Communities Ministry addressing “lethargic” project implementation and management

GINA, GUYANA, Friday, January 13, 2017

The various Heads and Programme and Project Managers of the Ministry of   Communities have been urged to improve their performances. The call was made today, during the opening of the ministry’s first senior staff conference.

The conference was held under the theme; “Improving Management for reliable Community Services in pursuit of the Green Economy.” It was held at the Savannah Suites of the Pegasus Hotel.

Addressing the senior staff, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, explained that the conference is aimed at addressing the malaise affecting project implementation and management, that Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, spoke of during his presentation of the 2017 National Budget.

Jordan, in his 2017 Budget speech, spoke of  lethargies, ineptitude and of sluggishness in implementation across the public sector. The Finance Minister also spoke of poor inter-agency coordination and cooperation and a deficit of strategic planning and management.

Addressing the conference today, Minister Bulkan noted that the Ministry of Communities has not been immune from the malaise to which the Finance Minister referred.  He said that the ministry has however, commenced taking proactive steps to address the situation within its various departments, projects, programmes.

Minister Bulkan noted that in December 2016, the ministry successfully held an action-round table for regional development.  He explained

that the activity was designed to enhance coordination and understanding among regional managers of national policies and programmes and to promote, expand and improve the regional procurement system.

The minister said that the senior staff conference is a continuation of the process towards addressing the lethargies within the ministry. He explained that the conference will focus on such topics as Earned Valued Management (EVM), tool.

The EVM tool provides for management of project within the framework of result based management. “As we in the Ministry of Communities have oversight over a large project portfolio in housing, water and sanitation…we must change the way we manage implementation of projects. We must utilise the EVM tool to help us to do so efficiently,” the minister said.

According to the minister, the ministry’s   Permanent Secretary and planners have been charged to come up with an appropriate way for implementing the EVM in the portfolio of the ministry’s projects.

The senior conference also addressed promoting stronger community participation in programme, projects and activities and aligning these with the government’s overall Green Economy agenda.

Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Valerie Adams-Patterson in her remarks,  addressed a number of ‘smart’ ‘and ‘green’ initiatives  that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) would be adopting  in 2017.

She explained that there will be emphasis on use of building materials (and construction practices) that are environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Additionally, the minister said that CH&PA will promote Green Pathways, Green Energy and Green Open spaces.

The CH&PA will also work with homeowners to encourage them in the planting of trees.  Boulevards and tree lined walkways are among some of the initiatives to be undertaken, the minister explained.

The Ministry of Communities effort at improving the ministry’s performance is expected to be further improved with the hosting of a regional management forum soon.

 

 

 By: Macalia Santos