The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) this morning opened its two day (Strengths Weakness Opportunities and Threats) SWOT Analysis Workshop on the COVID-19 Public Assistance Programme (PAP) via the virtual platform Zoom.
Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips welcomed the participants and challenged all to ensure that their involvement will ensure a timely and swift strategy for public assistance to Guyanese. The Prime Minister who has oversight for the CDC expressed his confidence that his office will be provided with an informed road map to bringing relief to citizens.
Director-General of CDC, Lieutenant-Colonel Kester Craig informed the workshop that the National COVID-19 Task Force has tasked the Commission “to coordinate the social relief programme” and he noted that the First Phase of the programme experienced several challenges. These were identified as “insufficient suppliers, slow procurement process, limited public relations and communications, inadequate monitoring and evaluation and the inability of the most vulnerable accessing the programme”.
The SWOT Analysis Workshop is tasked with developing a critical analysis and paving the way for a more robust and comprehensive programme that will see citizens “most vulnerable and directly impacted by COVID-19 receiving the much-needed relief supplies.”
Participants were drawn from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, National Data Management Authority, Guyana Defence Force, Department of Public Information, National Communications Network and Guyana Chronicle.
The SWOT Analysis Workshop will conclude tomorrow (Tuesday September 2, 2020) and CDC will inform the Prime Minister of the various recommendations to be implemented.
