PIOJ Growth Inducement Programme Team To Attend Agency’s Best Practice Symposium

A team from the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s (PIOJ) Growth Inducement Programme will be out for the agency’s Best Practice Symposium.

The event, which is slated for November 13 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston, will see practitioners and representatives from government and other entities who work in the social and community development landscape, showcase best practices to inform the national dialogue towards tackling crime and violence.

Programme Director for the Growth Inducement Programme (GIP), Laura Levy, told a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ on November 7, that attendees will be able to use the game changing Inclusive Growth Index (IGI).

“At the symposium, we’re going to have everyday Jamaicans coming into the booth, being able to interact with the prototype of the tool itself. We will be giving little tutorials. Persons can really see that this is not just for policy, because this is for each and every Jamaican,” she said.

The IGI, which was launched in February of this year, is the first of its kind and was developed over a six-year period. When used, it will give a birds-eye data-driven view of the economy.

While gross domestic product (GDP) has usually been the main indicator for economic growth, the IGI will provide a more in-depth analysis of a greater number of cross-cutting indicators that impact growth and the ‘why’ behind movement, or lack thereof, and the interrelatedness in certain sectors.

Ms. Levy explained that part of the reason the team will be at the symposium is to allow Jamaicans to use the IGI and see the benefit of the index to them.

“We are going to be having laptops that persons will be guided [on], in terms of using or interacting with the index. Now the index isn’t generally open to the public. But we are doing so, so people can understand what is happening behind the scenes when we generate information that we are going to be putting out there,” Ms. Levy said.

The symposium starts at 8:30 a.m. and is free to the public. Persons will, however, have to register at: bestpractice@pioj.gov.jm, or go online to www.pioj.gov.jm.

If individuals cannot attend in person, they can watch the live stream of the event on the PIOJ’s YouTube channel.