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Starret Greene
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Interested parties in Government, the
private sector and non-governmental organizations may
be eligible to receive up to US$100,000 in funding and
technical assistance from the Organization of American
States (OAS) for approved project concepts that should
be submitted to the Ministry of Sustainable Development,
through its Department of Planning. The second quarter
of 2011 is the targeted time period for the start of
implementation of full project proposals. Concepts are
to be submitted before the June 15, 2010 deadline.
For the current year, three approved
projects that have collectively received US$122,000
in OAS funding are scheduled to begin implementation
in May -- an anger management and conflict resolution
program for schools; an online education management
information systems project; and a disaster management
and mitigation project for Nevis.
According to St. Kitts and Nevis OAS
Representative Starret Greene, project concept submissions
should fall within one of the following eight established
priority areas: social development and the creation
of productive employment; education; economic diversification
and integration, trade liberalization and market access;
scientific development and exchange and transfer of
technology; strengthening of democratic institutions;
sustainable tourism development; sustainable development
and environment; and culture.
"There are occasions when some
projects cut across these priority areas," said
Greene. "A little sustainable development, education
and training, science and technology are areas that
could be included in a single project submission.
Our preference, though, is for projects that focus
on a single theme -- for example, purely education,
or one that focuses on sustainable tourism development,
culture or any other preferred area."
All of the OAS offices on other Caribbean
islands are making similar calls for project concept
submissions, encompassing the same priority areas.
All selected submissions, usually five per country,
are sent to the OAS headquarters to be evaluated by
committees dedicated to each of the noted priority
areas. In total, there are 31 countries that qualify
for project concept submissions, each ultimately receiving
no more than three projects for full implementation.
Since arriving in St. Kitts and Nevis
in 2006, Greene has had the opportunity to work with
a wide variety of groups in the Federation, from Government
institutions to community-based organizations. When
asked about specific projects that stood out in his
mind, he recalled one in particular.
"It was the development of a
special education curriculum last year that was targeted
at special needs children," he said. "Prior
to the project's implementation, teachers in St. Kitts
and Nevis who taught special needs children did not
have a formal curriculum."
The proposal to develop a special
education curriculum was first submitted to the organization
by Ms. Clarice Cotton, Education Officer with responsibility
for special education in the Federation.
"We were able to work with them,"
Greene explained, "and provide the funding that
was requested for a two-year period. The end result
was a special education curriculum for the Federation
that teachers are now using for special needs children
at the primary and secondary levels.
"That project stands out in my
mind, because the OAS was able to bring the Federation
from a position without a curriculum, to a place where
it now has a credible and comprehensive document for
teaching special needs children. And the fact that
we were able to include a component for training of
teachers on both St. Kitts and Nevis gave increased
value to our input."
Greene further noted that parents
of the special needs children on both islands were
successfully brought it into the process of implementing
and supporting the curriculum.
On the issue of submitted project
concepts, one of the most important components for
any of them is sustainability.
According to Greene, groups that receive
funding should plan to "show their ability to
absorb the OAS' technical assistance and to also demonstrate
how they would be able to build on it."
The OAS Representative then shared
his expansive view of the overall function of his
organization in St. Kitts and Nevis.
"Our role is to closely examine
the needs that have been identified, and to provide
the input that is needed," he said. "In
terms of the political, economic, social, and cultural
development of the Federation, the OAS remains committed
to continue in partnership with the Government to
provide the requested technical support and assistance."
Stakeholders and development partners
should call the OAS Country Office on 465-2636 to
obtain an OAS template that facilitates the preparation
of project concepts.
Antiguan-born Greene arrived in St.
Kitts and Nevis in January 2006. Prior to taking up
the post, Greene served as Senior Advisor at the Embassy
of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and Minister
Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Antigua and
Barbuda to the OAS. He has also served as Minister
Counsellor and First Secretary at the High Commission
of Antigua and Barbuda in London.
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