Coffee maker, welding machine and printer missing from Redemption Sharpes Community Centre
Central Kingstown Development Organization (CKDO) president, Leroy Rock, says he is pursuing legal action against the Ministry of Social Welfare, Community Empowerment, Disaster Management, and National Heritage with respect to items missing from the Redemption Sharpes Community Centre.
Rock is alleging that a coffee maker he owned, valued at approximately EC$1,500, and a Brother printer owned by the organization and a Welding Machine valued $2,000 and owned by the Adult and Continuing Education Unit have gone missing from the Redemption Sharpes Community Centre which housed CKDO for decades until recently.
Recorded and miscellaneous items were removed from the building and packed on a white truck with the marking “S Leacock”.
Rock says that the coffee machine, the welding machine and the printer were among items stored at the community centre but the organization lost occupancy of the building soon after the November 27, 2026, general elections which saw the New Democratic Party (NDP) elected to office and replacing the Unity Labour Party (ULP) that had reigned for 24 years.
Rock and his organization had no access to the building since police took the keys.
As the Adult and Continuing Education Unit’s Zone 5 coordinator, Rock had an office at the Community Centre.
The Welding machine was placed at the community centre after it was recovered by police, having been stolen previously.
The CKDO president said he understood people from the community had been seen going into and out of the building even as his organization had been barred from access.
When contacted about the matter of the coffee machine in July, Minister of Social Welfare, Community Empowerment, Disaster Management, and National Heritage, Shevern John said: “I don’t know about that”. She said an inventory was done with officials from her ministry and CKDO and she questioned an officer about the allegation and the officer said he was “not sure what Mr Rock is talking about losing his coffee maker because he is not aware of that”.
Rock said subsequently that the Brother printer and welding machine were discovered missing when he and ministry representatives had a walk-through of the Community Centre.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry stated in a letter that an internal investigation would be conducted.
Rock says he has reported the matter to the police but they seem to be dragging their feet on the investigation.
Rock says it is alleged that some people have been boasting about the removal of his personal coffee machine and that he has since reported the matter to the police.
