FRIEND Team took Participatory Budgeting Training to Ba this month to test out the draft training manuals resulting from the pilot work two years ago. Eight target communities were invited for the 4 day workshop from the 18th to the 21st of November, 2008 at the Red Cross Hall, in Ba. An encouraging number of participants attended this workshop. Although we were hoping to attract equal representation of decision makers, women and youth from the selected communities, majority of the participants were youths. Communities that took part included Badrau, Ba Hart, Koroqaqa, FSC Naidrodro, Tauvegvega, and Votua. The PB workshop had been planned to coincide with the delivery of the national budget address 2009. The participants listened keenly to the Budget speech by the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and welcomed the measures that were spelt out as pro poor and for economic growth of the nation.
