BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 11th, 2016 (PRESS SEC) – The influential newspaper, The Financial Times published a Letter to the Editor from Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris and Dr. David P. Doyle, Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The letter was published in all of The Financial Times’ International editions – Europe, USA and Asia – on March 30th and on www.ft.com on March 29th.
The co-authors, in their letter titled “New approach to funding is required for small island developing states,” call for a fresh approach to the way in which levels of official development assistance or ODA funding are determined and distributed to Small Island Developing States (Sids).
“A revised set of Sids development funding criteria is needed,” write the co-authors, who add that, “Key indicators used by multilateral and bilateral donors should integrate the wider development needs of Sids, notably economic vulnerability and natural hazards. ‘Structural gaps’ should be identified – beyond per capita income – embracing poverty, investment and savings, productivity and innovation, infrastructure, education, health, fiscality, gender and the environment.”
The structural gap approach posited by the Prime Minister and the Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis to UNESCO argues against an over-reliance on per capita income, which is currently the most important criterion used in development cooperation funding and an impediment to securing ODA funding and IMF loans.
Under the structural gap approach, obstacles to sustained growth (“structural gaps”) are duly recognized for their critical impact on Small Island Developing States. For instance, a high-income Sid may be beset by developmental challenges that are out of its control, such as a small population size and vulnerability to droughts, hurricanes and other environmental shocks, and would therefore require special consideration for continued assistance at preferential rates.
Dr. Harris and Dr. Doyle lay out the case for this in The Financial Times. “Sids are a special case in funding terms, characterised by vulnerability linked to small size, small populations, limited resources, remoteness from the international markets, and diseconomies of scale. The damaging effects of natural hazards compound these factors,” they write.
However, the per capita income approach that is in vogue looks at a “high income: non-OECD” Sid like St. Kitts and Nevis as having been upgraded, through a process called graduation, by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Bank and other international organizations. Having graduated to high-income level, the Federation is no longer eligible for the preferential borrowing rates it previously had access to when it was classified as middle-income.
The co-authors state in the Letter to the Editor that persistent lending shortfalls continue to challenge growth prospects for Small Island Developing States, which would greatly benefit from a fresh approach to ODA funding. A fresh approach, they state, would make the potential “to reduce debt, strengthen institutional capacity, galvanise ICT and infrastructure investments and mitigate climate change” possible.
(Press release courtesy of the Office of the Press Secretary)
Small island developing states like St. Kitts and Nevis would benefit from a fresh approach to development assistance
Children’s Welfare Fund Sponsorship Disbursement Ceremony
ST. VINCENT & THE GRENADINES: The Children’s Welfare Fund made monetary donations to twenty-two pre-schoolers from eleven districts across St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Pre-school teachers, parents and children were present at the ceremony to collect the funds. The disbursement ceremony was held at Government House on Friday 8th April.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the Children’s Welfare Fund, the Governor General, H.E. Sir Frederick Ballantyne, Lady Gloria Antrobus said that the funds would assist parents who have difficulties in meeting the monthly expenses associated with their children’s pre-school education.
According to Lady Antrobus, the Ministry of Education selected the respective pre-schoolers with assistance from the committee members of the Children’s Welfare Fund, spearheaded by Mrs. Janice Fraser of Vinsave. Each preschooler received $600.00 which will cover school fees and one meal per day, stated Lady Antrobus. The total amount disbursed at the ceremony was $13,200. Lady Antrobus reiterated the membership’s commitment to continue this assistance to parents.
Senior Education Officer with responsibility for Early Childhood Education, Mrs. Gwenette Cambridge, said that she is pleased to be a part of the Children’s Welfare Fund initiative. Cambridge acknowledged that the funds are an investment in building the right foundation for the children. In the next 10-15 years, these children will make significant contributions to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Cambridge said.
Source: API
ECCP Offering CVQ Courses
BARBADOS: The Enhanced Competency Construction Programme (ECCP), a successful Cycle 3 Competency-Based Training Fund (CBTF) proposal, is offering workers in the areas of plumbing, masonry, carpentry and electrical installation an opportunity to receive Caribbean Vocational Qualifications.
The courses are being sponsored by the CBTF, and will be held at the Grantley Adams Memorial Secondary School, Blackmans, St. Joseph, this month. Interested persons are asked to contact Programme Coordinator,Rudy Lovell, at 266-5768, as soon as possible.
kathyann.husbands@barbados.gov.bb
Implementation Of The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Workshop
ST. VINCENT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Commerce and Regional Integration, in collaboration with the International Trade Center (ITC), will be hosting a three-days workshop on the implementation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Trade Facilitation Agreement, from Monday 11th – Wednesday 13th April, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conference room and will target both public and private sectors.
The Trade Facilitation Agreement contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods intransit. It also sets out measures for effective co-operation between customs and other appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and customs compliance issues. It further contains provisions for technical assistance and capacity- building in this area.
The workshop will be facilitated by officials from the ITC, which is a joint agency of the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations. The aim of the ITC is to assist business in developing countries to become more competitive in global markets, speeding economic development and contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Goals for sustainable development. The workshop is geared towards enhancing the capacity of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to implement the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.
Source:API
Justice Project To Hold Two Lectures
BARBADOS: The Impact Justice Project and the Office of the Attorney General will host two lectures geared towards the legal profession this Thursday, April 14, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, at 6:30 p.m.
Funded by the Canadian Government, the University of the West Indies and the Impact Justice Project, the lectures will focus on: Continuing Legal Professional Development for Attorneys-At-Law and Accounting Rules for Attorneys-At-Law – Safeguarding Client Funds.
Opening remarks will be delivered by Attorney General, Adriel Brathwaite, while the featured presenters are: Immediate Past Chairman of the General Legal Council of Jamaica, Michael Hylton; and Chairperson of the Accounting Reports Committee of the General Legal Council of Jamaica, Hilary Reid. For more information persons may call telephone number 417-4651/2.
theresa.blackman@barbados.gov.bb
Dominica to increase export of local produce
The Ministry of Agriculture is reporting that more Dominican produce will soon be made available regionally. In an interview with the Hon Minister for Agriculture, Johnson Drigo on Wednesday, April 6th, he revealed that the projected volume of export for Dominican produce in the region is quite high.
“We are seeing 930 tons of dasheen being marketed over the period November to June. I can also report that over 235 tons of passion fruit will also be marketed in that period. The plantain subsector is also doing well, we expect to export over 480 tons of plantain over the corresponding period, and vegetables for local consumption is also on the increase.”
The Ministry of Agriculture intends to monitor the production of the produce and liaise very closely with the Ministry of Trade to ensure that all of the products are exported.
The Minister is pleased that local produce will be sent to markets such as Barbados.
“We are happy that a consultancy was done for the high end market in Barbados and very soon we will be exporting at least two containers of fresh agricultural produce to Barbados on a weekly basis. The prospect for the marketing of the production is good but we need to hold on very firm to it. I want to thank all the exporters who are involved in exporting fresh products out of Dominica.
To ensure the position of Dominican produce on the market the Minister says that high standards will be maintained.
“The Ministry is working feverishly in getting the farmers certified for the export market. Also the Ministry is working with the Bureau of Standard and had consultations with the farmers, to prepare them to meet the necessary standard for the export of the bananas.”
PM Harris: corrective measures taken by government ministries and department heads are critical to success of civil service
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 11th, 2016 (PRESS SEC) – Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, accompanied by Cabinet Secretary and former Head of the Public and Police Service Commissions, Mrs. Josephine Huggins, is leading a series of meetings as part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to communicate clear expectations to its staff, improve employee engagement and workplace relationships, and ensure sustainable performance in the public sector.
Prime Minister Harris said during meetings on Thursday and Friday that a few departments are grappling with employee absenteeism, tardiness, and misuse of vehicles for non-government purposes. Dr. Harris encouraged department managers to confront these problems head on by taking corrective measures rather than a) covering them up and enabling their subordinates to continue the inappropriate behaviours or b) trying to compensate for the inappropriate behaviours by requesting additional staff and other resources from the Ministry of Finance.
“The tendency is to make demands to the Ministry of Finance for additional resources,” the Prime Minister said, adding, “You want more so that people end up doing less. That is the challenge that every department head must face. What is it that you are asking for? Do you want more or do you want better people? Do you want more because who are there are not performing properly and you are not taking the corrective action? Sometimes because Jack is not performing, you have to add Jane and Tom to get the work done. Our expectation is that we always try to get more and better out of those we have through training, discipline, warning, etc.”
In certain cases, the most appropriate corrective measure would entail involving the Public Service Commission. The commission once led by Mrs. Josephine Huggins, now the Cabinet Secretary, is responsible for the appointment, discipline and removal of public officers.
On Friday, in response to a query from a senior officer in the Accountant General’s Office about what action should flow when an officer has been discovered to be short-changing revenue collections, the Prime Minister said, inter alia, that “Certainly, people who are being dishonest [in the collection of government revenues, for instance] ought not to remain where they are vulnerable. In any event, one of the first options should be that the person is asked to take leave pending a determination by the Public Service Commission. That has been the action which the Permanent Secretaries have recommended in those cases of which I am aware.”
Prime Minister Harris continued: “The Government expects that all employees will be loyal in the execution of their duties. The Government expects that all employees will be confidential in their handling and use of government information. Therefore, we will hold all accountable where there is any breach in these expectations.”
The Prime Minister added, “We expect that those who are leading the various departments will be able to account for the actions of those who are subordinate to them. We certainly will not retreat from these expectations because they are critical to the proper functioning of the organization.”
Prime Minister Harris said civil service professionals ought to maintain high professional standards. Doing so includes efficiently utilizing the resources they have at their disposal, he added.
“If not, we would be tying up resources, which are hard to come by,” said the Prime Minister at one of the meetings.
(Press release courtesy of Office of the Press Secretary)
YES Program Youth Symposium
ST. VINCENT: The Youth Affairs Division within the Ministry of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Family, Gender Affairs, Persons With Disabilities & Youth; with responsibility for the implementation of the Youth Empowerment Service (YES), Program, is scheduled to host a one-day symposium for the YES participants under the theme “Empowering Vincentian Youth for the 21st Century Job Market”.
This symposium is intended to provide in-service training to the participants, geared towards personal development, and is scheduled for Tuesday, 12th April at the Methodist Church Hall, commencing 9:00 a.m.
The specific objectives of this activity are to:
- Further enhance the skills of the YES participants through soft skills training.
- Train participants on how to become successors.
- Promote a greater awareness on the international relations between St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Republic of China on Taiwan on educational training and employment opportunities.
An invitation is extended to all media houses to attend, and to provide coverage of the opening ceremony.
Confirmation of attendance can be communicated to Mr. Philcol Jeffers at telephone number 456-1087.
Source: API
L.T. Gay Students Back At Temporary Sites
BARBADOS: Students of the Lawrence T. Gay Memorial School will return to the three temporary sites they occupied last term, when the new school term begins tomorrow, Tuesday, April 12.
The Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation has advised that Class 3 and 4 students will report to the Breath of Life Seventh-Day Adventist Church, White Hall, St. Michael.
Pupils of Class 1 and 2 will be located once again at the Sarah Ann Gill Methodist Church, Fairfield, Black Rock, St. Michael, while those in Reception, Infants A and B will be housed at the Grace Hill Moravian Church, Spooner’s Hill, St. Michael.
TT Food Card holders are reminded of April 15 deadline for bio-metric enrollment
TRINIDAD: April 11, 2016: The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services has given Friday April 15, 2016 at the deadline by which all holders of the Targeted Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (TCCTP) (TT Food Card) should become biometrically enrolled. The Ministry wishes to inform that failure to complete enrolment will result in a temporary disruption in the ability to access funds, as accounts will be put on hold. Once enrolled all cards will be reinstated.
The Biometric Smart Card System, a sequel to the Debit Card System implemented by the Ministry in 2006, seeks to harmonize the efficiency of the Ministry by providing a common platform for the delivery of various social service grants including the Targeted Conditional Cash Transfer Programme to clients. This measure is being implemented as part of the Ministry’s systematic review and modernization of its registration process, and seeks to ensure that there are no disruptions to the provision of this critical service.
The Biometric System continues to be the mode of enrolment for all clients of the Ministry of Social Development and family Services
All Clients and card holders seeking to be enrolled must present the following ORIGINAL documents:
o Birth Certificate;
o National ID;
o Utility bill, Rent receipt with address, Bank Statement OR any other document verifying your address
For more information on the food card and the biometric enrolment process, contact our Hotline at 623-4770 or call our PBX 623 – 2608; Ext.1193, 1194 and 1195, or visit any of the nine enrolment centres in Trinidad and one in Tobago. See press or Log on to www.social.gov.ttfor more details.
