The Anse Kouanari Tourism Association Inc. (AKTA) which held its 2nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) recently, has been praised for its community work.
The meeting was held earlier this month under the theme “Reimaging resilience and tapping into new community development opportunities”. At that meeting, reports were given on the group’s activities and accomplishments over the years, particularly the last 2 years.
There were remarks from Mrs. Josephine Dublin-Prince, President of the Dominica Community Tourism Association Inc. (DCTAI) and Mrs. Agnes Esprit, National Coordinator of GEF Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) in Dominica. Mrs. Dublin-Prince applauded the group for its forthrightness and strategic plan with a focus on sustainable development. She urged AKTA members to build on that model of development which encourages and empowers people to chart their community’s development course involving all stakeholders.
Mrs. Esprit, who has worked with the AKTA from its inception, shared that she has seen the group build its skillset, increase its knowledge, establish and nurture relationships, attract and command respect, and regional and international recognition as a vibrant and committed community-based organization. Mrs. Esprit also said that because of this she has no hesitation in recommending AKTA to other agencies locally, regionally, and internationally.
She further commended the group for its transparency and professionalism when carrying out various community projects.
AKTA’s Project Manager, Mrs. Naomi Sampson, gave a report on the last three projects awarded to and implemented by AKTA in the last two years. Namely;
1. Reducing Landslide Vulnerability in Good Hope, Dominica through Forest Restoration and Improving Community Awareness of Land-Use Best Practices–funded by the Inter-American Fund (IAF) through the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI).
2. Building resilience to climate change through water management and increasing the availability of soil preparation tools/equipment for farmers in the Castle Bruce Community–funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
3. Strengthening upland forest restoration for landslide reduction in Good Hope, Dominica–funded by the Natural Infrastructure for Caribbean Resilience (NICaR) program through CANARI.
The outgoing President Mr. Augustus Adrien Bannis, in his report, called for the involvement of youth in community development activities and urged members to invite young people to become members of the organization. He also noted the many opportunities for growth and job creation within the organization that can transform lives and ultimately the community. Under his leadership members of AKTA received training in many areas, including Climate Smart Farming, Capacity Building, Events Management, Project Writing, and the like. Bannis believes that the future looks very bright for AKTA.
AKTA was founded in 2012 with a mission to develop and implement community projects and to encourage involvement of all stakeholders. AKTA intends to contribute to the national tourism product by establishing and enhancing all the elements which are unique to Castle Bruce and its neighbouring communities. AKTA also has a passion for the environment, agriculture, and agro-processing, as well as a vested interest in the preservation of our rivers and coastal areas.
With this in mind, the group has recently broadened its area of operations to include work in the communities of Good Hope, Morpo, San Sauveur, and Petite Soufriere.
Over the years, AKTA has worked closely with a range of local, regional, and international organisations such as IAF, CANARI, UNDP, GEF SGP, DCTAI, Ministry of Tourism, Village Councils, and other Community Groups.
In the Closed Section of the AGM, the following persons were elected to administer the affairs of the association for the next 2 years.
Malcolm Abraham – President
Leontyne Bellot – Vice President
Elma Boland – Secretary
Ernie Jno-Finn – Treasurer
Brittany Etienne – Assistant Sec/Treasurer
Marian Jno-Finn – PRO
Augustus Adrien Bannis – Executive Member
In accepting the position of President, Mr. Abraham eagerness to continue the work of the organization and told his team, “Let’s work together for the betterment of our community”.
Following on from my earlier comment.
I notice from the group’s facebook page, that they use a walkabout all inclusive approach to understanding a problem. This is an excellent way of getting to grips with the issues involved and for coming up with creative solutions.
This approach was used during my involvement with one of the UK government’s most ambitious regeneration initiatives: we made regular walkabout inspections of the localities involved. Participation was open to all, from leading environmental experts to the man in the street. An innovative solution to what appeared to be an unsolvable traffic problem came not from a town planner, but from a housewife!
Never discount input from those that may be deemed “unqualified” – as was done at Antrim.
It has been said that the “silly question” is the first intimation of some totally new development. To which Albert Einstein added, “If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is not hope for it.”
I am impressed with this groups comprehensive in depth approach to problems. It is something that needs to be adopted islandwide.
Oh, how I love to see wonderful things happen in my community! I love the Bayside gazebo … keep doing all that you can to make our community a better place … I will do my part too! I love my people!