THERE NEEDS to be greater communication between government and civil society organisations (CSOs) if successful implementation of the United Nations, Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) is to be achieved.
This was one of the suggestions in a study presented at the National Consultation on the Implementation of the Millennium Development goals and the BPOA at the Jamaica Conference Centre, Tuesday.
The consultations were hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank.
The findings from the two-day consultations with 39 civil society organisations were compiled in a report and presented to the group.
The study discovered that only 12 per cent of the CSOs were knowledgeable about the BPOA and prepared to play their role in implementing the programme.
SENTIMENTS
Sentiments that government largely ignored the voice of the CSOs were echoed by representatives at the consultations.
"Representatives working at the level of communities expressed the view that government was not doing enough and they did not see a relationship between what is said to be happening and what they experience," the report said.
The entities were displeased about the government's lack of progress in implementing the programme.
"It is sobering to note that 100 per cent of the CSO representatives consulted, indicated dissatisfaction with government's implementation of the BPOA," the report stated.
The CSOs are concerned about the lack of monitoring and enforcement of regulations and laws in the implementation of the BPOA. Other concerns are insufficient direct "face to face" public education, insufficient planning for sustainable development, insufficient community input in planning and decision making.
ADOPTED
The Barbados Programme of Action was adopted by Jamaica following the first global conference on sustainable development of small island developing states that was held in Barbados in 1994.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the IDB are currently preparing for the 10-year review of the BPOA to take place in Mauritius later this year.
As part of their preparations both organisations in conjunction with a
Civil Society Advisory Committee, are assessing the role and contribution of civil society in Jamaica in implementing the BPOA.
They have also assessed the CSOs achievements of the Millennium Development Goals that were a part of the Millennium declaration adopted by the UN in 2000.
Dr. Leith Dunn, chairperson of IDB Civil Society advisory committee said the CSOs have chosen three of the seven strategies devised to strengthen the CSOs as priorities to be presented at the review.
These include strengthening resource mobilisation, enabling participation and building relationships with government and donor agencies.
The groups will also be seeking to educate more Jamaicans about the BPOA and their role in its implementation by circulating copies of the study to government agencies, media and in their communities.
