The Caricom Secretariat in collaboration with the European Union wraps up a series of Civil Society consultations in member states across the region with a session here in Dominica.
The initiative, which kicked off in mid-June 2010, offer interactive sessions with Civil Society organizations on 15 territories with the intent to encourage Civil Society’s active participation and engagement in the Caribbean integration process including the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) by heightening awareness of the opportunities for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to contribute to our common development agenda.
The two-day consultation here is ongoing at the Dominica Public Service Union Building on Valley Road, under the facilitation of Dominica’s Director of Trade Eisenhower Douglas. The session, which opened this morning, will see the participation of a number of prominent personalities.
Minister of Employment, Trade, Industry and Diaspora Affairs, Colin McIntyre, pledged government’s endorsement of the initiative and welcomed the move to improve the role of the CSOs in the development of the nation.
“I am here to signal government’s endorsement,” he said.
Tricia Barrow-Hazelwood of the Caricom Secretariat provided an overview of the initiative. She said the project aims to expand coordinating mechanisms to provide for Civil Society’s involvement in regional issues, and to identify opportunities for dialogue between Caricom decision makers and civil society on key national and regional issues.
“In addition, it will assist Civil Society Organizations in identifying opportunities to partner with governments in the development process,” Barrow-Hazelwood said.
Edward Lamber, of the EU National Authorizing Office, spoke for a short time on the role of the EU in promoting Civil Society Participation in Policy Dialogue.
Terry Raymond, Chairperson of the Dominica Non-State Actors Advisory Panel (NSAPP), covered briefly the role of civil society in National Development. Raymond cited several civil society initiatives, like the Waitukubuli National Trail Project, Carnival and Botanical Gardens, that have taken over by government due to its national importance.
With this he called on government to increase the involvement of the CSOs as a collaborative grouping in all levels of the country’s development process, giving them a chance to participate in the dialogues of National Development. This point will be addressed sometime this afternoon in group discussions.
Meanwhile, the Caricom Secretariat has implemented the project in collaboration with the Governments of Caricom and support from the European Union. The services of a Regional Civil Society organization, the Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC) have been contracted to execute the project.
The “Caricom Civil Society Project”, over the past few months, held consultations in Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica.
The average man in the street does not understand the significance of Caricom. I hope this will help bridge the gap somehow, but I am skeptical.
Mr. Raymond you are a brave guy. You could not be more correct to call on government to increase the involvement of the CSOs as a collaborative grouping in all levels of the country’s development process, giving them a chance to participate in the dialogues of National Development. At no time in Dominica’s history that Community Organisations have been so marginalized and disrespected The views of the rural folks are never taken on board. As if people in the rural areas are too foolish to input in our development.
Village Councils which once played significant roles in their communites’ development are being derailed. Their autonomy gone. There are numerous classic examples. Remember how the residents of Layou and the Layou Improvement Committee were treated with contempt with regards to the building of the asphalt plant close to their community? Central Govt. and Planning Division refused to listen to their concerns about the negative impact of the fumes on their health. The views of an entire Community were rejected. The ‘BIG MAN’ project took precedence. Minister of Environment and others all disrespected the ordinary people.
Communities planned, submitted projects to Local Govt. for beautification, clean-ups, fixing their bad roads, repairing drains etc. What happened? Again, the PM just spontaneously, and arrogantly, without informing the communities and their leaders, took them by surprise with his announcement of, ‘NO CEMENT, NO SAND, NO STEEL’ for this year’s National Day of Community Service. Of course, the Minister of Community Development blindly supported and sided with the PM’s statement.
The recent on-going TWAKA before and after the Canefield Urban Council Elections is also evident of the manipulation and disrespect for Community residents and their Organisations. Information regarding National Development issues is virtually absent. Instead they just throw their ideas on people without discussions or meaningful consultation. That TOP-DOWN approach has never worked and will never work in any development process. TRUST ME.
There is tension on the Govt. Reps. faces, because they must be aware of the injustices and the neglect being meted out to Communities. After that consultation, believe me, expect business as usual, more pressure, more control, more disrespect for communities and CSOs Those Reps are there in body, not in spirit. No remorse. No change in attitude.
What is the policy for RURAL DEVELOPMENT and PARTICIPATION of the residents in that PROCESS? The RURAL FOLKS are getting POORER and POORER. Agriculture and farming, which were major revenue earners have been neglected BIG TIME. The STANDARD OF LIVING for the RURAL inhabitants have gotten worse and worse.
By the way, is EDDIE Lambert and his GOVT. still looking for somebody to replace him as the EU NATIONAL AUTHORIZING OFFICER, as the news had it. Does he hold another job as POLITICAL ADVISER to GOVT.? Just asking simple questions.
Why are the Government operatives looking so stressed in the photo.