Additional Funding for Transformation Programme in Finance Ministry

An additional $21.67 million has been allocated to continue implementation of the public-sector-transformation programme in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service this year.

This sum is provided for in the 2017/18 Estimates of Expenditure, which were tabled in the House of Representatives, recently.

The activity, which commenced in August 2014, aims to transform the Ministry into a high-performing centre of excellence through a range of activities.

These include the adoption of an organisational structure to improve the Ministry’s efficiency and effectiveness, as well as strengthen its capacity for change and culture management through activities, including the development and implementation of training programmes.

The project is being executed under three components, with one targeting the Ministry’s reorganisation by developing a comprehensive three-year implementation plan with specific costs, responsibilities, timelines and outcomes; and adopting a new organisational structure, incorporating operating procedures.

The second focuses on strengthening capabilities and competencies through the implementation of a designed competency framework; undertaking a comprehensive training-needs assessment and training plan, based on the outcome of that engagement; and conducting training-impact evaluations.

The final component seeks to institute change-management and communication plans to mitigate reorganisation-related risks, and enhance the capacity of the Ministry’s staff to respond positively to change.

Notable achievements up to December 2016 included the development of a programme-implementation plan, the design and commencement of the implementation of the change-management and communication plans, the development of the proposed top structure, and the adoption of a new organisational structure and staffing levels.

Targets this year include development of an implementation plan for restructuring six divisions and developing functional profiles and structures for these, developing procedural manuals and job descriptions for major processes within these divisions, initiating capacity development, and undertaking ongoing change-management and communication processes.

The project’s original three-year timeline has been extended by 15 months until December 2018.

It is being financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).