ALGA thanks CIDA During Canada Week

As Canada week is being observed from February 13 to 19, the Association of Local Government Authorities (ALGA) has expressed appreciation to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for its valued contributions to the organsiation.
Mayor of May Pen and President of ALGA, Councillor Milton Brown told JIS News today (February 16), that CIDA had provided major support to the organization over the last year.
“CIDA gave us technical and financial support and also equipment. Their financial contribution of CDN$100,000 (J$5.3 million), CDN$50,000 (J$2.65 million) of which has already been paid over to us, has enabled us to allocate J$150,000 to each local authority to enable them to help finance their public consultation on Local Government Reform, to employ some clerical services in the office and to purchase a computer for the office also,” he said.
According to Councillor Brown, nine local authorities have so far drawn down on their allocation and several consultations have been held island wide.
He said that in addition CIDA had donated furniture to ALGA, which has enabled the organization to establish offices and conference area in space donated by the Clarendon Parish Council.
Mayor Brown also noted that other financial and technical support had allowed ALGA to retain the services of a consultant who has developed a communication strategy for the organization.
“We recognize and applaud CIDA’s commitment to good governance at the local level and we say a special thanks to Louise Valle, the Senior Governance Programme Manager and Paulette Griffiths-Jude, Enhancing Civil Society Project Manager, for their personal contribution to our organization’s efforts to make a worthy contribution to governance,” he said.