Over 100 Project Managers Trained in Gov’t’s Public Investment Management System

More than 100 project managers across various government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have, so far, been trained in the use of the Public Sector Investment Management System (PIMS).

Speaking at a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank at the Agency’s head office in Kingston, Executive Director for the Public Investment Management Secretariat (PIMSEC), Douglas Levermore, said training is ongoing, with PIMSEC aiming to train another 400 persons, in an effort to ensure that public-sector officers are fully knowledgeable on the system.

“Eventually, we want to get to a stage where there are project management offices within the various ministries. It’s a cultural change that we are going to need to make, to ensure that the projects that we pursue are data-driven,” he added.

Mr. Levermore said PIMSEC is cognisant that the undertaking is transformational and new and, as such, stands ready to provide guidance to all entities.

The Executive Director noted that a number of training outlets are being utilised, including boot camps and workshops. 

He pointed out that a six-month boot camp was held recently where all permanent secretaries, as well as employees from MDAs, were trained.

Mr. Levemore advised of an upcoming two-day workshop that will focus on ‘training the trainer’ for the monitoring and evaluation aspect of the PIMS.

He indicated that some of the other upcoming training sessions will target best practices in project management techniques, while scheduled boot camps will be geared towards heightening sensitisation on the PIMS.

The Executive Director stated that the workshops will further focus on specifics designed to assist in the use of the PIMS, noting that one such has already been held on impact assessment and evaluation, which is a key component in preparing a project to go through the PIMS.

The PIMSEC is the key technical body for public investment planning and implementation.

It advises the Cabinet, through the PIMS Committee, on investments that are to be included in the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP).