The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Repotter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

COMMISSIONER Paul Rolle and other police officers distributed 200 care packages in the Gambier community yesterday.

Residents assembled at the area’s park to receive the packages which included vegetables and bread basket items such as grits, corned beef, rice, tuna, mackerel and tomato paste.

The Commissioner said the donation was meant to show gratitude to communities as the Royal Bahamas Police Force celebrates police month.

“What is happening in here in Gambier now, the commanders throughout New Providence (are) doing the very same thing to a lesser extent and in the Family Islands,” he told the media.

“This being police month, we push our hands in our pocket and did this today because we want to say to communities, thank you.

“What we have done is ask each officer to bring in an item and so for the last two months, six weeks or thereabout officers have been going into their cupboards at home. Going into the grocery store purchasing items and bringing them.”

Arial Newbold was one of the many residents who was appreciative of the kind gesture.

The 27-year-old is a hotel worker who has yet to be called back to work since being furloughed during the pandemic. She has been trying to get by selling guava duff while she waits on a call to return to her job.

“As somebody who has been furloughed since March of last year, it’s been difficult you know. The NIB benefit — $200 every two weeks — it’s something but to maintain a household it does nothing.”

Asked about her situation, she answered: “It’s just me and my child but I do have other family members that helped before this and so me now being in a bad position puts them in an even worse position.”

According to Latoya Culmer, yesterday was not the first time the community has had people assisting residents.

“I must say that Gambier is truly a blessed community because we have had so many different entities (that) came in and would’ve given the community support you know in some many different ways,” the 42-year-old said.

“We had some layoffs but for the most part we’re family around here and so we look out for each other and we have a lot of small businesses in the community. We were able to thrive in that way as well.”