Government’s hold-up of the approved European Union-(EU) funded micro-projects continues to frustrate applicants who said they are facing a deadline and a string of failed initiatives because of administrative concerns.
Up to last week applicants had received no further word from the micro-project office other than government continues to delay its approval for the 39 projects but one applicant said he has received word that government approval is not likely.
Jimmy Bhojedat, Programme Manager of the Micro Project Office, has been unavailable for a comment all week and questions to the office pertaining to the projects have been directed to him.
August 17 is the deadline for the tapping of the EU funds but there has been a reported extension to November.
At its weekly press briefing on Thursday, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) accused the government of wanting political control of the $200M projects that are agriculture based. The party stated that the deliberate frustration of implementation by the administration is another example of, “the blatant political discrimination practiced by the regime”. Minister of Finance, Ashni Singh has said that the projects have been held up over administrative concerns.
In dismissing the reasons advanced by government for the delay, the PNCR said, the end result is that poor people in the rural areas are being hampered in their development, adding that this comes at a time when the government is rolling out a menu of measures to assist Guyanese to cope with the spiralling cost of living.
Further, the party said that the administration has exposed itself as being uncaring, and indifferent to the needs of the poor.
As the August deadline nears for the project a few of the applicants said that they feel, “unworthy and as if not counted” given that projects previously approved by the EU had received government’s endorsement and are proposing a petition against the delay by the administration.
Llodya Angus of the Trafalgar/ Union Communion Development Council, who earlier had noted her frustration at the hold up of the projects, told Stabroek News last week that she is planning a petition if the other groups are willing to get involved. Her 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.
She said that for too long they have been silent waiting on word from the local office and nothing has changed since they were last told to hold off signing the contracts. Angus charged that they are being discriminated against.
Ewart Hamilton of the United Brethren in Collaboration group for which the EU approved in funding for cash crop farming at Mariah’s Village, East Bank Berbice said he has been in constant contact with the local micro-project office since news broke that government was stalling the project and according to him, things had still looked good until earlier this week.
Hamilton said he was bluntly told by an official at the office last week that the projects are not likely to ever get government approval. He said the news hit him like a ton of bricks and left him wondering what steps to take since he views the situation as being rather unfair to persons who had already invested like his group which spent money to clear some 50 acres of land.
Hamilton said that he is not optimistic anymore because information has reached him that the 39 projects currently in limbo were the last to be approved by the EU and that if nothing changes by the deadline date the money would be returned.
Finance Minister, Singh had commented in Parliament earlier this month that government has “administrative concerns” about the project and hence the delay. This disclosure came after PNCR Member of Parliament, Mervyn Williams had asked for an explanation as to why approval for the projects was not granted.
While Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon had stated that the action was taken because certain expectations were not met. He did not elaborate when pressed to explain this position and would only say that the administration was currently trying to reconcile whatever differences existed.
Under the EU programme, which began in 2005, groups are invited to submit proposals for funding on micro projects. Bhojedat had told Stabroek News earlier that his office would 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. He said the final decision rests with the administration to approve the contracts.
Bhojedat said that he has been aware of an earlier endorsement by the government, but he had been subsequently advised to hold off inviting applicants to sign their contracts. He could not comment on why there had been a change, although he acknowledged that he had sought to find out, but had gotten no answer.
