NGOs need collaboration with Gov’t

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) through the National NGO Network (NNN) have been re-examining and re-evaluating their work, redefining their role, who they serve and are accountable to, and endeavour to function more effectively and efficiently but require partnership with government to move forward.

This is according to President of the Barbados Vagrants and Homeless Society (BVHS), Kemar Saffrey.

He was at the time addressing the NNN’s panel discussion aimed at encouraging partnership between NGOs and the government, to support important projects in line with the NGOs mandate, and to assist in alleviating the societal issues affecting Barbadian communities.

“The laws governing the registration and operation of NGOs is a course of confusion and inadequate. It is therefore clear that the internal coordination and self regulation within the NGOs themselves needs to be improved,” Saffrey stressed.

“The consultation recognizes the need for a new policy and legislation framework which will help to address many of the problems that are currently experienced by NGOs.”

According to the BVHS President, there are approximately 1 200 registered local NGOs currently in Barbados which focus on gender issues, human rights, disability, environment, health, domestic violence towards women, advocacy, homelessness, children rights, etc – all of which have been assisting in strengthening the civil society through advocacy programmes and educating the public on various issues.

“NGOs have played a critical role in Barbados’ social development, prior to the island’s independence in 1966. In the new millennium, the resources provided by these various organizations have become even more necessary taking into account the negative change in the economic challenges.”

“The panel discussion is therefore aimed at engaging political parties on various things that are affecting the NGO community and if their Party was to be elected, what would be the plans they have in place for NGOs,” he said.

Lynette Eastmond shared that the United Progressive Party (UPP) has as part of its governance manifesto a structure by which they plan to engage with civil society organizations.

“One of the strongest elements of our platform is strengthening Barbadian communities,” the UPP Leader pointed out.

“We consider civil society critical to the governance of the country and that is why it is on our governance manifesto.”

“The structure for us would be to repeal the Constituency Councils Legislation. If you read the legislation you would see that it is not focused on strengthening communities. Constituency Councils attract politics in a very negative way. So, we think we should go back to parish development committees – that is what we recommend and then you would focus on the communities, to strengthen and encourage the creation of even more civil society organisations arising from within the community,” Eastmond said.

Rodney Grant, Democratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate for St Michael South East highlighted that one of the ways to effectively engage civil society organisations is on Boards, in various aspects of governance within the government system.

“One of the easiest and straight forward ways that you can build capacity in civil society organistions is by letting them in on the inside of the machinery of government,” he stressed.

“There is no reason why civil society organisations can’t represent certain arms of government at meetings... It will also remove some of the “tension” that exists and some of the perceptions that exist as well. So, one of the most immediate things that you can do is to engage civil society more – put them on Boards, committees within government; be far more engaging in how they work with them.”