Residents of La Horquetta and its environs will soon have their very own public library. This was revealed at the Sod Turning Ceremony to mark the construction of the library on Wednesday January 25, 2023 at the proposed location at Slinger Francisco Boulevard, Phase 5 La Horquetta.

In delivering the feature address at the event, the Honourable Symon de Nobriga, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister – Communications, with responsibility for NALIS, said that the construction will take eighteen months to complete at a cost of approximately $43M. The library will stand three storeys high with facilities for children, young adults, adults and seniors. He added that there will also be services for the visually impaired, computer services, multifunction rooms and a collection of approximately 12,000 volumes. Also included in the purpose built building will be commercial spaces, a 150 seat auditorium a 210-seat amphitheatre and a plaza.

Honourable Foster Cummings, Member of Parliament (MP) for La Horquetta/Talparo and Minister of Youth Development and National Services expressed his great pleasure at what he described as the realisation of his dream to have a library built for his constituents. The MP said that he appealed to the Prime Minister for this at a political meeting in 2020.

While delivering opening remarks at the sod turning ceremony, Neil Parsanlal, Chairman of the Board of NALIS said, “… today’s ceremony is not simply about turning the sod to mark the commencement of construction for a new Library. Today is about setting a path for the future of La Horquetta and its surrounding communities, as well as the future for all its residents, because in this building will reside the resources that could potentially, illuminate the paths to greatness, to success, and to an enhanced quality of life for all who dare to enter and utilize its contents.” Referencing the violence in the country, Parsanlal added, “I have said repeatedly to anyone willing to listen, that violence begins when language ends. When I can no longer express my frustration, I will strike out. When I have imbibed the mistaken belief that there are no other options, I will resort to violence.”

Also attending the sod turning ceremony were Arima’s Mayor, Alderman Cagney Casimire; Chairman of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, Kwasi Robinson; NALIS’ Executive Director, Paula Greene; Udecott’s Chief Executive Officer Tamica Charles Phillip; other officials of Udecott and NALIS, residents of La Horquetta/Taparo, including school children.

The La Horquetta Public Library is the second purpose built library to have been started in the last 12 months. Construction of the Diego Martin Public Library commenced in 2022 and is expected to be completed by September 2023. The new Mayaro Public Library is also expected to be outfitted and opened to the public within a few months.