Greater contribution to development needed says NESDEC chairman

Using the example of parents providing meals on the family table, Chairman of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDEC) has called on members of Civil Society to contribute more to the further development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.{{more}}

Martin Laborde, speaking about the challenges faced by civil society, at the opening ceremony of NESDEC’s two day workshop, said that Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are losing focus of the big picture.

“It is not a case of mommy and daddy earning the income and prepping the meal any more, everybody now needs to come to the table. All of us must have a contribution for dinner.”

Laborde said that the workshop would provide the organizations with the opportunity to look at themselves and challenges, and determine where, how and what they can bring to the table.

He said that the organizations are also challenged by the failure to co-ordinate when it comes to the use of resources, and that they are hindered by the lack of access to consultative forums, and decision making bodies.

The church preacher and Marketing Manager of East Caribbean Group of Companies reiterated the need for Civil Society to stay focused on the big picture, which is the overall socio-economic development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as opposed to individuality.

“We prefer to be this big fish in a small pond as against a small fish in a big pond. I will look at it from a business standpoint: it is better to have ten percent of ten million, than to have 100% of 100,000.”

The workshop was sponsored by one of NESDEC’s “children”, the Social Investment Fund.(JJ)