Public Sector Modernization Programme gets $827 Million in Estimates of Expenditure

A sum of $827.3 million has been allocated to the Public Sector Modernization Programme in the Office of the Cabinet during the current fiscal year.
This is contained in the 2007/08 Estimates of Expenditure, which was tabled yesterday (March 29) in the House of Representatives by Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Omar Davies.
Among the objectives of the programme are: the establishment of new executive agencies and performance-based institutions; institutional strengthening of the Public Sector Reform Unit; modernization of key ministries; rationalization of human resource management; implementation of a performance management appraisal system; conducting a government-wide employment survey; and attending to emerging public sector reform issues.
Anticipated targets for this fiscal year include: the implementation of modernization plans for the Ministry of National Security; transformation of Passport Office into an executive agency; putting in place new organizational structures to support improved performance management at the Island Traffic Authority, Ministry of Education and Youth, and the Forestry Department; and the Forestry Department and Fisheries Division will be re-established as executive agencies.
In addition, a customer service monitoring framework will be established; policies, programmes and projects prioritization framework should be finalized; and some 2,000 public sector employees will be offered training in critical areas.
Achievements up to January 2007 include the development of modernization plans for the Ministry of National Security, the Passport Office, the Office of the Cabinet, the Ministry of Education and Youth and the Forestry Department; and the Island Traffic Authority. Implementation of these modernization plans will see the establishment of five additional performance-based institutions over the next two years. A code of consultation for the public sector was also completed and 52 officers were trained in management consultation, while 3,000 public sector employees were trained in critical skills areas. In addition, a capital projects and policy prioritization framework was developed and approved by Cabinet and new performance-based appraisal systems were implemented in all ministries.
The project is being funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Department for International Development.