At least one group here has been assured that some of its financial needs are being catered for in the 2012/2013 budget due to be presented by Prime Minister and minister of finance Roosevelt Skerrit.
The Prime Minister told trainees and facilitators of the Portsmouth-based CALLS programme that the organization would be given a special grant once the national budget is passed on July 17.
“I am not going to be saying the amount but it will be something that you’ll be very pleased to receive,” the prime minister told the group.
“I give you the assurances that you shall receive it, God willing, before the end of August of this year, to facilitate the training of more of our young people,” he added.
CALLS is described as a facility that offers a transformative programme for the at-risk adolescent/young adult population of Dominica.
The centre facilitates the development of youth between the ages of 14-22, and at the moment is tutoring 20 trainees.
During a visit by Prime Minister Skerrit and US Ambassador to Dominica Larry Palmer, PM Skerrit observed that the project was making a significant difference in the lives of young Dominicans.
The programme is supported by American development agency USAID.
The agency was at the centre of a recent controversy, when Dominica was alleged to have signed a communique calling on member countries of the Venezuelan-led bloc ALBA, to kick USAID out of their countries.
The Dominica government has denied signing on to or supporting that decision.
“I know that there has been much talk about USAID, my only position on USAID is that they do not spend enough money in Dominica and I would like to see more money spent in Dominica,” the prime minister said at the CALLS function.
US Ambassador Palmer later responded that he was “going to work hard to get more aid money for Dominica”.
The ambassador during another brief ceremony, also donated a significant number of children’s books to the Portsmouth library.
That function featured Prime Minister Skerrit reading a bit from one of the books to a number of children who were on hand for the ceremony.
It is about time that the Government recognized the contribution that CALLS is making. As an ardent supporter of CALLS I say emphatically to the PM “It better not be some pittance or embarrassing gesture else woe be unto you and your cabinet” !!!!
How can mister kick out US Aid and they doing so much for Dominica? Where is his conscience?
The CALLS programme at Portsmouth has helped so many young people to pick themselves up again and get training in life skills instead of just having academics pumped at them in Secondary School. Which is maybe why they left.
Dominica needs at least ten similar CALLS around the country.Thanks for your support PM.
As for the photo with the PM and US Ambassador and the kids. That is one great photo.All the critics and prophets of doom of US-Dominica relations take note.