Video: Minister Furbert Press Conference
[Updated] Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors Tinee Furbert is holding a press conference this morning [July 16] regarding the relocation of the K. Margaret Carter Centre to the former Prospect Primary school. We will have additional coverage later on and in the meantime the live video is below.
Update: The live broadcast has concluded and the replay is below
Update 4.30pm: Minister Furbert’s remarks:
Good morning, and thank you for joining me today.
Today marks a meaningful new chapter for the K. Margaret Carter Centre – and, more importantly, for the 44 individuals and their families who call it their community. I am proud to announce that the Centre has successfully relocated to its new interim home at the former Prospect Primary School: a space where our clients can once again learn, connect, work, and thrive.
This journey began out of necessity. Mould and air quality concerns at our Roberts Avenue facility meant we could not, in good conscience, ask our clients and staff to remain there. But what could have been a setback became something else entirely – a testament to what our community can accomplish when it comes together.
The K. Margaret Carter Centre has always been far more than a building. Every day, it helps adults with intellectual disabilities build life and social skills, form friendships, care for their health, explore their creativity, and take part in meaningful work alongside our charity, business, and government partners. Our purpose is both simple and profound: to help every person we serve live a full life on their own terms – shaped by their own interests, strengths, and abilities.
And through every step of this transition, that work never stopped – because of people. I want to sincerely thank the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute and Windreach Recreational Facility for opening their doors and allowing us to use their sites as temporary homes while the Prospect building was being prepared. I want to thank our staff, who worked tirelessly to re-establish programming in those temporary spaces, to accommodate our clients and their families, and to look out for one another every single day. And I want to personally thank the parents and caregivers who came to meet with me to share their concerns – I heard you, and your voices helped shape how we carried out this move.
Behind the scenes, the Ministry of Public Works and the Environment and our Ageing and Disability Services team transformed the Prospect site into a space that is safe, accessible, and welcoming – from air quality testing to new accessibility features throughout. Thanks to their dedication, every one of our clients has now returned and is fully back in their programs.
I am also pleased to confirm that our operating hours remain unchanged, including all the early-morning and late-afternoon programs that so many families depend on. To our families and caregivers: thank you for your patience, your trust, and your partnership. We look forward to watching our clients thrive in this renewed space.
Thank you, and l am now happy to take any questions.
What is Government going to do with Hope Homes as it is in a state of despair as well as the proposed building that was to have been home to young mother’s.
Did Government take over Hope Homes from the Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Bermuda?