FIVE OECS Member States, Antigua and Barbuda; the Commonwealth of Dominica; Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have successfully launched a Multidimensional project on reducing poverty in the OECS.
The Government of Chile is funding the project up to the tune of EC$2.7 million
Addressing the launch at UN House in Barbados last Thursday, OECS Dairector General Dr.Didacus Jules noted that the multidimensional approaches to reduce and eradicate poverty will include a paradigm shift which gives respect and voice to the experience of the poor.
Expressing their commitment to the programme the United Nations Development Programme UNDP reemphasized why the move towards multidimensional approach to poverty reduction is essential, particularly given that income was the traditional tool for measuring poverty.
The launch of the OECS/UNDP Multidimensional Approaches to Poverty Reduction follows the signing of the two year project agreement between the OECS Commission, UNDP Barbados and the Government of Chile.
Youth and civil society organisations, ministers, permanent secretaries, a delegation from the government of Chile and representatives from the OECS Commission and the UNDP were part of the gathering at the UN House Barbados for the official launch.
The OECS Commission and the UNDP-Barbados office facilitated the April 30th 2015 event.
“…the multidimensional approaches to reduce and eradicate poverty will include a paradigm shift which gives respect and voice to the experience of the poor…”
Where are the measurable, detailed steps in the project to utilize the paltry sum of EC$2.7m? What are the tangible goals that this paltry sum will realize, besides the meaningless flowery language above?
Only Didacus knows, which explains his “cat that ate the canary” grin!