Community Development Organisations and Local Democracy (Part 2)

May 01, 2016 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

---

By Hon. Joseph Harmon, Minister of State

THE FAMILY
The family is the basic building block of a healthy community. It is a social unit that facilitates social

intercourse and establishes and strengthens social relations.
Strengthening the family unit therefore, is a fundamental objective of community development. This cannot be overemphasised as problems such as school drop outs, single parents (mostly mothers) and teenage pregnancies can all be attributed to weak or dysfunctional families.  Enhancing family values is critical in promoting strong communities hence a strong nation.
Community development councils should be encouraged and assisted in initiating programmes aimed at promoting strong family values and enhancing family life.
ADOPTION OF COMMUNITIES
Adoption of Communities is a concept that is proposed to link resources to help communities to meet sustainable levels of development. The business community, individuals, associations and other groups should be encouraged to adopt communities to help address issues affecting them and promote their development.
In these efforts sponsors can also draw inspiration from several models around the world and engage communities to:
1. Establish community business enterprises as individuals, co-operative societies or corporations
2. Assist with entrepreneurial training
3. Manage and monitor projects and their deliverables.
4. Facilitate training in contract bidding and government procurement procedures
5. Introduce information and communication technology tools for modernization of communities.
6. Promote establishment of local radio and television media outlets
7. Promote art and literature through writing village/community histories as an exciting pastime and as a business.
ICT IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Information and communication technology is a vital tool in promoting community development and makes available knowledge across the globe.
Community groups can access information on virtually any subject matter.
Through social media they can promote exchanges on experiences and share lessons learnt on any project or give online advice in an instantaneous interaction with groups involved in similar projects.
With ICT, leaders at all levels can interact with communities directly through virtual conferences, live presentations and meetings.
Community ICT affords the sharing of knowledge to bring resolution to many problems within communities as well as to common problems in different regions. The Community Development Council becomes the means through which these virtual interactions take place. The councils will be provided with the equipment necessary to facilitate these interactions.
COMMUNITY CONCERNS – DATABASE AND HOTLINE
There are going to be problems which Community Development Councils will encounter along the developmental road. There should therefore be some   mechanism to allow community groups that have their concerns and issues addressed. They should be given an opportunity to register those concerns in an atmosphere of respect and confidentiality and have them addressed by properly trained professionals.
Community groups can report via telephone, email, social media, news-media or directly via an established community development website.
A database of these issues should be established with a schedule of actions to be taken and a monitoring mechanism for reporting progress and follow up.
The results of all interventions should then be tabulated and kept in the records for further reference if necessary, or to be used as social issues research materials for students and organisations.
I have highlighted some of the issues we face in addressing the development of communities across our country and to suggest some ideas – thematic areas, if you will, that should be considered and/or applied to improve the state of those communities.
This is by no means a comprehensive analysis, nor does it provide a panacea for the ills that exist in our communities. Rather, it is intended to provoke thought, invite analysis and encourage debate of the issues raised.
I must point out, however, that our government’s approach to community development represents a different philosophical approach; a change in orientation and organisation.
This change is best illustrated by the re-naming of the Ministry of Local Government to the Ministry of Communities. This emphasises a change from imposing government to building communities, and includes an inclusionary and participatory process of extensive and exhaustive consultation. It is based on partnership between the government and the communities.
I would consider myself successful here today if you have begun to appreciate if not embrace this new approach to community development, and it is my fervent hope and wish that you would become engaged in taking the process forward.
In conclusion, I must say that my primary purpose is to serve the people of Guyana. We in government have a definite interest in seeing all Guyanese prosper. We must all put our shoulders to the wheel and not be distracted. Human development must be at the forefront of our thinking. It should shape our policies and interventions. It should be the focus of our energies. To this our government commits. To this we will stand firm.

---

---