TT committed to fighting regional poverty

Addressing the CDB’s 35th annual meeting of directors in Guyana recently, Robinson-Regis said the SDF has played a critical role in helping the CDB’s member nations (especially the more vulnerable ones) address their development goals.

The minister said she was particularly pleased that the programme areas identified under the SDF’s sixth cycle were more broad-based than its fifth cycle and this reflects "the multi-dimensional nature of poverty and the need to give recognition to the diverse issues that impact on the less vulnerable in our societies."

"As a demonstration of our commitment to the ideals of SDF VI, TT intends to contribute its share of the required resources identified to allow SDF VI to implement the targeted programmes," she added. Robinson-Regis also observed the significant contribution made by the CDB’s Basic Needs Trust Fund V to combatting regional poverty and the increased pace of implementation in 2004 with grant funding of $9.39 million for 182 sub-projects.

She said over the last 30 years, the CDB has greatly assisted TT (through financial assistance, technical assistance and policy advice) to implement projects in key areas such as health, education, transportation, agriculture and communication. Robinson-Regis stated that given Government’s recognition of education as an important vehicle for upward mobility, TT has been seeking assistance from the CDB to develop a master plan for the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of TT (COSTAATT) and the bank has already provided financial assistance to Government for the establishment of the TT Institute of Technology at Pt Lisas.

Robinson-Regis said it was imperative that the bank continue to seek innovative ways "to help countries of the region strengthen their capacities in areas where such assistance has not been forthcoming from other multilateral agencies."

Noting the CDB’s efforts to improve regional governance, economic policy and public goods, the minister urged the bank’s directors to expedite and encourage "the preparation of outstanding country strategy papers and to work towards the development of a regional economic recovery plan."

Robinson-Regis echoed Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s recent disclosure that a draft plan for Government’s Vision 2020 objectives was almost complete and as TT prospers in a rapidly changing global environment, "this prosperity will inevitably redound to the benefit of our Caricom neighbours."