SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:
SENIOR MEMBER of Parliament in the Namibian House of Parliament Alfred Stephens has called on community organisations to get more involved in the process of national development and nation-building.
"As a community and as a people, we need to be part of the decision-making process of our country, also influencing issues of government and governance," he said.
Speaking at the annual general meeting of the De la Vega City Community Club in Spanish Town earlier this month, the African MP said community organisations need to take the destiny of their community in their own hands.
According to Mr. Stephens, who was in Jamaica to learn about Jamaican parliamentary process, one of the things that community organisations and community people must try not to do is to be permanent friends and permanent enemies of politicians "as this can damage your effort to build your community".
In her address, consultant in the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) Miss Sanga Harris said a true community is a community with a strong organisational base working together as a team.
Speaking on the club's theme 'the importance of community participation', Miss Harris called on the community organisation to seek to develop a master community development plan to guide them in their process of development. She said if communities are as strong as the families are, then community development would be an easy process.
The De la Vega City Community Club has a membership of over 100 with a strong environmental, cultural, human development, sports development and tourism programme.
