Up to 15 contracted members of staff at the Island’s three community centres could lose their jobs amid fears over cuts to services.

A source close to The Centre in Pembroke said staff had been informed verbally by the Bermuda Government that any job cuts would have to be made by December 31, with a possible extension to March.

It is understood that a meeting between the Government and community workers is due to take place.

Progressive Labour Party senator Renee Ming this week described the potential job cuts across the three centres — St George’s Community Centre, The Centre in Pembroke and Sandys Community Centre — as “beyond concerning”.

The Ministry of Community, Culture and Sports would not confirm or deny whether it intended to cut all contract staff and told ‘The Royal Gazette’: “The ministry has made no decision on closing any community centres.

“The community centres are under review to ascertain the most efficient and effective mode of operation in light of the current hiring freeze that Government is under.

“The ministry is assessing all of the human resources at the community centres to ensure that they all remain operational in a safe and effective manner.

“The ministry is fully cognisant of the many services that are provided to different segments of the society who come to use the facility.”

Our source said: “I have been told that all six staff in Sandys will be affected. They haven’t been given any number at The Centre but there are eight contracted staff there, and I have heard more will be cut from St George’s.

“It was suggested not to let staff know until December 1, but the department has obliged and is doing everything it can to get staff abreast of events early.

“The Government is looking at ways of reducing the debt and one thing they are looking at, which is sad, is cutting employees. They are putting a proposal together: it is just a process that keeps going on for contract workers.

“From January they secured the jobs for community workers for one year. The update though came last week about what is going to happen come December. They are taking it to the House of Assembly to see if there can be an extension to March and, if not, they won’t have their jobs come December 31.”

Shirley Rogers has two young grandchildren who use several services at The Centre in Pembroke.

She told ‘The Royal Gazette’: “The Centre means everything to our family — they go over their homework with them, it is a secure place for children to be.

“It is an environment where they can learn and thrive with the activities. It is a safe haven for us as parents. I don’t think they should be cutting anything here they should be looking to cut in other areas. “They look forward to communicating with the other children. They would be disappointed if they knew but I haven’t told them.

“I hope the Government will reconsider. If they are thinking about the children in general in Bermuda I hope they can think of some other area they can cut back.

“There are no home facilities for them in Pembroke. I am not pleased with it because you are displacing children to another area where they don’t live.”

A number of social programmes have faced cuts as the Government has tried to tackle its growing debt problems in recent years.

Sen Ming said she was privy to some of the plans at St George’s Community Centre, which she uses regularly.

She told ‘The Royal Gazette’: “There will be a serious void within our community. I can speak specifically to the St George’s centre because I utilise it.

“There is a broad demographic that uses it, from children to seniors. You have community groups there, you have community enterprises, you have after-school programmes, Christmas camps, summer day camps.

“If you cut the staff and have a skeleton staff then some of the services are going to be reduced.

“If you no longer have people to run it, while it may remain open, it is closed to the services that were offered. It is definitely of concern to us.”