Community Projects To Improve
What started out in 2009 as the Northern Grenadines Community Development Organization (NGCDO) is now a fully registered organization known as Northern Grenadines Community Development INC. (NGCDI), registered under the companies act in February 11, 2011.
NGCDI is a non-governmental (NGO), non-political entity, committed to improving the effectiveness of groups in the Northern Grenadines, to include sourcing and distribution of resources and overseeing their projects.
Of particular focus are projects geared at improving Health and Education on the nine square mile island of Bequia.
From whence it came
THE VINCENTIAN spoke with Mr. Herman Belmar, Deputy Director of Grenadines Affairs with responsibility for the Northern Grenadines, to learn more about the origins of the NGCDI.
According to Belmar, it was recognized that there was no group in Bequia which was able to access funds from the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Social Investment Fund, for community projects.
In 2009, representatives from a number of groups accepted an invitation to participate in a three-month (February to April) training programme hosted by the SIF.
At the end of the programme, the Northern Grenadines Community Development Organization (NGCDO) was formalized as a broad-based organization comprising all community, sports, cultural and church groups on the island. It was established as the umbrella organization through which funds from the (SIF could be accessed and administered.
The first Executive Committee of the NGCDO included: Anthony Compton as interim Chairman; Executive Secretary- Vernamay Ollivierre; and Trustees – Arthur Phillips and Rannie Gregg.
Given the requirements of SIF and recognizing the need for legitimacy and legal standing, the NGCDO was incorporated as a legal body and renamed the Northern Grenadines Community Development INC. (NGCDI), in February 2011.
The Farine Project
Among the projects undertaken by the NGCDI is the rebuilding of a farine mini-factory in Paget farm. In fact, the building was a derelict one and had to be demolished and rebuilt from scratch.
With a funding of $17000.00EC from CIF, the NGCDI was able to rebuild the structure to handle all farine operations on the island. The project provided for: the construction of a modern shed with fire proof roof and an elevated floor to prevent flooding; repairs to the coppers; and improved water storage and distribution facilities.
The farine factory is in full operation.
The Water Project
A water project, currently in train, is being undertaken in partnership with the Grenadines Partnership Fund (GPF).
The GPF, a North Carolina, USA based organization, is committed to identify and support community projects in the Grenadines. This organiztion is, in fact, hoping to underwrite the full cost of the project.
The Water Project is centred around tapping and distributing water from a well sunk sometime ago in Port Elizabeth. Test and ongoing monitoring by the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) judge the water to be of a consistently high quality.
Actual mechanics of the project entail pumping the water into a storage facility, for further distribution. The storage facility has a maximum capacity of 20,000 gallons. This will be replenished accordingly.
To date, some $40,000.00 have been spent towards the purchase of water tanks, and work continues on preparing the bases on which those tanks will be laid.
The aim of the project is to assist in the alleviation of the water situation that is occasioned by low rainfall and in recent times, drought.
The Paget Farm Library Project
This project was identified as crucial to the development of social services in the Paget Farm community, whose educational needs were served by the Government Primary School only.
Work involved in the undertaking was centred on the refurbishing of a dilapidated building that once served as a clinic and later as a post office. It had been closed, abandoned since 1985.
In addition to attending to the structure and surface of the building, works also entailed building library shelves, replacing all the woodwork, roofing, installing water and toilet facilities and cubicles.
As far as books are concerned, the Rotary Club, Bequia Christian Family Library and Bequia United Progressive Organization will provide initial support.
In fact, the collection of the Bequia Christian Family Library, owned and operated by Mrs. Leah Belmar, wife of Herman Belmar, will be moved into the new Library.
Bequia United Progressive Organization, based in the US, will source books on an ongoing basis.
Funded fully by the Australia High Commission located in Trinidad and Tobago, the project is nearing completion with landscaping and fencing of the compound the last remaining task to be undertaken. Completion is set as the end of August 2011.
Already the community of Paget Farm is looking to enhanced use of the library facility, with NGCDI’s General Secretary Ms. Vernamay Ollivierre and Trustee Rannie Gregg both describing it as a great educational tool from which even the fishermen and elder citizens can benefit.
It is “one to be cherished,” says Ollivierre, adding that her one concern is that the community “upkeeps and cares for the facility.”
Belmar, in an overall comment of the projects pursued to date, described the effort “as a great partnership between NGO’s, the private sector, community and Government, whose input is already forthcoming.”
Source of article:
The Vincentian
by: Garfield Gurley
18/08/2011
www.thevincentian.com
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