CARICOM conducts Results-Based Management training 

─ RBM is a monitoring and reporting framework for the implementation of the CARICOM Strategic Plan

DPI, Guyana, Monday, April 1, 2019

CARICOM is on a drive to enhance how work is being conducted throughout its member states and with its partners. This is being done through the implementation of a system called Results-Based Management (RBM).

At a media briefing held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this morning, Deputy Secretary-General of CARICOM, Manorma Soeknandan explained that the “CARICOM RBM system is a monitoring and reporting framework for the CARICOM Strategic Plan. Specifically, it is a set of tools designed to; guide systematic data collection, analysis and use as well as progress reporting on regional integration and development at all levels across the community”.

The system, though not entirely new, is being introduced to all member states through workshops and training. Guyana, as well as Trinidad and Tobago, are on the last leg of the relay before a final report is presented at the end of this month.

“Coming out of the strategic plan, we not only focus on the activities. Training sessions, workshops, those are activities, not the actual work.” Soeknandan explained that the result of those activities should lead to the member states to work with the system “so that we [member states] can see a change in the way work in done”.

According to Soeknandan, a lot of finance from CARICOM, and other agencies through CARICOM, has been spent and, therefore, positive results of implementation must be the end-product.

The first set of training, aimed at ‘non-State actors’, was facilitated at the Police Officers’ Training Center on Camp Street, Georgetown later in the day. Head of CARICOM’s Strategic Management Unit, Craig Beresford informed stakeholders, from the Ministries of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Finance and Foreign Affairs and the University of Guyana, that it was in keeping with attaining the Sustainable Development Goals.

“As you do work and contribute to the implementation of the community strategic plan, you are also contributing to internationally agreed goals and targets.”

Beresford also mentioned the need, “for greater stakeholder engagement and greater collaboration between implementing partners… We will talk to the stakeholders more. Stakeholders will be more informed about how we are progressing as a region.”

Across the region, there is a need for greater capacity building, according to CARICOM, consultant Evan Green, along with the need to move to an easily accessible “web-based system”. He noted that once regional leaders show commitment and there is leadership from regional institutions, “taking ownership and leadership of moving towards the RBM and we couple that with having good capacity, across the region then we have the main pillars of a successful and sustainable RBM system”.

The first phase of this RBM training was made possible through a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) grant of approximately $105M (US$500,000).

Felecia Valenzuela, Paul Mc Adam.

Image: Marceano Narine.