Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ITI. I’ve spoken critically of ITI’s controlling, non-inclusive and delayed approach, not always intentional, I know, in delivering the Growing Forward Program at the community level, and its failure to germinate
citizens’ enthusiasm and capacity to carry projects forward.
Yesterday I learned of one more example. Rather than turn granted money over to a YKDFN community garden for supplies, ITI made the purchases on the basis of the YKDFN supplied list. This stuff arrived and it’s the wrong stuff. Yet again the garden is put back further in starting at this critical planting date.
What’s up, Mr. Speaker? The wrong stuff is bought because the department simply is not knowledgeable in this area. The result is there’s another loss of project control for the gardeners; they lose the opportunity to develop purchasing and ordering skills.
Why are we persisting in this approach rather than an enabling an approach that grows real experience and capacity?