NGOs turning to businesses for funds

Date: Wed 09-Mar-1994
Paper Page: 3A
Publication: Daily
Byline: Anthony Blackman

CORPORATE BARBADOS is being asked to help Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs) raise desperately needed funds for the upcoming global conference.

Businesses recently received a letter to that effect from the Barbados
Environmental Association, signed by Glenroy Straughn, an executive member of
the BEA and a member of the NGOs' management committee.

Declaring that the letter was written in the "spirit of our pride and
industry", Straughn said the NGOs have received some assistance.

"Our very immediate need is for what I call `on-the-ground money' -- some cash
that will help set up exhibitions and projects and keep our administration
rolling," Straughn wrote.

The NGOs have responsibility for the Village Of Hope, SUSTECH '94 and the NGO
Forum, all connected to the upcoming United Nations Global Conference on the
Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.

Sources say the NGOs have so far managed to secure loans from two banks and
expanded credit at some businesses.

But it is not enough.

In an effort to generate cash, Terry Ally, information officer at the NGOs
Secretariat, said 12 different designs of the NGOs' mascot SIDS were being
offered to crafts people for use on souvenirs.