Nineteen community councils get gov’t approval for projects

First Lady,  Sandra Granger presenting Latchmin Azeez with a letter of approval for a grant for the Bushlot-Armadale Women’s Group (Ministry of the Presidency photo)
First Lady, Sandra Granger presenting Latchmin Azeez with a letter of approval for a grant for the Bushlot-Armadale Women’s Group (Ministry of the Presidency photo)

Nineteen Community Development Councils (CDCs) in Mahaica-Berbice and East Berbice-Corentyne, yesterday received letters of approval for small grants under the Government of Guyana’s community development project, a release from the Ministry of the Presidency said.

The project is being implemented through the Ministry of Communities.

In Mahaica-Berbice, nine groups, four of which are women’s groups, secured letters of approval for grants to the total value of $11M. These groups are: Experiment-Bath Settlement Women’s Group, Rising Star CDC, Bushlot-Armadale Women’s Group, Trafalgar Women on the Move CDC, Golden-Grove-Lovely Lass CDC, SeaField CDC, Golden Grove-Union Cash Crop Farmers Association and the Belladrum CDC.

In East Berbice-Corentyne, 10 groups benefitted from grants to the total value of $6.5M. The groups were drawn from Kildonan, Light Town, Zambia-Black Bush Polder, No. 53 Village, Fyrish, Nurney, Sisters Village, Liverpool-Manchester-Lancaster, and the All Saints Presbyterian Church and California Macaw groups.

 

The release said that the grants will be used to support ventures in agro-processing, block-making, organic shade house and cash crop farming, garment construction, swine rearing, furniture making and Information Technology.

The release did not explain how the groups were chosen.

Assistant Community Development Director,  Donald Ainsworth said in the release that based on the success of this pilot phase of the project, funds will be allocated in the 2017 budget to ensure that more communities are included.

“You the residents have a responsibility to ensure that this project is successful, not only for your personal development but for what it means for communities across the country. This is the foundation for bigger things to come,” he said.

He challenged the recipients to ensure that their respective projects provide employment, generate income and are self-sustaining and emphasised that the grant is not a handout, but rather an investment to create economic opportunities for people.

This initiative was well received by residents, the release said. Milford Ward from the Corentyne said that it is a testimony to the Government’s commitment to the interest of the ordinary man.

Latchmin Azeez, who chairs the 32-member Bushlot-Armadale Women’s Group, said in the release that they will start off by packaging plantain flour and then branch off to other areas.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Phyllis Peters who said that her group will set off on cash crop farming and livestock rearing.

First Lady  Sandra Granger was on hand to present the letters of approval to the successful groups. Mrs. Granger said that she is happy to part of a project that aims to enhance the living standards of residents at the community level. “It is for me a great pleasure when communities come forward and decide what they want to do to help themselves,” she said, according to the release.