PIOJ/SDC Consult on Vision 2030 in St. Catherine

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) held consultations with the St. Catherine Social Development Commission (SDC) on their roles and responsibilities in the implementation of Vision 2030, on Thursday (October 8), at the SDC’s parish office, Spanish Town.

Social Sector Specialist at the PIOJ, Charles Clayton, said that the SDC will assist in strengthening the community based approach to mental health.

“The Ministry of Health will be working out this particular policy action, but they will need the cooperation of a wide range of actors, and you are particularly positioned to do that,” Mr. Clayton said during his presentation.

The SDC will also be required to assist in establishing a permanent institutional framework for identifying, promoting and reviewing national values and attitudes, and to equip families to embody their roles and responsibilities, as members of society.

“Except we can change the way we think and do things, this plan will get nowhere. So, one of the critical things that we have to do, is to find away to see how we can roll out into the society, a change in the way we do things; that we develop a more civil society, a more positive society, that adopts values that are useful,” Mr. Clayton said.

Other areas in which the SDC will have a role to play, include developing a framework for community development planning and integration with the national planning process; expanding and developing a community based research information system; strengthening democracy and governance in communities related to disaster response; building local capacity to manage sport activities; and undertaking storm surge hazard mapping for coastal communities.

Vision 2030 Jamaica is a national long-term development plan created by a wide cross section of stakeholders, including the Government, Opposition, public and private sectors, non-governmental organizations, and community/interest groups.

It is based on a vision to make Jamaica “the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business” by the year 2030, and is built on four strategic goals that are connected to 15 national outcomes driven by established national strategies.

The four goals of the plan are to: empower Jamaicans to achieve their fullest potential; create a safe, cohesive and just society; achieve a prosperous economy; and ensure a healthy natural environment. Outcomes include world-class education and training; effective governance and security; internationally competitive industry structures; and sustainable management and use of environmental resources.

The Vision 2030 Jamaica national development plan can be viewed at the PIOJ’s website at www.pioj.gov.jm.