by Emmanuel H. Joseph
Government Information Service
The Government of Dominica, through the Ministry of Community Development, Culture, Gender Affairs, and Information, on Wednesday, 8th April, 2009, signed contracts to undertake a number of projects under the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) Five Programme. As a result, a number of access projects will soon get off the ground including the Grandbay Youth Centre retaining wall, the Moore Park Back Road, The Zolivier Road Rehabilitation Project and the Letrange Feeder Road in Dos Dane. In addition, contracts for the construction of a retaining wall for the Place of Safety Home in Jimmit and rehabilitation of the Marigot Health Center were also signed.
Mrs. Ruth Allport, Permanent Secretary (Ag)
in the Ministry of Community Development
signs contract with Nathan Bannis of
Northern Engineering and Consultancy
Services
The total cost of the projects signed amounted to EC 1.2 million dollars (XCD$1 202 375.22) and will span between twelve (12) and sixteen (16) weeks.
According to Mrs. Ruth Allport, Permanent Secretary (Ag) in the Ministry of Community Development, the BNTF Five programme will come to a close at the end of this year. The BNTF Six funding is already approved and available to Dominica. Preparations are on the way for the implementation of those projects.
“We do have to start the implementation of BNTF Six because we have a shorter time frame in which we will be able to implement our BNTF Six projects. In so doing, we are basically inviting interested communities out there and vulnerable groups to submit projects that they think would be worthy of funding from BNTF Five. The BNTF Six Programme was launched in Jamaica in the third week of March, 2009 and Dominica stands to benefit with approximately 2.4 million US dollars (USD$2 400 000.00) from the BNTF Six Programme.”
The Basic Needs Trust Fund is aimed at poverty reduction in the rural areas of Dominica and targets the vulnerable persons and groups around the island. |
