Government has not offered an explanation on its decision to block several micro projects being funded by the European Union and as the deadline for implementation approaches, some of the prospective beneficiaries have accused the administration of being uncaring.
Asked why his government had withdrawn its endorsement of some 39 micro projects valued close to $200 million under the programme, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, told Stabroek News on Thursday night that he was not making any comment “at this time”.
Stabroek News was told that the Bharrat Jagdeo administration had withheld its endorsement of the contracts because of concerns it has with most of the prospective beneficiaries.
Wesley Porter of the Ithaca Agricultural Land Development Association said his group was very disappointed. “We don’t expect any government to behave in such a way to its citizens… this is not good for the country,” Porter remarked. He said the administration’s actions were tantamount to being uncaring and vindictive, although he hoped it would have a change of heart soon. Around 30 cattle and rice farmers from the community and surrounding villages had come together to develop over 600 acres of land to increase their yields and earning capacity. However, Porter said while they had such ambitions they were constrained by financial resources. “So we welcomed the EU project, but to hear this now is disappointing.”
The group had requested $10 million, but the EU approved $7.5 million. The group is hoping to increase its pasture acreage and make the farmland more productive, while promoting community development. It also intends to increase yield per acre. Porter told Stabroek News that currently the land being used to rear their cattle and plant rice were being leas- ed from the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary/ Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA). He said the cost to lease the lands exceeded the profits the group would make from the cattle and as such it was looking to own its own farmland. “This is not good news at all… all of us had high hopes about of the success of this project now this would set us back,” Porter lamented, while indicating that he would soon convene a meeting with his members to explain the situation to them.
Across at Blankenburg, West Coast Demerara, Badewattie Kandial, president of a small women’s group — Blankenburg Women’s Group for Social and Economic Empowerment –said it had submitted a proposal and was still awaiting a response. “We would be very disappointed if we do not get our request, but if we don’t life goes on,” Kandial said. She said she was not aware of any move by the government to block the contracts and expressed optimism that whatever difficulties the programme might be experiencing would be resolved. Kandial said that her 10-member group had proposed to manufacture pepper sauce. Its proposed budget was $2.5 million, but the EU was prepared to provide $1.8 million.
Lloyda Angus of the Trafalgar/Union Communion Development Council had told this newspaper on Monday last that she was appalled at the hold up of the projects.
She said she had vented her frustration at the Micro Project Office for the delay, but later she got to realize that it was the government that was responsible. The West Coast Berbice group had proposed to set up a poultry-rearing enterprise with the view of bringing relief to residents of Numbers 28, 29 and 30 Villages.
Sixteen persons from the respective communities were to benefit from the project, which Angus said was needed as jobs were scarce and the living standard poor. The group had requested just over $7 million, but was granted $5.3 million, Angus told Stabroek News. “I know all along that something was going wrong because some of the agencies like Go-Invest and Ministry of Agriculture who had agreed to partner with us are now showing no interest,” Angus lamented.
Programme Manager of the Micro Project Office, Jimmy Bhojedat, had told Stabroek News on Monday that he had been aware of an earlier endorsement by the government, but he was subsequently advised to hold off on inviting applicants to sign their contracts. Bhojedat said he did not know why there was a change, although he acknowledged that he had sought to find out, but got no answer. He said however, as far as he was aware there might be some discussion going on regarding the hold up.
Under the programme, which began in 2005, groups are invited to submit proposals for funding on micro projects. The Micro Project Office would then ensure that all the requirements were met by applicants before passing on the proposals to the Micro Project Board, which would review and evaluate the proposals before crafting a short list, which is sent to the European Commission and the Guyana Government. The current contracts that have been held up are part of the third sets since the programme was launched in 2005.
Bhojedat had said that so far they had approved 104 contracts, while noting it was the first time they had encountered this difficulty in administering the scheme. The thrust of the programme is to improve the socio-economic conditions of vulnerable groups through the development of sustainable and participatory self-help schemes. The programme will come to an end later this year and according to Bhojedat, August 17 was the deadline for the implementation of all projects. He said if the situation did not change the money would likely be returned to Europe.
