Cabinet Ministers and Permanent Secretaries meet for four-day retreat
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Contact: Julita Peter
Monday, May 5, 2008 – Head of the St. Lucia government Honourable Stephenson King lauded a week-end retreat for members of his cabinet and permanent secretaries,
The retreat was held at the Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa, St. Lucia, in the south of the island, under the theme, “Good governance and effective public sector management for Cabinet ministers and permanent secretaries.” The Prime Minister said the retreat was long overdue, having been in the making since 2006, when government assumed office.
The exercise was held against the background of the need, to not only improve the efficiency and accountability of public sector institutions, but create harmony between ministers and permanent secretaries.
“Government ministers and permanent secretaries, must work in unison to deliver on the expectations of the public which they serve. Very often ministers believe that they are in charge and have the wherewithal to guide and direct policy in ministries. But many times ministers ought to understand that technical officers do contribute to the policy direction of the ministry, ” said Prime Minister Hon. Stephenson King in his feature address.
The Prime Minister said while ministers of government have the responsibility of developing policies, the implementation of those policies, rests largely with the permanent secretaries. “The theme 'good governance', actually goes to the core of what we are expected to do as public managers, ” the Prime Minister added.
The retreat was sponsored and facilitated by the Commonwealth Secretariat's Governance and Institutional Development Division-GIDD, which has provided technical expertise to St. Lucia in several areas such as, debt management, review of fiscal incentives and the Micro Credit Program for Youth. GIDD's Director, Jacqueline Wilson, has congratulated the island for what she described as its strong democratic traditions. St. Lucia she said, is on its path to 'developing into a beacon for other small states.'
“The Commonwealth has no doubt that the island will continue along a strong path of peace, stability and future growth,” Wilson said. Former Prime Minister of Barbados Owen Arthur, whose political career spans over twenty years was one the special guests at the recent retreat. |
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