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Inter-Agency Collaboration for Optimum Use of Resources

March 25, 2004

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Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman, has said that inter-agency collaboration was important for the optimum and efficient use of resources. “We need to encourage more of our leaders to see the value of this partnership approach, this collaborative approach, because the more we come together the more creative ideas emerge, the more avenues we find for doing the things which need to be done and doing them well,” the Minister said.
He was speaking at an appreciation luncheon for public and private sector agencies operating in St. Thomas on Wednesday (March 24) at the Whispering Bamboo Cove Hotel in Retreat.
The event was organised by Member of Parliament for Eastern St. Thomas and State Minister in the Ministry of Transport and Works, Dr. Fenton Ferguson. Over 70 persons representing various agencies attended the function held under the theme, Performance, Consultation and Communication. The Vital Blocks to Nation Building.
Minister Whiteman said that Government had adopted a more inclusive form of governance to encourage partnerships between various groups and structures of government. According to the Minister, government had to ensure that it did not see itself as “separate compartments” but operating in a coherent and cohesive way.
“That certainly has been one of the experiences coming out of the challenges that we face, and I believe that you will see this reflected in the way in which we approach this coming legislative year and the years ahead,” the Minister added.
Giving an update on future plans for the parish, Minister Ferguson said that the completion of a bridge across the Yallahs fording was high on his agenda.
“We have done all the consultations. We have put together, on the instruction of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the options for that bridge and the proposal is now ready for Cabinet to take a decision on the way forward,” he said.
Minister Ferguson, who has responsibility for overseeing the operations of the National Works Agency, said he was aware of the concerns of residents living in the vicinity of the fording as well as persons who used it.
“Any investment prospects will hinge seriously on what we do in relation to that Yallahs area,” he added.
The Minister announced plans to have a think tank session in St. Thomas, to allow persons to present their ideas and views on the way forward. He also said that discussions were taking place concerning a major tourism project in the Holland Bay area.
“It is my view, agriculture has made its impact. We now need the balance and shift in the tourism industry and I feel that a tourism project could make a major difference,” he said.

Last Updated: March 25, 2004

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