Government in full support of IYC

Minister responsible for Co-operatives, Frederick Stevenson, says the government fully supports the program of activities planned by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Co-operative League{{more}} as they join the rest of the World to celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives (IYC) in 2012.

Stevenson made the declaration during his address at a media launch held on Tuesday, November 29, at the Credit Union League office, where some of the key events being planned to celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives were revealed.

The activities will be held under the theme: ‘Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World’.

The planned programme includes over fifty activities that are intended to provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about the services provided by the co-operative movement.

“The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines place tremendous support to all the activities planned for 2012. I want to say that when I took the plan of action to Cabinet, we readily agreed as a government to be supportive of the Co-operative because the government understands that this sector is very important for the development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Unanimously, Cabinet accepted the plan of action for 2012,” the Minister said.

Stevenson also revealed that in early 2010, a new Co-operative Act will be the forefront of legislation to be pushed by the ruling ULP administration,” the Minister said.

In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly made the declaration that 2012 will be observed as IYC. The Assembly also adopted a resolution 64/136, noting that Co-operatives impact poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration.

Registrar of Co-operatives Cecil Jackson explained that the major goal for the IYC 2010 is to bring Co-operatives in St. Vincent and the Grenadines under the banner of the International Year of Co-operatives 2012 to celebrate their success, rally the public to the Co-operative way of doing business, and achieve the policy and legislative settings for Co-operative development and expansion.

Tuesday’s media launch also heard remarks from President of the Co-operative League Junior Bacchus and Daniel Robertson, Director for the SVG Co-operative League Ltd.(AA)