The winners, who have not yet been publicly announced, will be awarded on July 22 during a ceremony to be held at the Stella Maris Church Hall in St Andrew.

They will be ranked in first, second and third places in each parish. There are also national winners in the areas of youth development, culture and heritage, improved agricultural practices, educational institution, community spirit and self-reliance, health and waste management, among others.

Community project

The top national community winners will get $2 million to finance the proposed community project while the special area winners will receive prizes totalling $200,000.

Chairperson of the National Best Community Foundation (NBCF), Jacqueline daCosta, said communities will have to present a proposal before the handover of the funds. She also said the upkeep of the project will be the responsibility of respective communities.

The National BEST Community Competition is a joint initiative between the private and public sector. The competition aims to foster local governance, community self-reliance, sustainability and the sustainable development of communities. The competition, which was first held in 2007, also aims to develop and foster job creation as well as counter crime and other antisocial behaviours.