‘Sustainable Livelihood programme is for all Guyanese’- Minister Ally

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, July 12, 2018

The Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED) programme, which provides local economic development is for the entire Guyanese population and sugar workers are one aspect of that population, Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally told the National Assembly, today.

Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally.

Minister Ally was responding to the question posed by Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Vindhya Persaud whether the programme caters for laid-off sugar workers.

Minister Ally explained that projects are considered following receipt of requests for assistance for community-based projects whose beneficiaries can include several categories of workers.

“Funding is provided based on a request for assistance, thus there is no predetermined amount identified for specific communities…the SLED programme funding is based on annual budgetary proposals and the 2018 funds have been programmed and preparations for the 2019 budget are underway and a request will be made for funding.”

The SLED programme seeks to provide financial support for entrepreneurial ventures, create income-generating opportunities, and promote improved practices in agriculture and livestock ventures, community development through the functioning of cooperatives and encourage successful business practices and enhance the skills of community members through participation in projects.

In 2017, some twenty (20) groups in nine of the ten administrative regions benefitted from the initiative executed by the Ministry of Social Protection Projects Department.

The groups were registered under the Cooperatives Act 88:01. Two groups were established in Region One; four in Region Two; one in Region Three; three in Region Four; three in Region Five; one in Region Seven, one in Region Eight, three in Region Nine and two in Region 10. These groups had become fully operational by the end of 2017.

Among projects executed by the groups are poultry, pig, and sheep rearing, garment construction centres, multipurpose complex, block making establishments, shade house cultivation, bakeries and catering establishments.

By: Synieka Thorne.

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