APNU promises hinterland development through people empowerment

Presidential candidate for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton, has promised the development of hinterland communities through the empowerment of their residents.

During a political rally in Region Nine yesterday, Norton highlighted his party’s intention to educate and train residents so they can benefit from various opportunities coming to their communities.

The APNU leader said his party understands that education and training are important to people’s development. He added that persons from the coastland, for instance, should not have to come to the hinterland regions to fulfil work because the locals are unable to do so.

“We are saying to you that we will have programmes to train persons in the hinterland communities to improve their abilities so that they can get contracts,” Norton said.

He insisted that hinterland residents, like those in other communities across the country, are entitled to become businessmen and women. He pledged to support them through empowerment initiatives, including the development of a group of small contractors.

“And the law provides for it,” Norton highlighted, adding that, “the law provides for 25 per cent of contracts to go to small contractors. We are going to create a core of small contractors in the hinterland that can carry out the work in the hinterland.”

Norton also noted that it is critical to train, in particular, young persons in construction, mechanics, welding, and other fields to ensure that villages have within them those who could fulfil services required within the communities.

He reiterated that outsiders should not have to come to hinterland communities to conduct business that residents could have otherwise provided. He noted that an APNU government will provide the opportunity for every region to thrive internally.