Laventille group: Govt handouts not the way to developed nation status

The Ad Hoc Committee for the Eradication of Crime in Laventille yesterday pointed out the need for society to display, “self-initiative, creativity, and increased productivity,” if we wish to attain  developed nation status by the year 2020. The Committee’s Community Development Consultant, Lennox Smith, yesterday while addressing a “Pre-Evaluation Seminar” on the report of the committee, said that, “the imperatives for the realisation of Government’s 20:20 Developed Nation Status vision will be severely disrupted if dependency, handouts, and indolence are given prominence over self-initiative, creativity and productive wealth creation activities.”

According to Smith, there are over 15 social programmes being administered by Government which consume hundreds of millions of dollars, most of which are open ended and bring temporary relief and perpetuate a “dependancy syndrome” in communities such as Laventille. Smith also highlighted the efforts of the Committee over the last year which he said have led to collaborations between several Laventille-centered organisations and a reduction in gang related killings in the area. The completed report of the Committee is expected to be the focus of an “Evaluation Seminar” which is carded for August at the Crowne Plaza.