Permanent secretaries and senior managers of government ministries and agencies will soon have a chance to enhance the delivery of public service under the Canada-funded $20 million Caribbean Leadership Project.
According to a press release from by the Ministry of the Presidency, the project will see senior officers trained in service delivery, leadership, administration transitions and team building.
At a meeting to discuss the project yesterday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon expressed his appreciation to the Canadian government for the initiative, noting that government is happy that its drive for professional, efficient public service is being supported.
The release said that in an invited comment, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Pierre Giroux noted that the seven-year project has been ongoing in the Caribbean for the past four years. “The purpose is to train pubic and civil servants in the Caribbean and it is delivered through the Cavehill School of Business. We hope that this will help Guyana to develop its public service, which is important to any democracy,” he said.
Regional Project Manager of the Caribbean Leadership Project, Cavehill School of Business Dr Lois Parkes explained that training in Guyana is expected to commence from September 12 this year while sessions are expected to last for about five days. “We came here today to lay the foundation for that and to hear from the minister (the government’s) own vision for the development of the public service and to look for opportunities where we can collaborate as we seek to build the Caribbean Public Service,” the release quoted Parkes as saying.
According to the release, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communities Emil McGarrell explained that he had an opportunity to participate in ‘Cohort Two’ of the project in 2014, in Barbados, Belize, St Lucia and Canada, and believe the project can help to accomplish the administration’s goals.
Harmon noted that while this training caters only for top level managers, the Public Service Staff College will be equipped to train new entrants into the public service, while special programmes will be crafted to train those who serve in middle management.
Also present during yesterday’s discourse were Development Officer at the Canadian High Commission Marcelle Thompson and several permanent secretaries attached to a number of ministries.
