José Ospina
I have worked in community housing development and environmental projects in Colombia, England and Ireland for over 30 years.
Moving to Ireland in 1996, I have been consultant for a number of local authorities, community and educational organisations, on a range of social and environmental projects that have included reuse of electronic goods, Eco-design of computers, energy efficiency and renewable energy as well as social housing and community development. I am currently managing two research and development projects, as well as being a freelance BER energy assessor.
I am Secretary of Carbery Housing Association since its creation. CHA is a community-based housing association set up by concerned residents in West Cork to provide sustainable housing for single people and families that cannot afford to buy or rent on the open market. For my work with this group I was honoured with a Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Award for 2007
These are critical times for Ireland and for the County. The credit crunch and the bursting of the housing bubble have placed thousands of households at risk of repossession and homelessness. Foreclosure of enterprises due to the shrinking economy has pushed up unemployment, which is estimated to reach half a million people by next year. Each unemployed person costs the taxpayer around € 20,000 a year to support. The bank bailouts added to declining tax revenues, are placing great strain on public finances, and resulting in a raft of unacceptable cuts to essential infrastructure, welfare and health services.
Local Authority strategy needs to be overhauled, and Councils need to go back to basics if they are to be able to meet the needs of all their constituents. In the fact of this I would propose is a closer partnership with local communities and their enterprises. A range of grass roots initiatives are taking place all over the County. These include all sorts of local project and initiatives, arranging a range of social, environmental and cultural areas. These include local childcare initiatives, youth cafés, family resource centres, street markets, slow food schemes and community allotments. They include proposals for energy efficient social housing, microgeneration, rural transport and energy co-ops. They include creative initiatives like art centres and craft centres, film and music events, sports and tourism activities.
The sum total of these projects represent the response of the community itself to the crisis, and if supported and allowed to proliferate, will not only help to improve the quality of life for all local residents, but also create jobs and training opportunities, combat climate change, protect the environment and renew biodiversity. They will also attract support and investment from private, public and European sources. I am talking about a revolution at a community level.
I believe we must look beyond the short-term damage created by the crisis, to building sustainable foundations for the future. My single most important objective in this campaign is to promote and honest partnership between communities and their enterprises and the Council. I would like to see the Council become a transparent and trusted ally in co-ordinating and supporting these initiatives, nurturing them and ensuring that they come to fruition. I would like to see the Council Development Programme become the development programme of the community itself. I pledge to use my skills and experience to put this message forward during the election, and from inside the Council, if I have your No. 1 vote.
If there are any issues that you would like to discuss with me to not hesitate to contact me
regards
