General Secretary of the Grenada Community Development Agency (GRENCODA), Judy Williams believes that if poverty is to be reduced on a lasting basis there has to be a political will to take determined action against the causes of poverty.

Williams made the statement last Wednesday in St. Mark's while addressing a rally dubbed, "Stand up and speak out against poverty." The rally was organised by the Democratic Youth Organisation, the Youth Arm of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Williams said that the involvement of civil society organisations is a must to mobilise and organise poor people, while the private sector is needed to help provide financial and technical resources.

The GRENCODA General Secretary made a case out for poor people to become involved in whatever structures are to be put in place for the eradication of poverty. She said that their own creativity and capabilities are essential components in the fight against poverty.

"Self-organisation and participation on the part of the poor women, men and children are fundamental principles, therefore, for reducing poverty," she told the large gathering. Williams noted that poverty reduction does not mean dispensing charity, but rather, helping to develop the productive and creative potential of the poor.

She saw the youth activity in the rural parish as being a hopeful sign for Grenada since it was organised by the youth. Williams spoke of the youth showing courage, tenacity, initiative and leadership around a cause in which everyone should be involved.

"I salute the Democratic Youth Organisation... and I ask us to continue the struggle towards ridding Grenada and the world of poverty and extreme poverty," she said. The leading NGO official made mention of a survey conducted eight years ago by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in collaboration with the Government of Grenada to obtain data on the state of poverty on the island.

That study concluded that 32 percent of the population of Grenada lived in poverty, while 12 percent lived in extreme poverty. Williams said: "That being the case eight years ago, we all know that the post (Hurricane) Ivan context we don't need a rocket scientist to tell us that poverty has doubled in Grenada".

She said that her analysis is based on the fact that  in the very Parish itself where the rally against poverty was held that numerous jobs have been lost in the agriculture sector as it relates to banana and nutmeg.

According to Williams, the Victoria nutmeg pool which employed the largest number of persons in the Parish is still closed. GRENCODA was one of six Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) that addressed the rally.

Another NGO official was Ann John of the National Children's Home (NCH) who sought to explain what  poverty really entails. John described poverty as a condition in which a person or community is deprived of or lack the essentials for a minimum standard of well-being and life.

The NCH Executive Director outlined some of the issues pertaining to poverty which affects children locally. These include the high percentage of female-headed households, most of whom are poor, the demise of the agriculture sector where a number of women were employed, the ever-increasing high cost of living as it impacts on basic food items, and the impact HIV and AIDS have on children whose parents have died or are infected with the disease.

John believes that with good governance and good management of the country the essentials for children and families can be provided through health care facilities, healthy lifestyles, and sustainable development of the young people, among others.

Also addressing the gathering was Elaine Henry-McQueen who is the President of the Grenada National Organisation of Women (GNOW) who pointed out that women have traditionally had the responsibility of taking care of the family.

"When our homes are in a situation of poverty and we need to feed the children, or we need to feed that elderly person or that sick person and there is nothing in the cupboard, who feels it? The women do."Whenever there is a natural disaster like we had after the passage of Hurricane Ivan, whose jobs are lost most quickly and they take the longest to come back?

"...When there is famine and war, wherever in the world such war is going on, who feel it the most in terms of feeding the family? The women do. "That is why I say that poverty has a female face," she said. Henry-McQueen also showed how the national statistics on unemployment reflects badly on women.

She said that for every one man who is unemployed there are two women. According to her, St. Patrick's is the Parish with the highest number of unemployed women. The GNOW President presented some proposals that can be used as a means of fighting poverty among women throughout the State of Grenada.

She suggested that there should be a restructuring of the jobs to include both sexes."We should be sharing the same kinds of jobs that exist. Not one set of jobs for women and another set of jobs for men. It is time for us to get out of that idea," she said.

She also said that given the rising cost of living in Grenada, the current minimum wage needs to be seriously addressed. Another of the GNOW's proposals is for the child maintenance provisions to be raised and enforced by government.

Henry-McQueen spoke out forcefully against the $15.00 per week that the court can imposed for child maintenance. She said men need to know that they too have a responsibility in maintaining their children.

The proper operations of elderly and child care facilities are other concerns of GNOW. She said considerations should be given for day care facilities to remain open longer as there are women who come from work in the late afternoon.

"Traditionally the women have to take care of the children. So if we are catering to the woman's needs the child care centre, or the elderly care centre... should close no earlier than six o'clock in the evening to give the care-giver a chance to leave the workplace and go to pick up the child or the elderly person who is in the day care centre," she said.

The GNOW President is advocating that people stand up and speak out against their own poverty. She believes that by becoming vocal each person will help to bring an end to poverty in Grenada, and poverty in the world.