COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS UNITE TO REMOVE GANG GRAFFITI AND BEAUTIFY MCKNIGHT

Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 08, 2026 (SKNIS): The Department of Community Development, in partnership with the Prime Minister’s Office, the ELEVATE Programme, and residents of Central Basseterre, has embarked on a Gang Graffiti Removal Programme aimed at reclaiming public spaces, promoting community pride, and creating safer neighbourhoods throughout the McKnight community.

The initiative commenced on Tuesday, July 07, along Durant Avenue, where volunteers successfully removed gang-related graffiti and transformed the area into a cleaner and more welcoming environment. The programme continued on Wednesday, July 08, at Prickley Pear Alley, with an even greater number of residents joining youth participants in the social rehabilitation programme and other community stakeholders in the beautification exercise.

Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher #2, which includes Central Basseterre, the Honourable Marsha Henderson, visited Prickley Pear Alley on Wednesday and commended the organisers and participants for their commitment to community development and civic responsibility.

“It is important for us to continue to work on our communities because once we have areas that are clean, the residents of Central Basseterre can continue to feel safe,” she stated. “We welcome initiatives like these and encourage other teams to come on board and support the beautification efforts here in Central Basseterre.”

Representing the Department of Community Development,  Delroy Prentice said the programme seeks to address a long-standing issue, while transforming former symbols of negativity into spaces that educate, inspire, and uplift communities.

“What we intend to do is go around the entire community and the constituency and remove a lot of the gang graffiti that has plagued the community for years,” Mr. Prentice stated. “We are going to have different stakeholders adopt spaces so that where there was once graffiti, there will instead be positive messages and information from [the Department of] Social Services, the Ministry of Health, Labour, Empowerment, and other departments.”

Describing the initiative as “a new chance and a new hope for McKnight,” Mr. Prentice highlighted the broad support that has been generated, including the involvement of young people, senior residents, community members, and the backing of Prime Minister, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew.

“And so, we are asking that once you see these walls painted, let us move away from the graffiti and instead use these spaces to display positive information that can uplift and help our people,” he added.

The Gang Graffiti Removal Programme is a unique initiative intended to promote community renewal, youth rehabilitation, and citizen engagement. 

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