The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Social Investment Fund (SVGSIF) and the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) have promised to do their part to help strengthen local civil society groups.{{more}}

At a press conference held at the SVG Credit Union League’s conference room at Lower Kingstown Park last Monday, 30 March, both organizations signed an agreement vowing to help civil society bodies better engage in the national development process.

Renwick Rose, Chairman of the NESDC said this project was 7 years in the making but previous incarnations were stunted by lack of finances.

This time around though, Rose was pleased to announce that the SVGSIF had agreed to foot the $245,000 bill.

Deputy Chair, of the NEDSC, Angela Patrick said socio-economic issues demanded that a “collaborative approach be pursued in coordinating national development challenges and strategies” and she believes that civil society groups had an important role to play in achieving this end.

She further contended that the NEDSC-SVGSIF project would help revive dormant organizations like the National Youth Council, National Labour Congress and the National Womens’ Council.

Chairman of the SVGSIF, Arthur Bobb, said his organization was delighted to be a part of the project and believed his organization had a deeper obligation in helping the NEDSC – that of, supporting communities and helping to shape the nation.

The project commenced on April 1 and is expected to run until October this year. Upon completion, officials expect that more 300 people from 60 different organizations throughout the country would have benefitted form its implementation.

NESDC will undertake a project coordinating and monitoring role. (SC)