23rd CES lieutenant helps develop province

  • Published
  • By U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Cammie Quinn
  • Provincial Reconstruction Team Paktya Public Affairs
PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan --  More than 20 Paktya Provincial line directors attended the Provincial Development Council in support of the Government of Afghanistan in Gardez, Afghanistan, July 20.

The Afghan national ministry provincial representatives met to assess, propose and seek funding for projects to provide healthcare, education and security facilities throughout Paktya Province.

"Before a project is brought to the PDC, a proposal is discussed at a local town meeting or 'shura,'" said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Cale Reeves, deployed from the 23rd Civil Engineer Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. "The shura leaders then provide the idea to their respective district sub-governor to be presented during the PDC."

The PDC is a monthly conference chaired by the provincial governor and director of economy. During the meeting, members present requests for development projects and determine the status of ongoing efforts.

Once a project request has been made, it is vetted through the appropriate sector to be coordinated and assessed. Sector meetings are held once a month to discuss ongoing projects and present new proposals.

Development projects fall under six sectors; health, education, infrastructure, public works, agriculture and the private sector committee, said Dr. Nasir Hemat, a Provincial Reconstruction Team Paktya government liaison.

"Directors bring approved proposals to the PDC to be placed on an overall provincial development plan," Hemat added.

During the most recent PDC, a proposal to construct projects in the Jaji and Dand Patan districts of Paktya was presented. The project will hire a local Afghan contracting company to build roads and bridges. The proposal was approved with coordination between the director of public works and United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.

The project was praised by Juma Khan Hamdard, Paktya Provincial Governor, who said he appreciates the hard work done to facilitate the project and will cooperate to complete the project.

'PRT Paktya,' which includes representatives from the Department of State, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the United States Agency for International Development, provides advice and technical input to the council, said Lt. Col. James Forand, PRT commander from Auburn, Mass.

The PRT staff also helps the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan identify funding sources through the national budget process, international donors mechanisms and non-governmental organizations, he added.

"The previous PRT role of directly funding development projects is no longer the norm as Afghan national budget mechanisms mature and provincial line directors become more practiced in the process," Forand said. "This is an important step as the nation transitions to self-sustainment."

PRT Paktya is deployed to Paktya Province in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The team is dedicated to working with their counterparts in the Afghan government to ensure a secure, stable and sustainable future for the country and its people.