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The Government of Antigua & Barbuda is much closer to its goal of determining the level of poverty in the twin-island state, as the Participatory Poverty Assessment is well on the way.

The project, which was launched in October, has four components namely, Participatory Poverty Assessment, Macro Economic Analysis, Institutional Analysis and the Survey of Living Conditions & Household Budgetary Survey.

The main purpose of the focus group discussions is to provide an opportunity for each group in the community to share their views and or experience of poverty and deprivation, in addition to making suggestions for solving their problems and meeting their needs.

The focus groups are divided into women, men, youth (under 25), unemployed and the elderly and or challenged individuals within the community.

According to Country Poverty Survey Coordinator, Almira Henry, the institutional analysis is nearly completed along with the Survey of Living. According to Henry, officials by KAIRI Consultancy in Trinidad have been on island from time to time meeting with a number of key agencies to acquire information.

Meantime, persons from within the community are being asked to be on the lookout for the various meetings with the interviewers as the success of this survey and the development of the country and its people will require their complete participation.

According to Henry, the results of the survey will also help the Government to plan programmes and policies for its social services, which are greatly lacking in some communities. Henry reiterated that any information given during this survey will be kept in strict confidence as interviewers have taken an oath of secrecy, which forbids them from divulging information obtained during an interview.

While over 12 hundred households with be interviewed, several communities have been selected for indepth study. These include, Potters, Urlings, Willikies, Point, Grays Farm, Ebenezer, John Hughes, Piggotts, Bendals, Cedar Grove, Liberta & Codrington

The Country Poverty Assessment/Survey of Living Conditions is being carried out by the Ministry of Housing, Culture & Social Transformation and is jointly funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Antigua & Barbuda. (Ends)

Digital photo of Survey team by Collin Jno-Finn

For further information contact:

Collin Jno-Finn

Communications Officer

Ministry of Housing, Culture & Social Transformation

Dickenson Bay Street

St. John’s, Antigua

(268) 771-4006

(268) 562-5698

collin.jno-finn@antigua.gov.ag