Select a region
The Overseas Aid and Development Commission has been criticised by a charity member who chose to seek additional help in Jersey.
Ben Remfrey from Friends of Ukraine-EOD recently spoke to Express about funding given to the charity by Jersey Overseas Aid. Friends of Ukraine has received £262,000 from Jersey, with much of it going towards activities relating to ‘explosive ordinance disposal’.
He said the charity received more support in Jersey and called the framework in Guernsey – where he’s from - “antiquated and stifled”.
"Jersey overseas aid have a much better set up than we do. Ours is very, I would say antiquated and stifled, whereas Jersey's is far more dynamic and far, far better at forward moving and getting involved,” said Mr Remfrey.
"[Guernsey's OADC] will give somebody some money to do something, but it will generally go to a larger fund where there's no real accountability. Whereas Jersey oversees aid direct the funds, and they're accountable."
The President of the OA&DC, Chris Blin, has refuted the claims, arguing that “the Commission works closely with the charities, who report back to the Commission on all projects at least every six months, to ensure the funds are spent correctly against an agreed budget and the projects are a success”.
“The Overseas Aid & Development Commission works within the mandate, strategic direction and budget set by the States of Guernsey, and the operational policies and resources approved by the Policy & Resources Committee,” Deputy Blin continued.
Pictured: Deputy Blin.
“The Commission currently provides four streams of funding to charities and organisations working in the developing world including Single Year Project Grant Aid Awards, Multi Year Project Grant Aid Awards, Disaster & Emergency Relief Awards, and Community Partnerships. The Commission on average awards 75 grants each year to a wide range of charities including larger charities, such as the British Red Cross, but also to mid-size and small charities. The majority of projects it funds are stand-alone but when projects are supported that are part of a larger scheme, the Commission ensures its funds are spent on a discrete part of that scheme.”
Mr Remfrey went on to say that Guernsey and Jersey would benefit from more collaborative working, suggesting that the current situation was like “chalk and cheese”.
However, Deputy Blin said: “It is true that Jersey Overseas Aid and our Commission do have different operating models but we have had joint discussions at both political and officer level when matters of mutual interest have been considered and this will continue - there have been occasions when Jersey Overseas Aid and the Commission have each partially funded the same projects.
“The Commission very much welcomes feedback from members of the public on the work it undertakes and it is always pleased to consider new ideas.”
Comments
Comments on this story express the views of the commentator only, not Bailiwick Publishing. We are unable to guarantee the accuracy of any of those comments.