Berbicians and young people are currently being targeted as implementation of the United States (US)-funded US$1.2 million Leadership and Democracy (LEAD) project begins throughout the country.
“The USAID LEAD program’s consultations and interactions with Guyanese and youth organisations are proceeding well,” the US Embassy yesterday said in response to questions from Stabroek News.
However, under the project’s education drive, aimed at edifying the populace about the local government system, plans are yet to be finalised for engaging the National Assembly.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through which financing is being channeled, and the International Republican Institute (IRI) that has been contracted to implement the project, have expressed satisfaction about LEAD’s implementation.
Yesterday, a Town Hall-styled meeting was scheduled to be held in New Amsterdam, while at Rosignol on Saturday, the last of the September meetings will be held.
Some LEAD programme activities for youth have already taken place and these include a capacity building workshop with the Guyana National Youth Council; and a special episode of the popular “This Week in Parliament” television programme that was devoted to issues that impact and are of importance to Guyanese youth.
Glenn Bradbury, IRI’s Resident Country Director and the Chief of Party for the LEAD Program, has said that he was quite pleased with the public interest and attendance at a recent Rose Hall meeting. He was particularly impressed by the level of positive feedback he received and interaction with the audience.
According to Bradbury, participants were engaged about learning more on local government and of the importance of participating in elections when they are held.
The Town Hall meetings are public forums. They provided information on the structure of local government in Guyana, the responsibilities of local governments and the procedures through which local government elections are conducted.
LEAD officials have said that the information used during the Town Hall meetings is derived primarily from publications obtained from the Guyana Elections Commission (Gecom).
According to the US Embassy, the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers has also completed a draft booklet, entitled “Local Government and You,” which will be made available to the general public. Its contents are also based on information obtained from Gecom. The LEAD programme has used the information in the booklet to create a handout focusing on the more salient points covered in both the booklet and at the Town Halls, including a guide to the local government voting process.
On the National Assembly component of the programme, however, specified activities could not yet be ascertained. “At this point, raising specific programmatic activity would be a bit premature – especially with the National Assembly in recess and consultations not fully completed,” the Embassy informed.
“IRI and USAID are confident that the LEAD Program will be used to enhance internal Assembly structures and contribute to building capacity of administrative staff and elected representatives,” it added.
