News

Leap News Issue #9
Feb 2009

LEAP - Seven Years Successfully Serving Linden and training its youth to create a sound basis for the future .[ more ]

Leap News Issue #8
April 2008

The much anticipated Takutu river bridge in Region number 9 has been finally established creating the first physical infrastructural linkage between Guyana and its Southern neighbour Brazil.[ more ]

Given coastal flooding, Region Ten should expand food production - study recommends
Staborek Business Friday, January 27th 2006

Farmers in Region Ten have recognized and begun to capitalize on the opportunity created in the wake of the floods of January 2005 to enhance their contribution to the food security of the region, according to a study carried out in February 2005 by the Trinidad and Tobago Agricultural Development Consultants Vokaty & Associates. [ more ]

 

Private Sector Consortium to stage Linden Town Week 2006 in April
Staborek Business Friday, January 27th 2006

Regional and national support for the planned Linden Town Week scheduled to take place from April 22 to May 1, 2006 is growing according to an official of the consortium that has secured the rights to stage the event. [ more ]

 

LEAP's Private Sector Development Programme weaning Linden off bauxite dependence - G$216M in Business Loans disbursed
Staborek Business Friday, January 27th 2006

Kathleen Whalen, the International Project Manager for the Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP) is upbeat about what the Project is seeking to accomplish in Linden and in the wider Region Ten. The mining town, she says, is no longer under any illusions about the reduced role of bauxite in "putting greens on the table" Not even CAMBIOR's acquisition of 70% of the holdings of what was once LINMINE and the US$30M investment that has seen the creation of its subsidiary, OMAI Bauxite, appears to have changed their minds. "When last we checked OMAI Bauxite was employing just over 600 people, and frankly, even if bauxite is ever restored to its former glory it would not be desirable for Linden to return to the status of a Company Town," Whalen told Stabroek Business. [ more ]

 

Richard Winter poised for a giant step forward with shoe manufacturing
Stabroek Business Friday, December 16th 2005

Even without the trademark business suit and brief case Richard Winter exudes the conviction of a confident entrepreneur who, having guided his company through measured risks and prudent decisions, now believes that his investment is on the threshold of paying dividends. [ more ]

 

PACA Kick-Off-Workshop
June 17th 2005

In close collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council, the Interim Management Committee of the Mayor and Town Council and the Linden Chamber of Commerce, LEAP announces the start of a PACA Exercise. PACA stands for “Participatory Appraisal of Competitive Advantage”. It is a methodology to do rapid appraisals of different economic sectors, sub-sectors and clusters with the aim to identify competitive advantages and motivated stakeholders with whom precise, time-bound and quick-to-realise activities can be carried out.

A PACA team comprising 7 members has been selected after a special 5-days training with 12 participants. The team is composed of RDC-, MTC- and Linden Chamber nominees as well as of private local consultants.

The PACA Kick-off Workshop on June 16, 2005 marks the official start of a series of interviews, mini-workshops and other inquiries during a three weeks period during which the PACA Team tries to get maximum information about the economic problems and possibilities prevailing in the different sectors. This method is highly participative putting the public- and private sector participants in the driver’s seat. The team assists in identifying strengths and weaknesses regarding development potential in various sectors so that by the end of June all participants in the “Kick-off Workshop” will be presented the findings during a “Results Workshop”. During that workshop so-called “PACA Champions” will be identified who will have to realise jointly identified activities which can get started immediately, with our own resources and which can be carried out within a three month time frame.

LEAP, RDC, MTC and LCICD are ready to assist the PACA Champions in the realisation of the activities. A newly created “Regional Development Unit” within RDC coordinates the activities with the ultimate goal to come up with a Regional Economic Development Plan after 2 years. This plan ought to be based on those sectors which prove their capacities.

PACA as a bottom-up methodology does not encourage huge expectations from the broad public to quick developments but it rather counts in the first place on manageable self-development efforts of concerned stakeholders in promising sectors.
PACA has a proven track record in a number of countries (South Africa, Brazil, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Montenegro, etc.) and with the support of international development agencies such as GTZ, EU and US A.I.D.