NAVCO 8TH AGM PRODUCES FUTURE VISION

(September 29, 2008, Belmopan)

The 8th Annual General Meeting of the National Association of Village Councils (NAVCO) and

related activities were successfully held on September 26th and 27th, 2008, at the University of

Belize Auditorium in Belmopan.

It is our pleasure to announce that Mr. Orlando Dawson of Scotland Halfmoon Village Council

has been elected as the new President of the NAVCO by the General Assembly of Village

Councils.

Special Guest Speakers the AGM Opening Ceremony were the Honorable Melvin Hulse,

Minister of Public Utilities, National Emergency Management, Transport and Communications;

Belmopan City Mayor Simeon Lopez; and Marian McNab, Chief Executive Officer from the

Ministry of Labor, Local Government and Rural Development. Members of the NAVCO

National Board presented the past year’s Technical Report, Financial Report, and an Update on

Resolutions approved by the General Assembly at the 6th and 7th Annual General Meetings.

During the working sessions of the AGM, Village leaders present voted on a list of proposed

legal amendments, a list of Resolutions proposed by the various District Association Presidents

on behalf of the Districts, and on the installation of a new National President.

One of NAVCO’s objectives, that - “Rural leaders’ capacities to effectively address the needs of

the communities, are improved” was furthered through significant activities held to coincide with

the Annual General Meeting. On Friday, September 26th, the participants were taken on a tour of

the capital city of Belmopan, so that they may become familiar with the location of organizations

with which they need to conduct Village Council business from time to time. In addition,

participants that had not yet received basic bookkeeping and financial sustainability training

provided by NAVCO, participated in that training on September 26th. The training was

facilitated by the NAVCO Training Officer with assistance by the Rural Community

Development Officers from the Ministry of Labor, Local Government and Rural Development.

The National Association of Village Councils extends its gratitude and thanks to organizations

that have supported and those that continue to support the work of Village Councils, the District

Associations, and of the National Association, including the media houses, Peace Corps, BRDP,

Oak Foundation, the Government of Belize, Social Investment Fund, the European Union, the

City Council, Social Security, PACT, and various Ministries of Government, among others.