). 

The Central Kingstown Development Organization (CKDO) has retained legal representation following its eviction from the Redemption Sharpes Community Centre, setting the stage for a potential legal dispute with the Government over the organisation’s removal from the facility it says it occupied for nearly 20 years.

CKDO President Leroy Rock said the organisation has engaged the services of Marks and Marks Law Chambers and Carlos James Law Chambers after officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Community Empowerment, Disaster Management, and National Heritage removed items from the building on Wednesday.

According to Rock, a truck believed to be owned by the Government arrived at the community centre earlier that day and workers began clearing the premises. He said he was asked to attend the site, where a Community Development Officer informed him that he was instructed to hand over CKDO’s records, but not its furniture or equipment.

Rock said he declined to accept only the organisation’s records, arguing that they should not be separated from other property belonging to CKDO.

“They asked me to take the records. I told them I’m not taking any records unless I get the furniture. So they basically took them out and put everything they want together, because I wasn’t part of the moving. I made sure I told them I’m not part of the moving because if I can’t get the furniture, I’m not taking anything,” Rock said.

He claimed the organisation owns approximately $50,000 worth of musical equipment housed at the centre, along with a computer laboratory and furniture. He also said some furniture in the building belongs to the Adult and Continuing Education Unit.

The Ministry has not publicly responded to CKDO’s claims regarding ownership of the equipment or the circumstances surrounding the removal of the items.

The dispute follows an earlier statement by Minister of Social Welfare, Community Empowerment, Disaster Management, and National Heritage Shevern John, who said the Government requires the building to facilitate repairs expected to begin before the end of the year.

Rock, however, believes the organisation’s removal is politically motivated. He alleged that shortly after the 27 November 2025 General Election, which resulted in the New Democratic Party (NDP) forming the Government after the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) nearly 25-year tenure in office, police collected the keys to the community centre from CKDO. He further claimed the organisation has since been denied access to its furniture, equipment and other belongings, and that it did not receive formal notice to vacate the premises at that time.

CKDO also maintains that it played a significant role in the development of the Redemption Sharpes Community Centre and several community projects in Central Kingstown.

According to Rock, the ground floor of the building was constructed by the Government more than two decades ago, while the upper floor was developed as a Learning Resource Centre through a project initiated by the Sharpes Educational Sports and Cultural Organization (SESCO) and CKDO, with funding from the Social Investment Fund (SIF).

He said the upper level houses a community library, a computer laboratory secured by CKDO for training programmes, office space, a meeting room and a general-purpose area.

Rock further stated that CKDO and SESCO contributed labour and other in-kind support towards the project, while SIF provided $250,000 in funding.

He also highlighted CKDO’s involvement in the Mamoon Water Supply Redevelopment Project, undertaken through a 2008 Memorandum of Understanding between the Social Investment Fund and the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA).

According to Rock, the project was valued at $786,000, with SIF contributing $254,000 towards construction of the water spillway dam and a 50,000-gallon reinforced concrete storage tank. He said CKDO made substantial in-kind contributions, while CWSA served as the implementing agency and financed the remaining works.

Rock also credited CKDO with helping to secure the construction of two roads at Trigger Ridge under the previous administration.

The legal dispute comes as both sides remain at odds over the organisation’s removal from the facility, with CKDO insisting it has been unfairly displaced after years of contributing to community development. The Government has maintained that the building is required for planned rehabilitation works. At the time of publication, no court proceedings had been announced.

END