BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – OVER US$100 000 may be made available to government departments, the private sector and non-governmental organisations that submit project concepts to the Organisation of American States (OAS).
To be considered, projects must fall under one of the development themes identified by the hemispheric organisation’s strategic plan for partnership for development.
The priority areas are: social development and the creation of productive employment; education; culture; economic diversification and integration; trade liberalisation and market access; scientific development and exchange and transfer of technology; strengthening of democratic institutions; sustainable tourism development; and sustainable development and environment.
Interested entities should submit their ideas to the Ministry of Sustainable Development by no later than June 15. The proposal template can be obtained from the OAS local office on Horsfords Road, which can be reached at 465-2636.
St. Kitts-Nevis OAS Representative Starret Greene said successful candidates would be notified in September and would then be tasked with developing full-blown project proposals before they could receive funding in the second quarter of 2011.
He disclosed that the Federation had fielded three approved projects from last year’s cycle of which the funding amounted to US$123 143.
The Ministry of Education was successful in getting funds for two projects – the first being an anger management and conflict resolution programme for schools valued at US$22 589, while the second is an online education management information systems project valued at US$30 000.
The Nevis Island Administration also received funding of US$70 554 for a disaster management and mitigation project that will be rolled out this year.
Greene noted the Federation had benefited from the technical assistance programme since its OAS membership in 1985, and stressed that special emphasis was always placed on small, vulnerable states in the Caribbean and Central America.
“This is despite the fact that St. Kitts-Nevis is competing against 31 other countries in a very limited funding pot,” Greene explained. “We try to give each Caribbean country 150 percent of their contribution to the OAS voluntary fund.
“St. Kitts-Nevis is guaranteed at least one approved project. The funding will cover the costs of consultants, resource materials, training of the persons involved and all other activities related to the project.”
Although last year’s successful applicants were all government entities, Greene was quick to reassure that NGOs and other community organisations had a fair shot at being selected.
“Each project is examined on its own merit. We look at its technical quality, feasibility and cost-effectiveness, and impact and self-sustainability. These are the criteria we use to determine what score a project is given.
“One of the weaknesses we find coming from the Federation is poor project writing. There needs to be some assistance for NGOs so they can submit quality ideas.”
