By Gerardo R. Partido
Variety News Staff

A GROUNDBREAKING ceremony will be held today for the new Haya regional youth resource center in Agat.
The ceremony, which will be held at 11 a.m. near the Agat gym, will be graced by Lt. Gov. Michael Cruz who is himself an Agat resident.
Agat Mayor Carol Tayama said the new youth center is the result of collaboration between her office and the Department of Youth Affairs and the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority.
The project is being funded through a GHURA grant.
Tayama said the center will provide a place where the village’s youth can hold meetings and engage in productive activity.
“Instead of them getting into trouble, we are trying to attract them to do more productive things in the community center. So this is like a preventative measure to keep our kids out of trouble,” Tayama said.
When completed, the center can be used for indoor games and other activities for the youth.
There will also be computers as well as DYA counselors who can give advice to youths who have problems.
Tayama said the center will be open from Monday to Saturday and will be centrally located in the village.
“It will be near the schools so that youths will have better access to the center,” the mayor said.
The new center will also serve as the meeting place of the Youth Crime Watch, which the mayor established to combat crime, especially among the youth.
Aside from the lieutenant governor, officials from GHURA and DYA are also expected to attend today’s groundbreaking.
In addition, school children and faculty from Oceanview Middle School, Mount Carmel School, and Marcial Sablan Elementary School have been invited to attend the ceremony.
“After all, we’re doing this for them. It’s going to be their building,” Tayama said.