A group from the West End wants to recreate a community youth club forced to close in 1999 leaving young people in Sandys without a constructive and positive outlet for their time and energy.

As the Island seeks answers to a growing problem of law-breaking, anti-social behaviour and ganglike activity, a small band of like-minded men have formed the West End Youth Community Club and are taking their vision to the community and, they hope, ultimately to the top of Government.

The foundation has a belief that a successful youth club at Daniel?s Head between 1994 and 1999 can be recreated within the parish. ?It is for people of our generation to give something to the younger people and help them to stay out of trouble.

?When there was the youth club, you did not see youngsters hanging on the streets or getting drunk or smoking.

?They had somewhere to go that was productive. There were positive results until it had to close,? explained Makai Dickerson, chairman of the West End Youth Community Club.

The youth club closed to make way for what ultimately became the Nine Beaches resort. If a new premises can be found, an activity centre can be re-established and once again provide a positive outlet for the energies of young people in the parish.

That?s the view of director Gerald Fubler who helped run the old youth centre. He said: ?It was successful because of the interest shown by the youngsters.

?We had cricket programmes, pool, library, a gym, kayaks, fishing, everything.

?We had at least 345 members aged from eight to 17 and it was opened after school hours during the week and from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. at weekends.?

The youth centre not only provided games and sports, but also worked with local schools and helped students who had been expelled. It also gave parents some ?freedom time? from their youngsters.

When it was announced the youth centre was to close there were protests to Parliament but to no avail. Did the club have a significant effect on the young people during its five years of operation? Mr. Fubler said: ?We had people who were crime-free who now are criminals and people who were drug-free who are now addicts.?

Mr. Fubler has provided a rallying point for others who now form the core committee of the fledgeling West End Youth Community Club.

Mr. Dickerson said: ?He brought us together. We see the struggles of the young people.

?We have made up our minds that it is not too late for the young ones coming up after us to show them how not to follow in the footsteps that we took.?

The committee is looking to get assistance from others and, it hopes, ultimately from Government.

A public meeting is being held at the AME Church Allen Temple in Sound View Road, Sandys, on November 21 starting at 7 p.m. Even before a new youth club can be secured the committee sees avenues that can be pursued to get messages to the young people, such as visiting schools and talking to them about the futility and destructive nature or perpetuating ?Town versus Country? rivalries.

He said: ?We know what is going on in the streets and how the town and country rivalry escalated. We want to show the young people that they don?t have to become rivals and fight just because they come from the country or from town.?

Getting a youth centre for the West End is viewed as a starting point.

Because they live in Sandys, they see it as their primary aim, but they also want it to be the beginning of a movement to create other youth community centres across the Island.

?We are not looking for handouts, we are looking for everyone to put their hands in to assist,? said Mr. Dickerson.

Co-chairman Steven (Buck) Burchall said: ?We are getting excellent feedback from the community. We have got our group together and we have a plan.

?At the moment we have no building, but we meet up in one another?s homes.?

Evidence of the belief others in the community have for the young committee comes from the reaction they get when they voice their ideas at public and political forums.

They say they are often pursued by people wanting telephone numbers and more information about what they are trying to do.

Has the Government the will to offer its support? That is the challenge that Mr. Dickerson voices when he says: ?The young people out there think Government wants them to fail.

?We are giving Government the opportunity to prove to them that they are wrong if they think that. ?We are asking people to show us some support, whether it be financial or spiritual, and for Government to step up to the plate.?

And Mr. Burchall added: ?This is not just about talking of gangs and rivalries, it is about educating and helping people to get a job and changing people?s lives.?

Those who wish to find out more about the West End Youth Community Club can call 734-2241, 339-2022 or 336-2098, or email bdawestendyouthhotmail.com