The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela through its embassy located in Barbados will offer technical assistance to the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs in several areas including community outreach programmes.
This was disclosed during a courtesy call on Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey by Chargé d’affaires to Barbados of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Ms. Martha Gabriela Ortega Peraza.
Minister Humphrey, said that he was keen on working with Ms. Ortega Peraza, especially in the area of utilising methodologies to define the process to address and action priority areas within the ministry; namely the elderly, differently abled, poverty alleviation and the welfare of children.
“I’m looking forward to us being able to work together. I think it’s going to be a good relationship. This methodology I think is going to be extremely important in the ministry, but also in the communities and also on the ground,” Minister Humphrey emphasised.
Ms. Ortega Peraza said that she was passionate about grassroots movements and community work having worked in the area in her homeland for over a decade.
“So, I would like to work with you in the areas of cooperation in the organisation of the communities … especially women empowerment … and offer our experience in that field, so that you could have our know-how and the technical assistance,” the Chargé d’affaires said.
Other areas of discussion included community activism, women empowerment, public policy, building skillsets, paternity leave, climate change, COVID-19 and the Venezuelan Institute for Culture and Cooperation.
Those in attendance included Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry, Corey Lane; Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mark Franklin; Coordinator of Poverty Alleviation and Reduction Programme, Andrew Pollard; Director of the Bureau of Gender Affairs, Patricia Boyce, and First Secretary in the Venezuelan Embassy, César Benedetti.