PIOJ Growth-Inducement Strategy - Planning Institute of Jamaica

and Coordinating Unit (PCMU) was established in the Office of the Prime Minister
as the focal point for the institutional framework of the programme.
1.2 The major focus of the poverty eradication efforts was on community development,
and the broadening of access to basic social services. Under the NPEP, several
projects including water and sanitation, rural electrification, skills building and
others were to be implemented in some 66 targeted communities islandwide, over a
five-year period.
1.3 The NPEP has been a guiding framework for much of the poverty initiatives up to
recent years, even after the end of the initial project period. However, the PCMU is
no longer functional, and was impacted by several challenges over its tenure. These
included: lack of autonomy, little budget control, and inadequate human resource
capacity. The institutional framework established for the NPEP has also been
assessed as cumbersome, difficult to implement, and consisting of too many layers of
agency responsibility. A mechanism of accountability for poverty results was also
missing, as well as an effective line relationship with implementing ministries and
agencies.
1.4 Current poverty reduction efforts of GOJ are not being adequately coordinated. The
institutional arrangements originally approved by Cabinet in Ministry Paper #13/97
no longer exist in practice. Despite the perceived impact of various programmes and
initiatives, there still remains an intractable level of poverty, particularly rural
poverty, which requires the singular focus of a designated body to make further
progress in sustained reduction of poverty. In addition, recent increases in poverty
rates documented by PIOJ reinforce the need for maintaining a viable institutional
focal point for programme coordination, monitoring and evaluation.
2.0 Vision 2030 Jamaica
2.1 Vision 2030 Jamaica has enunciated a set of strategies for poverty reduction in the
Poverty Reduction Sector Plan. The Plan recognizes that a necessary requirement
for effective implementation is a single locus of institutional responsibility, under an
assigned Minister, along with improved mechanisms and instruments for monitoring
and measuring poverty. Major strategic objectives outlined in the plan are: equitable
access to basic goods and services, responsive public policy, opportunities for
sustainable livelihoods, and social inclusion. These entail a major focus on families,
rural development, human capital formation through education and empowerment,
provision of economic opportunities for poor households and vulnerable persons, and
vigorous attention to community development and infrastructure.
2.2 Despite recognition of these necessary conditions, the issue of poverty reduction is
still lacking a portfolio Ministry or agency that will undertake responsibility and
accountability to coordinate and monitor an integrated, multi-sectoral programme.
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