— to monitor ‘Sustainable and Resilient Communities Programme’, ‘Alternative Livelihoods Initiative’

THE Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has established a Coordinating Committee to lead, coordinate and monitor its ‘Sustainable and Resilient Communities Programme’ and ‘Alternative Livelihoods Initiative,’ as it continues to restructure the sugar industry.

The committee comprises senior technical experts from a number of key government agencies, including the Ministries of Agriculture; Men’s Health Unit; the Small Business Bureau; the Ministry of Finance; and the Citizens’ Security Strengthening Programme.
Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, in delivering the keynote address during the launch, said his ministry is keen on supporting the programme, noting that it is an important preventative initiative.

He said the more economically and socially resilient communities are, the greater the reduction in crime will be, as well as other social and economic issues associated with crime.

“There is a direct link between the Sustainable and Resilient Communities Programme and Alternative Livelihoods Initiative and the Citizen’s Security Programme, which is implemented by the Ministry of Public Security; since the programme is a support mechanism for the communities around the sugar belt which are impacted by the reorganisation of the industry,” the minister said.

The programme has three components: Economic Resilience, Social Resilience and Environmental Resilience. Sub-committees were set up at the meeting on Saturday to implement the programme.

The Economic Resilience Sub-committee will be chaired by Dr. Lowell Porter, Chief Executive Officer of the Small Business Bureau; the Social Resilience Sub-committee will be chaired by Dr. Allister Collins, Executive Officer, President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) and Co-chaired by Whentworth Tanner, a Director at the Ministry of Social Protection; the chairperson for the Environmental Resilience Sub-committee is still to be named.

The terms of reference for the Coordinating Committee and Sub-committees are: to lead, coordinate and monitor the transitioning of the targeted sugar-dependent communities towards becoming sustainable and resilient; provide oversight for the Sustainable Communities Fund, which is to enable start-ups of businesses, training, technical support and aligning new business ventures under the programme to national and regional development focus areas such as the Green Economy (the Green State Development Strategy), Ministry of Business – 2016 – 2020 Strategic Plan, Guyana Food Security Strategy, CARICOM Regional Food and Nutritional Security Policy and other economic activities.

Additionally, the committee will oversee the establishment of partnerships with relevant international, regional and national agencies to support the transitioning of these sugar-dependent communities; and they are expected to meet at least once monthly.

The committee will continue the initiatives which were started by GuySuCo and other agencies. Several of these projects are currently being implemented, while others are awaiting funding to commence. Current projects include the European Union-funded study to transition ex-employees into farmers; the Ministry of Natural Resources-funded project in partnership with the Board of Industrial Training and GuySuCo Training Centre/Port Mourant (GTC/PM) in Motor Vehicle Services and Minor Repairs, Welding and Fabrication, Refrigeration and Electrical Installation) and the Small Business Bureau-funded training at the Guyana Industrial Training Centre (GITC) in Plumbing, Masonry and Carpentry, among others.

Projects to be funded include training in forestry-management areas and ‘management of Community Forestry Concessions’ and training in carpentry, masonry, garment construction and food preparation at the Upper Corentyne Technical Institute, among others.

Minister Ramjattan accepted the invitation to be Patron of the GuySuCo Sustainable and Resilient Communities Programme and has committed to supporting the successful implementation of the programme.