$13.7 Million to Implement Development Strategy

Implementation of the Government’s development strategy will be further boosted in the new fiscal year with an additional $13.7 million.

The sum is set aside in the 2019/20 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

The six-year Technical Cooperation Facility V, which commenced in November 2014, is designed to identify, formulate and implement activities financed under the European Development Fund (EDF) and other European Union (EU) funds.

These will incorporate funding for studies and other technical assistance; audits and evaluations; and increased understanding of project management, development and cross-cutting issues by key stakeholders, including non-state parties.

Among the achievements, up to December 2018, are: the engagement of consultants to support several key organisations and engagements.

These include: the Office of the National Authorizing Officer of the Government of Jamaica-European Union Programme, and the National Authorizing Officer; the Public Finance Reform Programme; the National Population Policy’s revision; the National Forestry Management Conservation Plan’s development; and the Programme for the Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality’s (PROMAC) implementation.

Among the programmed activities for 2019/20 is continued implementation of the technical assistance contract for support to the Office of the National Authorising Officer.

The project, which is being implemented by the Planning Institute of Jamaica with EU funding support, is slated to conclude in November 2020.