Background

Guyana is a thinly populated low-income country. According to the 2002 population and housing census. around 751,223 thousand people live in 182,615 households and the 2006 per capita income was estimated at US$974.90. Most of the population and economic activities are concentrated along the narrow coastal strip, which lies below sea level at high tide and is protected by a series of sea walls. The economy is essentially natural resource-based, with agriculture (mainly sugar and rice) bauxite, gold, and timber accounting for most of the output in the productive sectors. According to the 2005 progress report of the Guyana Poverty Reduction Strategy, the structural reforms which the Government of Guyana implemented over several years have begun to show results. The economy has improved along with the areas of crime and security and industrial and labour relations. However, in late 2004 – early 2005, Guyana faced perhaps, the most serious challenge the country has ever experienced; unprecedented rainfall and accompanying floods. The national disaster resulted in the displacement of 70,000 households and caused economic damage in excess of 57 percent of GDP, with long-term implications for growth and development The Replicable Local Poverty Linkages Project was launched to help reverse the economic damage caused by the floods, within the context of the Country Programme Action Plan agreed upon between the Government of Guyana and UNDP. The project specifically address outcome 3 of the Country Programme Action Plan calling for “Replicable Local Poverty Initiatives” linked to policy change. An Annual Work Plan (AWP) between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, signed on 19 December 2006, sets out the activities to be undertaken in the first year of the three-year project. Among other things, the initiative seeks to support projects at the local level that will create jobs for unemployed persons. This endeavour will initially be undertaken in Regions 3, 4 and 5 and build on the related work already begun through the Youth Focused Community Based Initiative under the UNDP Social Cohesion Project. Additionally, the project is intended to support the creation of Regional Development Strategies (RDS) for regions 4 and 6. This follows the successful completion of the Region 10 RDS, which is now before the Cabinet for approval. Region 4 is the most populated region in the country with almost 41 percent of the population, region 6 is second with approximately 17 percent of the population. The latter region has the highest rate of outward migration, many of whom end up in region 4 in search of jobs, bringing additional demands on the region. It is against this backdrop that UNDP accepted the Government of Guyana’s request to undertake the elaboration of regional development strategies for regions 4 & 6. When complete, the strategies are intended to provide the basis for actions and decisions to both protect and improve the quality of the regions’ physical infrastructure and the quality of life of their people. Additionally, the strategies are expected to provide tools and help build capacities of the respective RDCs to make more informed decisions in designing and implementing projects geared towards poverty reduction.

Objectives

The primary objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of depressed communities to create jobs. This will involve working closely and strategically with local partners in the design and implementation of relevant activities, including empowering the Government of Guyana, specifically the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. Specific objectives are:

• To strengthen the ability of local leaders to identify and promote good business practices.
• To ensure synergies between the Ministry, RDC and the local communities, by working closely with the Regional Democratic Councils, towards creating an enabling environment in which to optimise opportunities created through this project.

Achievements and expected results

The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is the agency identified by UNDP to implement the Replicable Local Poverty Linkages Project.  To strengthen the capacity of the Ministry to better perform this function, UNDP organised a one-day project management training for staff as well as the Regional Democratic Councils that will be involved in managing the project. The one-day training was conducted in April 2007 and had some twenty-one participants, including regional chairmen and regional executive officers of Regions 3, 4 & 5.
Following the training, regional officials together with officials of the ministry identified three communities from each of the three participating regions (3, 4 and 5). The communities thereafter identified fifteen leaders to direct the process of identifying and managing the project on behalf of those communities.
Community consultations were carried out in each of the nine communities to determine three suitable projects for implementation and further consultation was provided to help them decide which project has the highest chance of succeeding. Community leaders have undergone an intensive three-day training course to equip them with basic skills in leadership, project design and proposal writing, enterprise development and management of a small business.
In July 2007, ten proposals were received from the nine communities. Proposals ranged from a poultry farm to be run by members of the Yarrawkabra community to an information resource centre for the community of Leguan. It is expected that most of these proposals will be funded, although the initial review requests supplementary information from the relevant communities. This additional information will be sought by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

Last Revised: February 2008