UNDP Support For Vital Public Sector Project

Contact: Rose Marie Harris

Thursday, August 30, 2001 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is contributing US$300,000 towards financing a human resources development project for the Saint Lucia Public Service over the next three years.

At a signing ceremony on Wednesday, Barbados-based UNDP Resident Coordinator, Anne Forrester, said the project had two objectives: (1) to support short-term specialized training needs that are necessary to fulfill Government’s goals for management and development in areas including disaster mitigation planning and management, labour policy and management, trade policy and management including international negotiations, tax policy and management, and voluntary sector management; and (2) to generate a comprehensive National Human Resources Database and to define long-term skills that are necessary for the successful transformation of the economy for the sustainable development of Saint Lucians.

She commended the Government for the strides it has made so far in reforming the public sector. “UNDP is pleased to note the ongoing public sector reform initiatives of the Government of Saint Lucia that are transforming the sector into a more responsive, efficient, cost conscious and accountable public service,” the UNDP official said.

She added: “Given the world-wide emphasis on participatory governance and public sector accountability, these initiatives of the Government of Saint Lucia with the support of the trade unions and the private sector, must be acknowledged and supported.  UNDP is pleased to support the public sector reform programme by means of this project and looks forward to working closely with Government in monitoring the results to be achieved under its implementation.”

Speaking for the Government of Saint Lucia, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Public Service, Wilbert King, said capacity building and capacity development are critical components within the service.

“Human resources from our standpoint is of tremendous importance to us and if we are looking at public sector reform, one of the areas that we must necessarily address is human resource capacity.  How do we utilise that capacity, how do we develop that capacity to be able to maximise whatever benefits could be derived from the available resources,” he said.

Pointing to the need for Saint Lucia to be competitive at all levels, King added: “We must continually be looking for new ways of doing things. We have to be creative and if we have to be creative, we must have the necessary manpower to be able to help us.”

 - ends -

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Search for 2001 Press Releases ] [Site Help]

© 2001 Government Information Service. All rights reserved.

Read our privacy guidelines.