JAMAICA

AT A GLANCE
Official Name: Jamaica
Chief of State: Queen Elizabeth II
Head of Government: Prime Minister Bruce Golding
Next election: 2012
Capital: Kingston
Population: 2.71 million (UN, 2009)
Independence: 1962 from United Kingdom
Human Development Index: 100 of 182 countries (UN, 2009)
Gender Gap Index: 48 of 134 countries (World Economic Forum, 2009)
Gross National Income per capita: US$4,800 (World Bank, 2009)

Strengthening Development Capacity and Management Practices in Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs and International Trade Policy

Status: Operational
Local Partner: Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
Canadian Expert: Paul Crookall, Suzanne Laporte

Jamaica is at a defining period in its development as it confronts a huge fiscal deficit and grapples with a massive debt burden. It is working to transform the public sector to an efficient, effective and economical government. This DDD initiative will support the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade’s efforts to build the policy capacity of its civil servants, to strengthen management skills, and establish a succession plan that includes executive coaching. The focus will be on middle and senior level staff who will be moving to executive positions over the next few years. Jamaica and Canada are currently negotiating a new trading regime. Achieving a stable macro economy requires increased trade and will depend on the government’s increased capacity to negotiate trading agreements.

Monitoring and Evaluation in the Public Sector

Status: Operational
Local Partner: Public Sector Transformation Unit, Office of the Prime Minister of Jamaica
Canadian Expert: Gerry Westland

The Government of Jamaica articulated a five-year agenda for modernizing government titled Government at your Service: Public Sector Modernization Vision and Strategy Medium Term Action Plan (MTAP). A major thrust of this agenda is the strengthening of accountability systems across government, particularly the Accountability Framework, which clarifies responsibilities, expectations and reporting relationships for government’s senior executives. This DDD initiative would assist the Government of Jamaica with establishing a results-based monitoring and evaluation system that will ensure senior executives are performing at the expected level in accordance with the intent of the Framework and agreed upon performance targets. Working closely with the Public Sector Transformation Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister, Gerry Westland will provide expert advice and assistance on monitoring and evaluation, design the agency specific aspects of the monitoring and evaluation system and conduct workshops for senior executives on the system and how it will be implemented.

Reducing Case Backlog in Jamaica’s Criminal Courts

Status: Operational
Local Organization: Ministry of Justice
Canadian Experts: To be determined

Jamaica’s Ministry of Justice has requested assistance from CIDA’s Deployment for Democratic Development in the research, drafting and amendment of relevant legislation to address the backlog of cases in Jamaica’s criminal courts.

Plagued by undue delays, complex procedures, cost-ineffectiveness, a very high crime rate, as well as an increased use of the courts to settle civil disputes, the Jamaican justice system only disposes of 30 to 45% of its cases. In an effort to accelerate the large number of unheard cases, several new anti–crime measures have been announced by the government. These measures require new legislation and amendments to existing legislations. The relevant government departments (Office the Parliamentary Counsel and the Legal Reform Department) are however severely under-resourced and as such, they are not able to devote the time necessary to deal with these specific legislative issues, given the parliamentary legislative agenda.