Social Cohesion Ministry budgeting for a proactive 2018

DPI, GUYANA, Wednesday, August 30, 2017

In 2018, a number of remote communities are slated to benefit from sensitisation and training on social cohesion. Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton during an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI) said that the ministry is budgeting for those events, next year.

He highlighted that due to Guyana’s geographical layout and the lack of funding the Ministry was unable to carry out its mandate in those far-flung communities, that required travel by chartered planes and boats.

The Minister noted that he has received several complaints from persons living in remote communities about the discrimination meted out to them at hospitals and other public places.  However, Dr. Norton said that while plans are in place to visit those communities, he prefers to visit with a core team rather than to visit alone.

“We would also not like to visit as Social Cohesion (Ministry) but if we can get the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Health and other pertinent ministries to go there with us… we would have to budget for trips like those which is quite a lot and we are looking forward to that” Dr. Norton explained.

The Minister said that he believes that if the Ministry wants to promote equity, knowledge of what is transpiring on the ground is essential.

“When we can go to villages like Arau in the Wenamu River, Imbataro in Region One, Kurutuku in Region Seven and places like Imbamadai, to places like the middle Mazaruni, only then we would be in a position to make informed decisions as our best approach to those little villages”

However, the Minister pointed out  that the ministry has been working along with the Social Cohesion Action Plan, adding that they are heading in the right direction in terms of sensitisation and training. The programme was conducted in several hinterland communities in close proximity to the coast – in Regions One, Two, Four, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine.

After the training is completed, Dr. Norton said participants are monitored to see if they have put into practice what they learnt, that is, creating projects geared at fostering better communities.

 

By: Isaiah Braithwaite