COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ATTEND CONSULTATION MEETINGS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY PAPER

COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ATTEND CONSULTATION MEETINGS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY PAPER

Community leaders for different categories will attend a series of consultation meetings on a long-term development plan starting next month. Speaking at the heads of departments' meeting held at district secretariat office on Wednesday, 21 August, 2002. Mrs. 'Maseta Machai from the national steering committee secretariat of the National Vision 2020 said consultation meetings are meant to find views of community leaders to be included in Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) for Vision 2020.

She said it has been discovered that views for community leaders have not been included in PRSP during community consultation meetings, adding that the views are meant to be brought together to develop a long-term development plan, which will improve the lives of Basotho.

She further said the meetings will be held for different categories, which include traditional healers, professionals, business community, and community structures, chiefs, community councils and community based organizations. Attendants at the meeting elected the committee, which will work with the ministry of development planning to ensure that the consultation meetings are successful, adding that the committee will also ensure that the district will contribute with available resources, such as vehicles.

Community consultation meetings, which covered 20 villages of the district, were held in April and the community identified unemployment and poor farming as source of poverty in the district. The consultation meetings are held throughout the country as follow up to the Principal Secretaries meeting, which was held in 1999 to find strategies for developing the country.

21 August, 2002

SOURCE: LENA