Kareem Marcelle, the Beetham youth activist who became an attorney against all odds is now an alderman with the Port of Spain City Corporation.
Marcelle was sworn in yesterday and said he is excited and grateful to be working under the stewardship of Mayor Chinua Alleyne.
Marcelle replaced Dr Kongshiek Achong Low, who resigned last month.
Speaking to media after the ceremony, Marcelle said his goal is to use the additional resources available to him to help at-risk youth.
“Working with the young persons of these communities and as well creating widespread opportunities for them by partnering with not only the council…but as well as Central Government,” he explained.
When he was called to the bar in November 2022, Marcelle had said that politics was not on the table for him just yet. However, he said Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s call for the young people to step up encouraged him.
“There are so many different agencies that we can tap into and bring so many other youth programmes closer to, develop new ones and try to achieve that goal of making a safer and better community for our at-risk youth,” he said.
Mayor Alleyne said it was an important day for the corporation, as they had once again become whole.
“It’s fitting that we are hosting this ceremony on the six-month anniversary of the swearing-in of the full council of this term. We have a lot of work ahead of us for this term, we have a lot of priorities that we’ve been working on diligently in order to achieve,” he said.
Alleyne said 2024 is the 110th anniversary of the reformation of the city of Port-of-Spain. He said he was elated that the team included fresh, young blood like Marcelle.
“Young vitality, energy, ready to continue the community work that Mr Marcelle is known for, ready to continue that work in a new space on behalf of all the people in Port of Spain,” he said.
That’s exactly what Marcelle, a resident of Beetham Gardens, plans on doing.