Local government leaders in the Leon Norte area of Nicaragua have written to the World Bank to express their “deep concern about the development of the [PRSP] consultation in Nicaragua” (see Bretton Woods Update 21). The government looks likely to present its full PRSP during March, probably before the first phase of the consultation process had concluded.
Mario Arana, leading the process, argued participants agreed with the Interim PRSP (IPRSP) presented by the government, and furthermore that interest was concentrated on projects included in the IPRSP, and not on its poverty profile and strategy. “People want projects to start now,” said Arana.
The protest letter notes, however, that “in meetings with employees from the World Bank and the Inter- American Development Bank in Nicaragua we have met a deep concern about the poor results of the high investments in development projects in Nicaragua. We are convinced that one main problem is that many projects and programmes come from outside, instead of being a result of local analyses of needs. Poor peoples’ participation in planning is a prerequisite to lasting results.” The Mayors have called on the Bank’s Board of Directors to encourage our government to “deepen and broaden” the consultation process.
The Interim PRSP www.imf.org
