THE CARIBBEAN MINISTERIAL CONSULTATION AND HIGH LEVEL WORKSHOP

 Capacity Building for Small Caribbean States in Public Administration,
Governance and Regional Cooperation


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS

BACKGROUND

The Consultation was sponsored by the Government of Italy, the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the Caribbean Centre for Development. Administration (CARICAD) and hosted by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. The theme of the Consultation was; The State in the Third Millennium. The main objective of the Consultation was to provide a forum for discussion on critical themes being addressed by CARICAD Member States in their efforts to enhance organizational and managerial capacity for improved delivery of public services and to identify new modes of governance in support of more efficient and effective public administration the context of regional cooperation. Ministerial and high level representation were drawn from the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British Virgin; Islands, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. Also in attendance were officials from; UNDESA/Division of Public Economics and Public Administration (DPEPA), Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Caribbean Public Services Association (CPSA), Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB), Grenada's Public Workers Union, Guyana's Postal and Telecommunication Workers Union, Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestta, Universities of Bologna, Suriname and the West Indies, LEED Programme of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) the Institute for External Trade of Italy the CARICOM Secretariat, Caribbean Management Development Association (CaMDA) and CARlCAD. (A Directory of Participants, some (60 persons, is appended). Extensive media coverage was given to the Opening Ceremony, and press interviews were held with the Italian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ministers of the Public Service and Public Administration of the Bahamas and Trinidad & Tobago respectively and with regional delegates. Public awareness of the event and the extensive presence of representatives of the government of Italy demonstrated a significant interest in North?South and Caribbean regional collaboration on matters related to the changing role of the State in the Third Millennium.


ORGANIZATION OF THE CONSUTATION

At the Opening Ceremony short addresses were made by the Deputy Director of UNDESA/DPEPA, the Executive Director of CARICAD and the Welcome and Formal Opening of the Consultation by Senator the Hon. Wade Mark, Minister of Public Administration, Trinidad and Tobago. The Keynote Address was given by His Excellency Professor Norman Girvan, Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States. A copy of the Keynote Address will be included in the format report of the Consultation. A special session on Monday May 15, 2000 was included in the meeting's Agenda for an Official Address by Honourable Franco Danieli, Italian Minister of State fox Foreign Affairs. His address was widely distributed to delegates and media representatives and will be included in the formal report of the Consultation. There were five Plenary sessions comprising Panel discussions, a series of Roundtable brainstorming sessions, concurrent workshops and a final reporting session to identify topics for a follow?up plan of action. (A copy of the Programme is appended). Three reports of roundtable discussions were received at the Closing Plenary session) which was chaired by the Honourable Michael Peart Minister of State, Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica.


CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Results from the roundtable discussions were the following main conclusions and recommendations:

(i) Attention to capacity building for governance and state reform is an urgent necessity. Failure to conduct adequate diagnostic analyses of the needs of the Public Service gives rise to misplaced emphases. On the basis of the needs analysis, a proper vision, policy framework and realistic targets should precede operational activities.

(ii) A clearly articulated rationale for reform should be determined as well as the pace and scope of reform efforts;

(iii) Creating an organizational culture that is "results oriented", promoting creativity and continuous high?performance has to be a major goal of reform. This entails retooling of persons and organization, hence capacity building must be an on?going undertaking;

(iv) Specific project activities must be designed for improving productivity in all areas of public administration. Where such improvements are achieved there ought to be accompanying compensatory/incentive schemes;

(v) The promotion of liberalization and deregulation of trade and investment strategies must be aimed at providing economic benefits for the private sector, particularly to encourage development of local small and medium enterprises;

(vi) Public service values are to be maintained and nurtured as the defining features of good governance, with special attention being given to integrity, professionalism, accountability and respect for diversity;

(viii) Transforming the services into leaning organizations for high performance and managerial excellence will enable more effective collaboration with a private sector agencies;

(ix) Capacity building should have a dimension by which to meet demands of changing environments and to cope with pressures derived from external factors, such as globalization;

(x) There is need to build capacity for transformational leadership, including measures to narrow the gap between politician and public sector mangers;

(xi) Effective policy formulation and implementation will require consultation and dialogue which might benefit from regular retreats of key stakeholders so that a convergence of ideas and intentions could occur;

(xii) Strategic management of organization must be encouraged so that a common vision strategic directions are accepted at all levels. This can include the need to question what is taking place, with such questioning taking place not only at the ground level but also at leadership levels.

Specific recommendations were endorsed by the final plenary session for:

(a) a collaborative project with UNDESA, CARICAD and de Government of Italy to identify and examine the exchange of BEST PRACTICES and INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCES among small states, in areas of governance and capacity building, with particular reference to the to the Caribbean;

(b) the development of combined training/learning systems based on present and future needs of public services, adapted to Caribbean environments and utilizing multimedia technologies to be a pilot project and given priority attention for follow?up action by DESA, CARICAD and prospective donors;

(c) Joint Ministerial Consultations on progress being made with regard to better governance and capacity building in public administrative systems to be held as annual rather than biennial events;

(d) immediate attention to be given to accessing resources for construction and operation of websites to disseminate relevant materials on public sector reform and restructuring being undertaken in small states. This should be a multi-institutional effort with CARICAD as a clearinghouse as envisaged by the UNPAN initiative;

(e) the preparation of empirical data to characterize the scope and functions of public administrations to be pursued as a matter of great urgency and a matrix developed on key success factors affecting improved management and good governance in the Caribbean.

Concluding remarks by Deputy Director of DESA, Mr. Albrecht Horn, Ministers present and government representatives gave the assurance that concerted efforts will be made for collaborative activities as follow-up actions to be undertaken, as early as possible.






 

 

 

 

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