National Development Plan Project Gets $33.1 Million

The Planning Model Development and National Development Plan (T21) project will receive $33.1 million during the 2008/09 fiscal period, to prepare a long term national development plan that should allow Jamaica to achieve developed country status by 2030.
The project is funded by Jamaica and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and is being implemented by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), which now falls under the Office of the Prime Minister.
As outlined in the Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House, the project seeks to develop a planning model that is responsive to the changing structure of the economy. The funds will be used to heighten public awareness and to engage discussions in schools and special interest groups relating to the draft national development plan; to refine the sector plan; to produce and print materials for distribution to schools and libraries; and to finalise preparation of the National Development Plan.
Up to December of last year, the project had achieved a number of targets, including the completion of 27 draft sector plans; 30 consultations and public awareness sessions among all stakeholders; training of three persons from the PIOJ and one person from the Ministry of Education in Systems Dynamic for ‘T21 Models’; in-house training by consultants; and the establishment of an implementation unit.
Meanwhile, the PIOJ will also benefit from an allocation of $12 million to strengthen its capacity for long-term sustainable development planning and policy formulation, and monitoring of the country’s positioning for developed status by 2030.