Importance of strong leadership highlighted

Strong and effective leadership in the public services across the Caribbean, is a vital condition for the social and economic development of this region.

That’s the view of Chairman of the Board of the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD) and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Civil Service, Alyson Forte. He made the comments while delivering remarks at the opening ceremony of the Caribbean Leadership Project’s Technical Working Group Meeting on Developing the Vision, Strategy and Implementation Plan for Sustainable Leadership Development in the Caribbean at the Accra Beach Hotel and Spa yesterday morning. This meeting is intended to help with the development of the Caribbean Leadership Programme within CARICAD, which will take over the leadership programming initiative once the Caribbean Leadership Project comes to an end next year.

Referring to the two-day Technical Working Group Meeting, Forte said the discussions are timely, contending that without leadership competence, individual countries, and the region in general, will record outcomes that are “sub-optimal”. That, he warned, would in essence make us uncompetitive in the global arena.

“I would like to place on record as Chairman of CARICAD, our profound gratitude to the Government of Canada for agreeing many years ago to be a strategic leader for the Caribbean Leadership Project. As a CLP alumnus myself, and from feedback from fellow alumni, I can testify to the positive impact of the programme on leadership in the region,” he said.

He added, “I fully endorse the mandate of the fifth Technical Working Group and look forward to a time in the region when we can say with confidence that the work we will do over these two days, will lead to a sustainable Caribbean Leadership Programme in CARICAD, so that our people are receiving consistently high standards of service from national public services that are truly results driven, yet responsive and sustainable.”

Again pointing out the importance of the region’s public sector continuously improving, he noted that CARICAD, cognisant of that need, has developed a Draft Charter for Caribbean Public Services. That Charter, he indicated has identified elements of a professional and effective public service.

“It establishes a general framework of guiding principles, policies and management mechanisms, reflecting a common commitment of the public services of the Caribbean region. It is intended to serve as a catalyst for the reform, modernisation and transformation of national public sector entities. There is evidence that countries are anxious to see the Charter’s values embraced across the board, and projects and programmes either introduced or expanded to deal with the pillars, elements and priorities,” he said.

His comments came as he said that transformation within the public sector must have a broader view. He said it is not to be seen as a single trip with one destination, but a journey to reach new and multiple destinations. This journey PS Forte noted will call for leadership at all levels and this leadership needs to be constantly evolving. (JRT)