PIOJ Annual Report 2005 - Planning Institute of Jamaica

PLANNING INSTITUTE OF JAMAICA
ANNUAL REPORT
2005

P I O J A N N U A L
Mission Statement
The Planning Institute of Jamaica
is committed to leading the process of policy
formulation on economic and social issues
and external cooperation management
to achieve sustainable development
for the people of Jamaica

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Table of Contents
Director General’s Statement
Director General’s Secretariat
Economic Planning and Research
External Cooperation Management
Social Policy, Planning and Research
Sustainable Development and Regional Planning
Corporate Affairs, Marketing and Communications
Corporate Services
Consulting Services Unit
Compensation Package of Senior Managers
PIOJ 50th Anniversary Highlights
Members of the Board
Audited Financial Statements 2005
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6
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15
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26
28
29
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Director
General’s
Statement
DR. WESLEY HUGHES – Director General
“
A major milestone for the Institute
during 2005 was its 50th Anniversary
celebration. The twin objectives of the
celebrations were to recognize the organization’s
50 years of service to Jamaica;
and heighten public awareness of the
organization’s roles and functions.
”
The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is pleased to
provide a summary of its performance for the year
2005 in the 22nd edition of the Annual Report. The
PIOJ continued to provide policy advice to the
Government of Jamaica (GOJ) on social, economic, and
environmental issues and external cooperation management.
In carrying out its duties, the PIOJ collaborated
with various local and international development partners,
both public and private. All this was aimed at achieving
national sustainable development.
A major milestone for the Institute during 2005 was its
50th Anniversary celebration. The twin objectives of the
celebrations were to recognize the organization’s 50 years
of service to Jamaica; and heighten public awareness of
the organization’s roles and functions. The Conference on
Social and Economic Planning was one of the highlights
of the 50th Anniversary celebrations. It brought together
various technocrats and academicians, from across the
region, to discuss the status of planning and to offer recommendations
for the future. In furtherance of its objectives,
the 50th Anniversary celebrations also focused on
communications and media relations through an outside
broadcast and public displays of publications and other
materials in 10 libraries islandwide.
In February 2005, the Sustainable Development Policy
Unit was upgraded to the Sustainable Development and
Regional Planning Division (SDRPD). The Division also
reintroduced the Science & Technology (S&T) portfolio
to further capacity building initiatives which allowed S&T
priorities to be integrated into macro development planning.
In March 2005, Consulting Services became an entity
within the PIOJ. The objective of this new entity is to
provide additional funding for the PIOJ’s operations by
capitalizing on the Institute’s expertise in key areas and
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marketing these services to both public and private
interests.
There were a number of significant achievements during
the year. The PIOJ was instrumental in securing
US$1.5 billion in Official Development Assistance
(ODA). The research and forecasting capacities of the
PIOJ were enhanced and this enabled the Institute to provide
a more accurate review of economic performance.
Dialogue was initiated with the Millennium Institute
to customize the Threshold-21 Model – an integrated
model which facilitates planning, monitoring and
evaluation. This model provides a dynamic and comprehensive
approach to economic, social and environmental
forecasting.
A number of research activities were undertaken and
two major studies were published. Women in Prison –The
Impact of Incarceration on Jamaican Women and their
Families, the first of its kind, was promulgated. Profiles, a
study on the health status of children 0–8 years was also
published. The Research Analysis Programme approved
and gave oversight to three projects – “Criminal
Deportation,” “Parental Involvement in Education in
Jamaica,” and “Taking Responsibility: the Jamaican
Economy since Independence.”
The PIOJ was instrumental in advancing the reform
of Jamaica’s sugar industry. The main outcomes of this
exercise were the preparation of two documents which
were instructive of the need for reform via diversification
in order to create a viable sugar-cane based industry in a
globally competitive environment. Dialogue with local
and international stakeholders greatly contributed to the
mapping of the way forward for the industry.
The Performance Based Management System (PBMS),
which was launched in 2004, was implemented during
2005 and this brought the PIOJ in line with the rest of the
Public Sector. The PBMS facilitated both individual and
divisional evaluations based on agreed targets.
Another milestone for the PIOJ was the purchase of its
headquarters building at 12–16 Oxford Road. The process
of renovating the building and relocating should be completed
by early 2007.
The year 2005 brought with it a number of challenges,
ranging from a very active hurricane season, to the crisis
in the sugar industry, the energy crisis, and other equally
important social issues which all impacted Jamaica’s
development trajectory. However, the Institute was instrumental
in devising strategies to enhance Jamaica’s development.
I take this opportunity to thank the Board of Directors,
managers and staff for another year of high professional
standards and for their commitment to the PIOJ and the
process of developmental planning in Jamaica.
Wesley Hughes
Director General
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Director
General’s
Secretariat
The Planning Institute of Jamaica is responsible for: i)
providing policy and technical advice to the
Government of Jamaica, International Development
Partners (IDPs) and other stakeholders; ii) initiating and
coordinating the development of policies, plans and programmes
for the socio-economic, environmental and cultural
development of Jamaica; iii) aligning and managing
external co-operation resources with the development priorities
of the country; and iv) monitoring and evaluating
policies and programmes.
At the national level, the Director General, as the head
of the organization, ensures that the core functions of the
organization are executed in a timely and efficient manner
so as to inform decision-making on issues related to
national sustainable development. The Director General
represents the GOJ on regional and international bodies.
At the organizational level, he is accountable for the overall
strategic, managerial and technical leadership of the
Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), where he gives oversight
to the operations of the Institute and ensures that
corporate plans are aligned with the overall objectives of
“
During 2005, with technical support
from the Divisions and data from external
sources, the Director General was
aided in providing technical advice and
policy recommendations to the GOJ
on current and emerging sustainable
development issues.
”
the Ministry of Finance & Planning. He is accountable for
the timely and efficient delivery of high quality goods and
services to our clients. The Director General’s Secretariat
(DGS) provides administrative and technical support to
the Director General.
During 2005, with technical support from the
Divisions and data from external sources, the Director
General was aided in providing technical advice and policy
recommendations to the GOJ on current and emerging
sustainable development issues. For example, in light
of impending EU sugar reform and its effect on African,
Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Sugar Protocol countries,
the Director General’s Secretariat was responsible for the
preparation of two significant documents in response to
this regime. These were (a) the Strategic Options and
Recommendations for the Sustainable Development of
the Sugar Industry and (b) Jamaica Country Strategy for
the Sugar Industry 2006–2015 (JCS). The former was
critical in informing the Government of Jamaica’s policy
for the sugar sector; and the latter, established the broad
framework that would guide the effective transition of the
industry from a sugar to a sugar-cane based industry, while
ensuring that the social welfare and protection of the most
vulnerable in the dependent sugar areas is safeguarded and
progress towards macro-economic goals is maintained.
The JCS was submitted to the European Union for consideration
for financial support to assist with its implementation.
The DGS also provided input for the preparation of
the (i) Macro-Socio-Economic and Environmental
Assessment of the Damage Done by Hurricanes Dennis
and Emily and the flood rains brought on by Hurricane
Wilma; (ii) The Jamaica Human Development Report
2005; and (iii) The Partnership for Progress, a memorandum
of understanding between the Government and the
Private Sector. The Partnership for Progress is not yet
promulgated.
As part of the ongoing monitoring and management of
the economy, the Director General participated in the
weekly and monthly meetings chaired by the Honourable
Prime Minister and the Honourable Minister of Finance
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Dr. Wesley Hughes (centre), Director General, Planning Institute of Jamaica laughs heartily along with Sir Dwight Venner (left), Governor,
Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, St. Kitts & Nevis and Mr. Earl Jarrett, General Manager Jamaica National Building Society, during the
Launch of the 50th Anniversary Conference on Economic & Social Development Planning, held November 23–24, 2005 at the Jamaica
Conference Centre.
and Planning and others. These meetings included: Post
Cabinet Review, Economic Programme Monitoring,
National Planning Council, National Commission on
Science and Technology, National Investment Bank of
Jamaica, Development Bank of Jamaica and Development
Council. He also represented the Minister of Finance and
Planning in the capacity of Alternate Governor at the
annual Caribbean Development Bank Board of Directors
meeting held in Barbados.
The Director General continued to provide leadership
to the Public Sector Investment Programme via monthly
and quarterly portfolio reviews with the International
Development Partners, private and public sector entities
and non-state actors. These meetings were aimed at communicating
the GOJ’s socio-economic policies and programmes;
ensuring consistency with the GOJ strategic
priorities and the efficient use of official development
assistance; providing up-to-date information on the
macro-economic performance of the Jamaican economy;
and obtaining feedback from the Institute’s stakeholders
As Chairman of the PIOJ’s Board of Directors and the
Committee of Management, the Director General provided
leadership to the Institute’s Strategic Planning
Process that ensured integration, consistency and synergy
with the Ministry of Finance and Planning’s Corporate/
Operational Plans. He also gave direction and oversight to
the planning of a number of activities to celebrate the
Institute’s 50th Anniversary.
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Economic
Planning and
Research
DR. PETER-JOHN GORDON – Director
“
Other major highlights of the Division’s
achievement included revision of the
Medium Term Socio-Economic Policy
Framework 2005–2008; Economic
Impact Assessment of the proposal
for Jamaica to host matches in the
2007 Cricket World Cup.
”
The core functions, of the Economic Planning and
Research Division (EPRD) during 2005, continued to
include the monitoring and evaluation of macroeconomic
and sectoral performance and development
through a comprehensive programme of economic
research and analysis. This was achieved through the provision
of timely and appropriate advice on existing and
new policies being pursued by the Government of Jamaica
(GOJ). The Division made major changes to the research
and forecasting components of its work programme which
was reflected in an expanded and deeper coverage of areas
monitored and evaluated at the macro and sectoral levels.
This resulted in more timely and accurate projections/estimates
of performance.
During the year, the Division participated in followup
activities aimed at completing the report on viability of
the Sugar Industry in Jamaica. Other major highlights of
the Division’s achievement included revision of the
Medium Term Socio-Economic Policy Framework 2005
–2008; Economic Impact Assessment of the proposal for
Jamaica to host matches in the 2007 Cricket World Cup
and a paper on ‘Financing Tertiary Education, Jamaica –
Student Loan Scheme’. The Division also contributed to
an economic assessment of the impact of Hurricanes
Dennis, Emily and the impact on the Jamaican economy
of Hurricane Katrina, which affected some sections of the
United States of America.
Divisional activities continued to incorporate outputs
related to the routine research, monitoring and policy
advice portfolios along with the timely preparation of
monthly Inflation Reports for the Board of Directors.
Approximately 16 Chapters covering economic and sectoral
performance activity were prepared for the timely
publication of the Economic and Social Survey Jamaica
2004. Four editions of the Economic Update and Outlook
(EU&O) which reviewed quarterly economic performance
and facilitated the execution of the Institute’s
Quarterly Press Conferences were produced. The EU&O
publications provide early indications of movements of
macro-economic variables. Within this context, a new section
on labour market performance was included in this
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Dr. Peter-John Gordon, Director, Economic Planning & Research Division, addressing the media at the Institute’s Quarterly press briefing,
held August 15, 2005. Dr. Gordon discussed the developments in the macroeconomy and productive sectors for the period, April–June
2005. Looking on intently is Dr. Wesley Hughes, Director General.
publication to complement the existing reviews and give
a more comprehensive and integrative report on the performance
of the economy.
The decision was taken by the Chairman of the
National Planning Council (NPC) to have consultations
on a bi-monthly basis, for calendar year 2005. Resulting
from this decision was the presentation of 17 papers at
the National Planning Council meetings compared with
26 papers in 2004. Highlights of the meetings included
presentations on ‘Private Sector’s Perspective on the
Caribbean Single Market Economy’ in February, ‘Reform
of Mental Health’ in September, and ‘Successes/
Challenges of the Micro Finance sector, with special focus
on Interest Rates, in November. The preparatory activities
and meetings were coordinated by the National Planning
Council Secretariat which is located in the Division.
The EPRD inter-sectoral collaboration with other
Divisions of the Institute and with external agencies intensified
during the year. This contributed significantly to
the Division’s success in preparing and presenting accurate
reviews of economic performance. The Quarterly
Press Briefings on the performance of the economy and
consultations on the reform of the sugar industry with the
major stakeholders were some of the ways through which
the Division informed and interacted directly with external
clients.
The Statistical Institute of Jamaica continued its collaboration
with the Division towards improving the reconciliation
of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for
specific sectors of the economy, and also in the preparatory
phase for the proposed 2007 Agricultural Census.
The Division, through continued involvement on a
number of internal and external committees and working
groups, provided technical advice to public and private
sector entities. These included, active participation in the
Jamaica Trade Advisory Taskforce Working Group on
market access for non-agricultural production; the
Competitiveness Committee of the Ministry of
Development; Review of the Jamaican Economy forum
facilitated by the Pan Caribbean Investment Bank; and
participation in meetings and consultations with the IMF
on real sector, developments and prospects. Members of
the Division participated in a number of training activities
through courses, seminars and workshops.
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External
Cooperation
Management
The Division coordinates the alignment of Official
Development Assistance (ODA) with the priorities of
the Government, in order to improve the efficient and
effective utilisation of these resources and facilitate the
development and management of the Public Sector
Investment Programme. In undertaking its role, the
Division is required to assess the feasibility of projects,
negotiate loan and grant agreements, assist in the execution
of cooperation programmes, monitor project implementation
through review meetings site visits, and steering
committees, as well as prepare periodic briefs and reports
on the programmes.
During the year, the Division managed a combined
portfolio of new and ongoing projects valued at approximately
US$1.5 billion ($93.9 billion) representing, external
funding provided by multilateral and bilateral sources
as well as counterpart resources from the Government.
The division also spearheaded the harmonisation & donor
coordination initiative, the monitoring of the Medium
Term Socio-Economic Policy Framework (2004–2007)
and provided technical advice on development strategies.
The Division is comprised of six units with responsibility
for the coordination and supervision of bilateral and
multilateral cooperation programmes as well as the development
and analysis of projects.
Bilateral Cooperation
MRS. LEILA PALMER– Director
“. . . the Division is required to assess the
feasibility of projects, negotiate loan
and grant agreements, assist in the
execution of cooperation programmes,
monitor project implementation
through review meetings, site visits,
and steering committees . . .
”
The Division continued to coordinate and monitor cooperation
programmes with bilateral partners that provided
loans, grants and specialist assistance in various areas
including health, education, poverty alleviation, community
development, public sector modernization, security
and justice. Belgium, China, the United Kingdom and
the Czech Republic provided grant and loan resources
totalling US$189.1 million ($11.8 billion), for new projects
mainly in the areas of social and economic infrastructure.
The PetroCaribe Agreement for the supply of
petroleum from Venezuela was signed in June.
Negotiations commenced with Spain for assistance to two
projects in the areas of health and education/hospitality
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Leila Palmer (left front row), Director of External Cooperation Management Division Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), sits along with a
cross section of the Institute’s International Development Partners and staff, during the launch of the “Millennium Development Goals – A
Latin American and Caribbean Perspective”, held on September 13, 2005.
training and agreement was reached with the Department
for International Development (DFID) of the United
Kingdom for debt relief amounting to £6.2 million
($684.5 million).
Collaboration continued with the United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) and
DFID in the formulation of their country strategy programmes
which began implementation during the year.
USAID will focus on health, education, community development
and the environment, while DFID’s assistance will
support public sector modernization and security.
The fifteenth anniversary of the dispatch of Japan
Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) to Jamaica was
celebrated with displays islandwide and the visit of Mr.
Masaki Otsuka, Director General of JOCV based in
Tokyo. A total of 21 Japanese Volunteers and Experts were
dispatched to Jamaica for two years and 22 Jamaicans
received short-term training in Japan in the areas of health,
information technology, engineering and agriculture.
Fifty-two scholarships were awarded by the governments
of Cuba, India and Mexico for study in various disciplines
and at the Jamaica/Cuba Joint Commission in
May, plans were effected for further collaboration in the
areas of health, education, transportation, science and
technology.
European Union (EU)
The Division serves as the Office of the National
Authorizing Officer (NAO) and is charged with responsibility
for the execution of the Cooperation Programme
with the European Union, consisting of 21 projects
totalling €194.1 million ($15.0 billion) in grant resources.
The Government signed two Financing Agreements,
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namely for Technical Assistance in the amount of €750
000 ($58.2 million) for preparation of the road sub-sector
policy master-plan, and the Banana Support
Programme (BSP) in the amount of €4.8 million ($372.2
million). The BSP is designed to increase international
competitiveness of banana exporters, enhance operational
efficiency and assist with the diversification of agricultural
activities.
Of the €30.3 million ($2.3 billion), disbursed, €11.1
million ($860.7 million) was direct budget support under
the Support to the Economic Reform Programme (SERP III),
and €7.2 million ($558.3 million) under the Northern
Coastal Highway Improvement Project – Segment 3 (Ocho
Rios to Port Antonio).
Multilateral Technical Cooperation
Coordination and oversight were provided to the projects
being financed by the multilateral technical cooperation
agencies. The Agencies of the United Nations
Organization, the Organization of American States (OAS)
and the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation
(CFTC) provided new grant resources totalling US$5.4
million ($338.0 million) to fund projects in various sectors.
The organizations provided technical expertise to
enhance Government’s human and institutional capacity
building programmes as well as funded several short and
long-term courses. The Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO) provided two short courses; the CFTC 13;
the OAS 10 short, 3 long-term and 5 on-line study programmes.
From the £101 130 ($11.2 million) disbursed for technical
assistance programmes, the CFTC, in response to a
request, made available an expert to the Broadcasting
Commission to evaluate and make recommendations for
enhancing the Children’s Code for Programming. As a
part of the intervention, broadcasters, cable operators and
musicians were trained in the principles involved in protecting
children from potentially harmful media content.
United Nations Children’s Fund disbursements
amounted to US$2.3 million ($144.0 million) for development
projects for the year. A Post-Ivan Project was
managed under the Special Care and Protection
Programme. In an attempt to address the possible psychological
damage to children, as a consequence of the hurricane,
professionals and para-professionals from rural
communities were trained in the identification of posttraumatic
stress and in basic intervention strategies. It is
anticipated that the individuals trained will make themselves
available to assist their communities in the event of
future disasters.
The Division provided support to several project formulation,
assessment and evaluation missions. Among
these were the United Nations Population Fund/European
Union/GOJ Programme on Sexual and Reproductive
Health, assessed by a team from Dakar; the International
Atomic Energy Agency conducted a formulation mission;
and the United Nations Development Programme conducted
a Mission aimed at developing a project to respond
to the security and justice needs of the island.
Contribution to the work of United Nations Education
Scientific and Cultural Organisation in Jamaica was made
through participation on the National Commission.
Technical advice and support was provided for the preparation
of the Common Country Assessment and the
development of the United Nations Development
Assistance Framework. This document should provide the
basis for an integrated and coherent response by the UN
system organizations to Jamaica’s development priorities
for the period 2007–2011.
Multilateral Financial Programmes
The Division coordinated and managed the programmes
and projects funded with assistance from Multilateral
Financial Institutions (MFIs) 1 . The cooperation programmes
totalled US$795.8 million ($49.8 billion), comprising
loans of US$557.3 million ($34.8 billion), grants of
1 The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (World Bank), Caribbean Development
Bank (CDB) and the OPEC Fund for International Development
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Lasford Stone (centre) Manager, Multilateral Programmes, Planning Institute of Jamaica surveys the area along with (left to right) Patrick
Reid (crouched), Site Engineer, Caribbean Engineering Corporations Ltd., Everette Lagore, National Irrigation Commission Works Engineer
for Hounslow and Norman Cameron, Portfolio Manager, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), during an evaluation exercise and site visit in
Hounslow, St. Elizabeth on March 9, 2005. The exercise is part of a collaborative process between the National Irrigation Development project
and the Agricultural Support Services project, funded by CDB and the Inter-American Development Bank.
US$16.3 million ($1.0 billion) and Government’s contribution
of approximately US$222.2 million ($13.9 billion).
The rescoping of projects in the IDB portfolio, aimed
at arriving at a portfolio that was fiscally manageable was
completed. The rescoping of the ROSE II and HIV/AIDS
Prevention projects in the World Bank portfolio commenced.
A loan of US$54.1 million ($3.3 billion) was approved
by the CDB to finance the construction of the Montego
Bay to Greenside section of the Northern Coastal
Highway Improvement Project.
Grant resources totalling US$1.95 million ($122.0
million) were approved comprising US$1.3 million
($81.4 million) from the IDB and US$650 000 from the
Japan Policy and Human Resources Development facility,
administered by the World Bank to prepare the Inner
City Basic Services Project. The IDB grant amount
included US$120 000 from the Japan Trust Fund to support
the Trafficking in Person Project.
Portfolio reviews were held with the IDB, CDB,
Project Executing Agencies and Ministry of Finance and
Planning to determine strategies for improving the rate of
implementation of the existing portfolios. Additionally,
the monitoring and coordinating function of the division
was reinforced by continued participation on steering
committees for projects in the portfolios and site visits to
assist in the analysis of work in progress. The Division
coordinated the preparation of the Country Assistance
Strategies for Jamaica with the World Bank, IDB and local
stakeholders.
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Project Cycle Management
The Division participated in the preparation of a Water
Sector Study financed by the Japan Bank for International
Cooperation (JBIC). This culminated in a workshop
where findings and recommendations were presented to
the relevant stakeholders. In addition, the Division:
• coordinated and participated in missions fielded by
JBIC (i) to discuss existing and future cooperation programme
with Jamaica; and (ii) to commence the
preparations for a post evaluation exercise of two projects
funded by the Bank, viz, Montego Bay Water
Supply (Great River) and Northern Jamaica
Development;
• participated in Steering Committee Meetings to
review the status of the JBIC funded project - KMA
Water Supply – and provided advice in improving the
implementation pace;
• provided technical advice on project proposals prepared
by ministries and agencies including the Cabinet
Office, the University of the West Indies and the
National Development Foundation of Jamaica;
• provided information to the Education Task Force
regarding interventions by International Development
Partners (IDPs) on existing and projected projects and
programmes in the Education sector;
• reviewed technical documents prepared by the IDPs.
These documents included, policies, procedures, status
of cooperation programmes as well as country programmes
and strategies;
• participated in two evaluation exercises – (i) review of
proposals prepared by consultants under the Citizens
Security and Justice Programme, funded by the IDB;
and (ii) review of technical proposals submitted by private
sector firms requestingfunding under the Private
Sector Development Programme, financed by the EU;
• participated in meeting of the Technical Prioritization
Committee established by Cabinet to review on-going
and pipeline projects and programmes within the
Public Sector Investment Programme; and
• conducted research on current and future status of
Official Development Assistance, particularly among
Small Island Development States for the Development
Conference hosted by the Planning Institute in
November.
Due to the high debt burden and limited fiscal space,
Jamaica’s capacity to borrow was reduced, thereby affecting
the quantum of loan resources available to finance
project and programmes. This impacted on the pre-selection
process resulting in no new projects being presented
to the Pre-Selection Committee in 2005. However, the
analysis of one critical project commenced – Inner City
Basic Services – scheduled to be submitted to the committee
for its approval in 2006.
Project Development
Given fiscal constraints, no new projects were developed
during the year. The Division, however, continued to
spearhead Government’s efforts to strengthen the mechanisms
for coordinating donor assistance and fostering harmonization
among Jamaica’s IDPs. The main platform for
this initiative was the Medium Term Socio-Economic
Policy Framework (MTF).
With assistance from DFID, a monitoring regime for
the MTF was initiated. The regime involved the establishment
of seven thematic working groups (TWGs) 2 with
responsibility for monitoring the progress toward achieving
the MTF’s development goals, as well as providing
policy advice. These groups, which comprise Government,
non-state and IDP representatives, are intended to,
inter alia, provide a forum for greater dialogue with
Jamaica’s Development Partners on the country’s strategic
priorities, thereby resulting in a more effective alignment
of donor assistance.
The Harmonization initiative was also advanced
with the completion of a draft Country Financial
Account-ability Assessment and a Country Procurement
Assessment Report, jointly prepared by the IDB and the
World Bank.
2.
TWGs were established for the areas of poverty, education,
health, security, justice, environments and the marco-economy.
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Social Policy,
Planning and
Research
DR. PAULINE KNIGHT – Director
“
Included in the main thrust of the activities
for the year were initial steps to
extend the Social Safety Net to actively
seek to make families on welfare
economically independent; organizing
and overseeing an audit of the vital
statistics system in Jamaica . . .
”
The Division continued to focus on contributing to the
development of social policy and on the planning,
coordinating and monitoring of related programmes
and projects. In addition, emphasis was placed on providing
information through the conduct of research and
analysis with associated presentations and publications.
Included in the main thrust of the activities for the year
were initial steps to extend the Social Safety Net to actively
seek to make families on welfare economically independent;
organizing and overseeing an audit of the vital statistics
system in Jamaica; and the laying of groundwork for
implementation of a project to strengthen national capacity
in sophisticated social analysis. Among the highlights
were the hosting of a Poverty Seminar and launches of
reports on parenting and on the impact of the incarceration
of women on themselves and their families.
Five Units undertake the several responsibilities of the
Division, namely: Human Development; Population
Planning; Social Development and Gender; Social
Security and Welfare; and Policy Research. Areas covered
include health, education, training, poverty reduction,
security, justice, community development and the labour
market. Special attention is devoted to particular population
groups such as children, youth and the elderly, with
focus placed on gender and population planning issues.
The strategic approach utilized by the Division in discharging
its mandate in these areas involves:
i. maintaining a close ongoing relationship with implementing
agencies and donor/lender community,
thereby facilitating effective coordination and monitoring
of programmes and projects;
ii. conducting research studies and data collection on a
regular basis, including providing support for research
done by other agencies, so as to promote evidencebased
policy and programme development;
iii. collaborating with relevant bodies in the design/formulation
of policies and programmes; and
iv. interfacing with Cabinet to provide policy advice, as
necessary.
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Children and Youth
The Division coordinated activities and chaired the Inter-
Sectoral Working Group on Children and Violence and
oversaw the completion of the National Plan of Action
on Children and Violence, including costing and a monitoring
and evaluation framework. A UNICEF initiative,
Social Investment for Children, was started under the
Division’s chairmanship and involved several state and
non-state agencies with the objective of analyzing
Government’s budgetary provisions for children and promoting
national involvement in ensuring their adequacy.
Contributions were made to the finalization of the
National Framework of Action for Children and there was
collaboration with the Child Development Agency to
present the Street Children Policy to key stakeholders in
different Ministries. Work in the area of early childhood
took place through representation on the Early Childhood
Commission, while inputs were provided for the establishment
of the Office of the Children’s Advocate.
An investigation was undertaken on the nutritional status
of children in Jamaica on the basis of which a paper
was prepared in collaboration with several other agencies
and presented to the Council of Ministers. The subsequent
policy decision to provide school feeding to Basic
Schools saw the Division involved in the development of
a Pilot Basic School Feeding Project in St. Mary. There
was also participation in the Jamaica Youth Employment
Network Steering Committee and provision of leadership
to the National Child Month Committee in the capacity
as Vice-Chair.
Social Security
Reforms of the Social Safety Net continued to be led by
the Division with highlights including the satisfactory
completion of the Inter-American Development Bank
(IDB) Technical Assistance Project supporting the
reforms. Inter-agency collaboration on the Reform
Programme continued to be facilitated through the
Programme Implementation Committee, which was
chaired by the division. Accomplishments under the IDB
Project included the completion of studies such as the feasibility
of extending Programme of Advancement through
Health and Education (PATH) to needy students in nonformal
educational institutions, waiver of health fees in
the public sector, and the provision of computer hardware
and software and training for the establishment of computer
linkages between the Ministry of Labour and Social
Security (MLSS) and the Ministries of Health and
Education and Youth. Oversight of the programme
involved work towards an evaluation of the current performance
of the Beneficiary Identification System along
with update of the screening mechanism using more
recent data from the Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions.
Other highlights included:
i. contribution towards the drafting of the National
Assistance Bill, to repeal and replace the Poor Relief
Law of 1886; and
ii. preparation of print and electronic material for use in
public education thrusts for the SSN, with approximately
half of the materials disseminated to the
Ministries of Education and Health, for islandwide
distribution to schools, health centres, and parish
offices of relevant Ministries.
The Division organized a study tour on Welfare-to-
Work programmes in the United States. The team visited
Florida, Wisconsin and Washington, DC, and a Plan of
Action was proposed for the development of a structured
welfare-to-work programme in Jamaica.
A Poverty Seminar involving regional and international
participation, under the theme of “Breaking the Cycle:
The Inter-Generational Transmission of Poverty” was
convened by the Division.
National Security and Justice
Contributions to National Security and Justice were made
in areas of Drug Abuse Prevention and Control, Social
Cohesion for National Stability, Alternate Dispute
Resolution and Child Justice. There was collaboration
16

R E P O R T 2 0 0 5
with the Ministries of National Security and Justice in the
finalization of the Child Justice Plan of Action, which was
presented to the Human Resource Council. The Division
also participated in meetings of the Social Anti-Crime
Initiative, which coordinated social activities targeting
volatile areas to ensure stability and reduced incidence of
crime and violence. Representation was also made on the
Violence Prevention Alliance and on the Board of the
Disputes Resolution Foundation.
Population Issues
Through the Vital Statistics Commission (VSC), work
was intensified towards improvement of the country’s
management of its vital statistics. The Division provided
secretariat services and, with assistance from PAHO,
organized a comprehensive Audit of the Civil Registration
and Vital Statistics System, which was conducted by a
team of consultants from the Centre for Disease Control
and Prevention, Pan-American Risk Management
Consultants and Ernst and Young Associates. Other activities
of the VSC included the refinement of selected vital
statistics, and preparation of a Cabinet Brief on Jamaica’s
ranking in the Human Development Report.
The Division represented Jamaica at the Thirty-Eighth
Session of the UN Commission on Population and
Development, April 4–8, and presented Jamaica’s statement
on “Population, Development and HIV/AIDS, with
particular emphasis on Poverty.” Along with a representative
from the Permanent Mission, it co-chaired working
group meetings of the Group of 77 and China.
There was also participation in the Regional Latin
American and Caribbean Seminar on International
Migration held in Mexico City. The Seminar report was
presented to the United Nations Commission on
Population and Development in preparation for the
General Assembly High Level Dialogue on International
Migration scheduled for 2006.
Overall coordination of population issues was provided
through the Population Policy Coordinating Committee,
which is led by the Division.
Policy/Programme Development
and Implementation
There was participation in the development and implementation
of a wide range of policies, programmes and
projects. Among the major new projects was the Inner
City Basic Services Project, being designed to upgrade
communities in Kingston, St. Catherine, St. James and
Clarendon. In response to the United States’ unsatisfactory
classification of Jamaica with respect to the issue of
Trafficking-in-Persons, SPPRD actively participated in
multi-agency efforts to formulate an action plan for the
Government. Continued involvement in national efforts
to combat HIV/AIDS was made through representation
on the Country Co-ordinating Mechanism for the Global
Fund and through inputs for the evaluation of the
National Programme and Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS.
The Division also continued to provide technical guidance
to the European Commission (EC)/United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA) Joint Sexual and
Reproductive Health Programme for Jamaica, which is a
component of a wider programme being implemented in
selected countries in the African Caribbean and Pacific
region. It also continued to chair the meetings of partners
for the implementation and monitoring of the Early
Childhood Development Component of the
GOJ/UNICEF Country Programme of Operation
2002–2006.
In the area of policy development, SPPRD prepared a
Discussion Paper on Abortion and contributed as a member
of an Advisory Group established by the Ministry of
Health to develop policy guidelines on the matter.
Similarly, it contributed to the drafting of a Gender Policy
through representation on the Gender Advisory
Commission. Mainstreaming of gender issues in the work
of the PIOJ was spearheaded by the Division resulting in
the introduction of appropriate guidelines and systems.
Contribution was also made to the review process of the
Jamaica Social Policy Evaluation (JASPEV) Project’s
Annual Progress Report.
Inputs were made to the development of country programmes
of assistance by UN agencies. These included
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P I O J A N N U A L
“
The Division contributed to building
national capacity in the social sector by
commencing implementation of the IDB
Project “Poverty Monitoring and Social
Policy Analysis” which is designed to
enhance the ability of public sector staff to
undertake sophisticated analysis.
”
the UNFPA Programme Review and Strategy
Development (PRSD) Framework Document which is to
form the basis for the development of the UNFPA new
programme cycle for Jamaica; and the United Nations
Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) based on
the Common Country Assessment.
The Division contributed to building national capacity
in the social sector by commencing implementation
of the IDB Project “Poverty Monitoring and Social Policy
Analysis” which is designed to enhance the ability of public
sector staff to undertake sophisticated analysis. Training
was provided in the first of seven scheduled modules being
offered by UWI and UTech. Secondly, further institutionalization
of Social Assessment Methodology was facilitated
by the participation of the Division in the United Nations
Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ (UNDESA)
Training of Trainers Programme and the development of
a case study to be used as course material for the Social
Assessment course at the University of the West Indies.
Collaboration with Local and
International Partners
Work with local partners involved participation in the
multi-stakeholder meetings on the design and development
of the UK funded Construction Assistance Skills
Transfer Learning Environment Steering Committee
(CASTLE) project being managed by the Kingston
Restoration Company. Assistance was given to several educational
institutions and other agencies by way of presentations
on labour market trends and employment
possibilities.
SPPRD staff also continued their Annual Lecture
Series to UWI students with a presentation on population
and social policy development. Other annual events
included Commemoration of World Population Day held
on July 11, which was organized in collaboration with
UNFPA, and launch of the UNFPA State of the World
Population 2005 Report. The theme for both was
“Gender Equality.”
There was collaboration with partners – the Social
Development Commission (SDC) and the Statistical
Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) – towards the mapping of
poverty levels of communities islandwide. Partnership
with UNICEF and STATIN was also instrumental for the
maintenance of a national computerized comprehensive
database and for training data producers and users of the
system JAMSTATS/DEVINFO. The Division also participated
in the work of private sector agencies such as the
Kingston City Centre Improvement Company (KCCIC)
in relation to which it provided leadership for Social
Services and Housing.
Research and Publications
Research activities were pursued both directly within the
Division and indirectly through the provision of funding
support and technical guidance to studies conducted
externally. Studies conducted within the Division include:
“Prospects for Employment Growth in the Jamaican
Labour Market, 2004–2007”, “The Overseas Employment
Programme – providing employment opportunities
for Jamaicans in North America”, and “Performance of
Jamaican Candidates in the 2005 Caribbean Secondary
Certificate Examination (CSEC)”. In addition there was
completion of studies previously commissioned on
“Parenting”, and “School to Work Transition”. Two major
works were published and launched: “PROFILES,” a
comprehensive longitudinal study of the health status of
children 0–8 years; and “Women in Prison”, an investigation
into the impact of incarceration on women and their
dependents.
Demographic assessments were conducted for private
sector clients as well as in relation to the population
affected by the three hurricanes that impacted Jamaica in
2005. The Division also planned and supervised a Social
Impact Assessment of the Likely Effects of Sugar Reform
18

R E P O R T 2 0 0 5
Mary Clarke (standing left), Manager, Social Development & Gender, PIOJ, Dr. Aldrie Henry-Lee (left), Principal Investigator along with Dr.
Pauline Knight (centre), Director, Social Policy, Planning & Research (SPPRD) and Major Richard Reese, Commissioner of Corrections,
Department of Corrections smile proudly as they peruse the publication, “Women in Prison: the Impact of the Incarceration of Jamaican
Women on Themselves and their Families”, during its launch, which was held on December 13, 2005.
Options on the Industry’s Workers.
Under the Institute’s Research and Analysis Programme
(RAP) which funds research activities, the Division saw
to the approval and gave oversight to three new projects,
viz, “Criminal Deportation”; “Parental Involvement in
Education in Jamaica”; and “Taking Responsibility: The
Jamaican Economy since Independence”. Supervision was
also provided to five other ongoing studies, viz,
“Homelessness in Jamaica”; “Changing Roles of Fathers in
the Context of Jamaican Family Life”; “Prostate Cancer:
the Contribution of Diet and Lifestyle”: “A Longitudinal
Study of Jamaican Boys Previously Identified as Aggressive
or Pro-social”; and “An Evaluation of a Multi-disciplinary
Team Approach to Self-esteem Enhancement in Children
and Adolescence at the Operation Restoration Academy
in Rema, Trench Town.”
SPPRD also participated on the UNICEF spearheaded
Steering Committee for the Multiple Indicator Cluster
Survey (MICS) which collects crucial indicators to measure
the status of children. The Division also prepared the
JSLC Questionnaire for the 2006 survey and developed a
new module on Remittances; JSLC 2003 Report; JSLC
2004 Interim Report; one issue of JA PEOPLE Magazine;
two issues of the Labour Market Information Newsletter;
and six chapters for the Economic and Social Survey
Jamaica 2004.
19

P I O J A N N U A L
Sustainable
Development
and Regional
Planning
The Sustainable Development Policy Unit was upgraded
to the Sustainable Development and Regional
Planning Division (SDRPD) in February 2005. Its
mandate is to ensure an effective, integrated, coordinated
sustainable development strategy to include economic,
social, environmental and institutional components into
policy formulation and decision-making. A Science and
Technology (S&T) portfolio was included to build the
Institute’s capacity to facilitate the integration of S&T
imperatives into broad development planning.
Main Objectives
The Division’s mandate was pursued under four broad
headings namely: Policy Planning; Strategy Design and
Coordination; Data/Information Management and
Reporting; and Governance. Specific emphasis was placed
on urban and regional planning, hazard mitigation, postdisaster
socio-economic and environmental impact assessment,
facilitating a least-cost approach to sustainable
development planning, building capacity in the use of
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technology and
increasing awareness of sustainable development principles
among civil society.
Main Achievements
MS. CLAIRE BERNARD – Director
“
The Division led the process of assessment
of the impact of the last three
hurricanes on the Jamaican society
and prepared reports on the Macro-
Socio-Economic and Environmental
Impact of damage done by Hurricanes
Dennis, Emily and Wilma.
”
The Division coordinated sensitization workshop for
some 30 persons in the use of the Economic Commission
for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) methodology
for assessing post-disaster impacts. The Division led
the process of assessment of the impact of the last three
hurricanes on the Jamaican society and prepared reports
on the Macro-Socio-Economic and Environmental
Impact of Damage done by Hurricanes Dennis, Emily
and Wilma.
In the area of policy development, the Division
designed and supervised the Tourism Framework
Programme of Action study to provide guidance to the
Government on spatial planning requirements, support
infrastructure, and workforce needed to facilitate tourism
20

R E P O R T 2 0 0 5
Claire Bernard, Director, Sustainable Development & Regional Planning, PIOJ, discusses a point with sixth form students from Merl Grove
High School during a Speakers’ Bureau which was held at the School on November 11, 2005.
expansion along the north-west tourism corridor. A GIS
Atlas of 36 maps was also created to support the study.
Technical assistance was provided to the Highway 2000
Corridor Plan Secretariat through the review of draft
reports and preparation of 117 squatter settlement and 23
special area maps for the study area.
A draft project proposal for the preparation of a
Squatter Management Policy was prepared and submitted
to the World Bank for funding. Preliminary research
was undertaken towards the development of a waste management
policy with specific reference to End of Life
Vehicles (ELVs) and related wastes. Other policy inputs
included technical support for the development of the
Hazard Mitigation Policy, the preparation of a Position
Paper on a Regional Development Strategy and the design
of a study for Review of the National Planning System.
An action plan to guide implementation of components
of the Rural Sustainable Development Policy was
developed. The action plan which can be linked to climate
change and desertification was formulated through
technical assistance from the Inter-American Institute for
Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
One Draft Cabinet Submission, two Cabinet Notes
and four Ministerial Briefs were prepared. In addition,
technical comments were prepared on 13 policies, terms
of references and projects and three parish sustainable
development plans. Technical advice was provided on an
ongoing basis through participation in a number of councils
and committees. Including:
• Squatter Management Policy Steering Committee;
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P I O J A N N U A L
• Hazard Mitigation Steering Committee;
• Land Information Council of Jamaica;
• GIS Education in Schools Committee;
• JSIF Project Committee;
• CVSS Executive and Planning & Research
Committees;
• National Integrated Watershed Management
Council;
• Protected Areas Steering Committee;
• National Ozone Commission Committee;
• National Housing Policy Committee;
• ICENS; and
• National Disaster Committee.
Other highlights included: i) preliminary actions
towards the establishment of a WebGIS to provide viewing
access to PIOJ socio-economic GIS database; ii) the
development of GIS databases for post offices/agencies,
markets and public cemeteries islandwide; iii) assisting
in the building of GIS capacity in various Ministries and
agencies, among 87 public servants and teachers; and
iv) providing GIS data to local and international students,
and technical support to four agencies and three
projects.
Publications
The SDU prepared or contributed to the following:
a. three issues of the Sustainable Development e-newsletter
designed, prepared and posted on PIOJ’s website;
b. manual on the Public Policy Development Process;
c. two chapters for the Economic and Social Survey
Jamaica 2004;
d. the Housing chapter in the Jamaica Survey of Living
Conditions 2004;
e. Draft Report on the Administrative Boundaries of
Jamaica; and
f. GIS Map Catalogue containing descriptions of spatial
datasets in PIOJ’s GIS socio-economic GIS database.
The Catalogue is made available on PIOJ’s website.
Presentations
SDRPD participated in a number of fora involving the
following:
• Social Vulnerability and Disasters presented to
ODPEM Disaster Mitigation Conference;
• Two presentations on sustainable development made
to secondary school students as part of the PIOJ 50th
Anniversary Speakers’ Bureau;
• The Socio-Economic Imperatives of a Cross the
Harbour Bridge, Kingston made at Jamaica Institute
of Engineers’ Seminar on the proposed Cross the
Harbour Bridge; and
• Regional Capacity for Effective Monitoring of MDGs,
presented to 30th Meeting of CARICOM Standing
Committee of Caribbean Statisticians.
Conferences, Workshops and
Training
Members of SDRPD participated in the following:
• field analysis to test gender evaluation mechanism on
the Eastern Jamaica Agricultural Project as part of
PIOJ’s Gender Mainstreaming Project;
• the Meso-American and the Caribbean Geo-Spatial
Alliance (MACGA) National Spatial Data Infrastructure
Workshop;
• stakeholder consultations on land degradation under
the UN Desertification Convention;
• United Nations/ECLAC High level Meeting Re Small
Island Developing States (SIDS) and the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs), Trinidad;
• OAS Project Review Meeting, Washington, DC; and
• initiated discussion with environment Sustainable
Development Agencies with a view to influencing
priority targets for financial year 2006/2007 and
focus on Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
targets.
22

R E P O R T 2 0 0 5
Corporate
Affairs,
Marketing and
Communications
Corporate Affairs Marketing and Communications
(CAMC) Division, has primary responsibility for the
production of the organization’s publications; the
coordination of external and internal communication and
strategic planning; and the provision of administrative
services for the Board of Directors. The Division’s output
is achieved through the Publications and Communications
and Marketing Units.
The main focus of the Division in 2005 was the coordination
of the Institute’s 50th Anniversary celebrations,
and the dissemination of information to the Institute’s
stakeholders and the public. The Performance Based
Management System, one of the final outputs of the
Institute’s Modernization Project, was handed over to
Corporate Services Division for institutionalization and
management.
External Communication
50th Anniversary Activities
MRS. AVRIL KING – Director
“
Fifty years of providing planning
and policy advice to the Government
and people of Jamaica is, indeed, a
historic achievement.
”
Fifty years of providing planning and policy advice to the
Government and people of Jamaica is, indeed, a historic
achievement. The PIOJ is justly proud of this milestone
and so, one of the major focus of the organization during
the year was celebrating its historic 50th Anniversary
under the theme “Planning today . . . Securing tomorrow.”
A number of events were held, geared primarily
towards promoting greater visibility of the Institute and
raising the level of awareness of its role and functions. The
activities began in January with a Service of Thanksgiving
at the Webster Memorial United Church. The Director
General, stakeholders from the International Development
Partners, the Senate, and the PIOJ staff members
gave thanks to God for guiding the Institute on the journey
of 50 years. Over 200 persons, headed by the Minister
of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Honourable Omar
Davies, gathered at the Knutsford Court Hotel for the
launch of the 50th Anniversary activity on January 26,
2005. Primary, Secondary and Tertiary students were
invited to participate in an Essay Competition. In keep-
23

P I O J A N N U A L
ing with the overall objective, the topics were designed to
encourage research and broaden the knowledge base of
participants with respect to the PIOJ.
An Outside Broadcast was aired on Nationwide News
Network at the end of June, which afforded PIOJ an
opportunity to sensitize the public, regarding the role and
functions of the organization. Three radio infomercials
were also developed highlighting various aspects of the
Institute’s work, and these were used throughout the
month of July to buttress the outside broadcast.
The PIOJ partnered with the media through the hosting
of a Media Open House during which exchanges
highlighted the advantages and challenges inherent in the
interactions between media and Institute. This communication
served to improve the relations between the media
and the PIOJ.
The Institute used the occasion of its 50th Anniversary
to review the country’s economic and social development
planning system. Recognizing serious gaps in the country’s
planning system, the PIOJ sought to obtain consensus
from stakeholders regarding the preferred long-term
direction that ought to be pursued; how to integrate nonstate
actors into the system and ensure that the nation
benefits from an integrated system. A two-day Economic
and Social Development Planning Conference brought
together thinkers and practitioners to explore best practices
and new methodologies that had potential to
enhance the country’s planning system. The outcome of
the conference included recognition of the urgent need
for integrated planning to advance the sustainable development
of the country, as well as the need for a long-term
vision around which to build national consensus and ownership.
Other events during the year included a Speakers’
Bureau through which technical staff shared information
on topical issues with professional groups, schools and
service clubs. The PIOJ also commissioned a 50th
Anniversary Publication. This document, which outlines
the historical evolution of the Institute over 50 years, will
be completed during the first half of 2006. The 50th
Anniversary Banquet brought the year long celebrations
to a close. It was a glittering affair at which the organization’s
founders and outstanding leaders were honoured.
Web Site Redevelopment
Research, analysis and dissemination of data and socioeconomic
information are crucial functions of the
Planning Institute, and the use of the web site as a tool for
the dissemination of this information must be underscored.
In partnership with Corporate Services Division,
work on the redevelopment of the web site was advanced
with all preparatory redesign work being completed. It is
envisaged that implementation will take place during the
first half of 2006.
Press briefing
Press Briefings continued to be held every quarter in tandem
with the production of the Economic Update &
Outlook (EU&O). The briefings updated the media and
general public with information on the status of the country’s
macro economy.
Publications
The Institute’s main publications continued to be in high
demand and the Division met its target for the timely production
and distribution of the annual Economic and
Social Survey Jamaica 2004 (ESSJ 2004); the quarterly
Economic Update & Outlook (EU&O) and the Labour
Market Information Newsletter (LMIN). The EU&O was
also made available to a wider audience in read-only format
on the PIOJ’s website.
CAMC collaborated with other Divisions and stakeholders
to ensure the launch of some important publications
and reports. These included the ‘Millennium
Development Goals: A Latin American & Caribbean
Perspective’; ‘Profiles-the Jamaican Pre-School Child’;
‘the State of the World Population Report’; and ‘Women
in Prison – the Impact of Jamaican Women on
Themselves and their Families’.
24

R E P O R T 2 0 0 5
Efforts to promote the publications, thereby
raising the profile of the PIOJ, continued in
partnership with the Institute’s Documentation
Centre and public libraries. A series of islandwide
displays, which highlighted the publications
and history of the organization was
mounted in 10 major libraries. Displays were
also staged at schools in the corporate area.
These initiatives have resulted in increased
product awareness and an increase in sales of
publications.
Internal Communication
The mechanisms employed by the CAMC
Division to maintain communication within
the PIOJ are a Newsletter, ‘PIOJ Highlights’ and
the monthly Calendar of Events. Two
Newsletters were published during the year and
the Calendar of Events continue to highlight
activities being undertaken by the Divisions.
The Citizens’ Charter, which provides guidance
for both employees and the customers we serve,
was revised and the standards upgraded.
Customer satisfaction is of paramount importance,
hence customer service reports continue
to be completed every quarter. These reports
inform the Division about the level of customer
satisfaction, which continues to be high.
Avril King (right) Director, Corporate Affairs, Marketing & Communications,
PIOJ, discusses a point with Horace Levy (left), Lecturer in the Department of
Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the University of the West Indies,
before the start of a lecture conducted by PIOJ, as part of its Speakers’ Bureau.
Looking on is Easton Williams, PIOJ, Manager, Population Unit (Social Policy,
Planning & Research Division). The Speakers Bureau was one of the activities
staged by the Institute in celebration of its 50-year milestone.
Strategic Planning
A Management Retreat was held on October 9, 2005.
Some of the outcomes from this session were the:
• development of a Social Cohesiveness Strategy which
will be given priority and enhancement of child and
maternal nutrition will be pursued as a long-term
policy;
• Institute will lead the formulation of a national sugar
strategy; and
• development of an integrated planning model was
high on the list of initiatives to be undertaken.
Strategies for the realization of these were developed
by the organization and included in the Corporate/
Operational plans for 2006.
Support Services
CAMC provided on-going support to the other Divisions
through the production of complimentary slips, business
cards, cover designs for various documents and the production
of programmes. The Division also provided
administrative services to support the work of the Board
of Directors.
25

P I O J A N N U A L
Corporate
Services
The Corporate Services Division is mandated to ensure
the timely delivery of services to promote the sustainability
and enhancement of the human, financial,
information technology, physical and information
resources for the organization. These responsibilities are
undertaken by five units: Human Resources, Accounting,
Information Systems, the Documentation Centre and
Registry, and Office Services.
The year 2005 saw the implementation of the
Performance Based Management System (PBMS), PIOJ’s
preparation for the new Pension Act and Regulations,
training and implementation of a new financial management
information system, and systems aimed at the containment
of health insurance costs partly through of the
corporate wellness programme. The division also played
an integral role in acquiring a building which will house
the Institute’s corporate office.
The unfavourable weather conditions during the year
proved to be particularly challenging, however, the
Disaster Preparedness team was well equipped to respond
to the demands enabling resumption of work in a short
period of time.
The division focused on aspects of the Human
Resource Management Plan with an emphasis on:
1. Implementation of the Performance Based
Management System (PBMS)
MR. KIRK PHILIPS – Director
“
The year 2005 saw the implementation of
the Performance Based Management
System (PBMS), PIOJ’s preparation for the
new Pension Act and Regulations, training
and implementation of a new financial
management information system, and systems
aimed at the containment of health
insurance costs partly through of the
corporate wellness programme.
”
The Performance Management team managed the
implementation of the PBMS in collaboration with
the HR Unit. Targets were set by the employees and
evaluation conducted after six months. Performance
Appraisal will be done bi-annually.
2. Training and Development
Training evaluation was conducted to determine the
level of improvement in selected areas. Based on the
findings, there have been significant improvements in
closing the gaps in Information Technology, Performance
Management, Managing the Media, Presentation
Techniques, and Customer Service.
26

R E P O R T 2 0 0 5
Approximately 70 persons benefited from training in:
• CISCO Pix Firewall Advance (CPFA)
• Computable General Equilibrium (GCE) Model
• Consultation Code of Practice
• Customer Service Management
• Design and Management of Social Policy
• Industrial Development Policy and Restructuring
• Technical Writing
• Financial Programme and Policy,
• Financial Management Systems
3. Employee Assistance Programmes
• Corporate Wellness
There was continued sensitization of staff on various
aspects of health and wellness. Several communiqués
were issued via the Intranet, Notice Boards, and
posters which provided information on HIV/AIDS,
diabetes, heart disease and the importance of good
nutrition.
• Health Insurance
A new health insurance plan, SUPRA, was implemented
with Life of Jamaica. The new plan provides
increased benefits in several areas including drugs,
office visits, consultation, as well as optical and dental.
Financial objectives were met through the allocation of
PIOJ’s approved budget to the target areas. A new
Accounting Software was purchased and implementation
started. The audited financial statements were prepared
based on the new International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS).
A major area of focus was the implementation of new
IT systems and the continued upgrading of the IT infrastructure
for increased productivity. Continued support
to the public sector ICT implementation and coordination
was also achieved. Other major achievements were
the:
• completion of network audit which resulted in the network
infrastructure being upgraded to improve data
throughput and overall performance;
Sandra Ward (right), Manager Human Resource in the Corporate Services
Division raises her glass in a toast, during the Institute's 50th Anniversary
celebration held on May 23, 2005, as staff revel in the moment. May 23 is
the official Anniversary of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).
• continued upgrading of equipment through procurement
of a server for web services and computers to
replace obsolete equipment;
• completion of the Systems Requirements Specification
for the redesign of the Institute’s web site to incorporate
e-commerce capabilities;
• commencement of work on the development of an
Information Security Policy for the organization;
• provision of technical advice to IDB funded project –
the Citizens Security and Justice Programme, and
• representation on public sector committees development
of Web Standards, Data Standards, ICT Census
as well as the ICT Technical Working Group of the
ICT Sub-Committee of Cabinet
The Division focused on satisfying the information
needs of staff through the acquisition and provision of
current information. A total of 2 933 documents were
acquired. “Publication alerts” sent via the intranet continued
to be the most popular current awareness activity
of the unit. The quarterly New Additions to Stock was
another tool used to inform staff of new arrivals. Selective
dissemination of information whereby staff had new
information resources pertaining to their areas of work
delivered to them continued. Exhibitions to support activ-
27

P I O J A N N U A L
ities related to the work programme of the Institute was
mounted.
Telephone enquiries averaged 10 daily. Between 80.0
per cent and 90.0 per cent of queries received were satisfied
from information in the collection, and 5.0 per cent
were referred to other Libraries. There were 713 reference
queries and 3 426 loans. The number of new records
added to the bibliographic database was 821.
Two Abstracting/Indexing workshops were conducted.
Three Quarterly Committee of Librarians meetings were
held, and three issues of SECIN news published.
The Office Services Unit continued to contribute to
efficient management of the organization. An electronic
register, housing the database of all fixed assets was completed
and the Disaster Management Plan was finalized
and published.
Consulting Services Unit
Mr. Michael Ramsey (centre) Manager of the Consulting Services Unit in discussion
with (left-right) the Institute’s Manager Information Systems Unit,
Mrs. Janelle Cox, Mrs. Thelma White, Librarian/Cataloguer, Mrs. Sandra Ward,
Manager, Human Resource and Mr. Carl Hutchinson, Financial Manager.
PIOJ Consulting Services commenced operations in
March, 2005, in response to recommendations made
under the organization’s Modernization Plan. The
objective is to earn revenue for the PIOJ to supplement its
subvention from the Ministry of Finance and Planning
(MOFP). This is to be achieved by marketing the expertise
of the institution. An important consideration is that
the income-earning activities to be pursued should not
conflict with the mandate of the Institute.
Consultancy is offered in fore-sighting and forecasting
models, macro and socio-economic research, preparation
and evaluation of projects, surveys (in collaboration with
the Statistical Institute of Jamaica), workshops/seminars
on economic and trade issues, and information services.
One of the innovative services to private sector companies
is the use of demographics and Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) to inform potential locations
for new businesses. The target clientele of the Consulting
Services are government agencies, private sector companies
and civil society, primarily in Jamaica and the
Caribbean.
PIOJ Consulting Services is attached to the Director-
General’s Office, and is supported by a Steering Committee.
Contracts undertaken by the PIOJ Consulting
Services utilize PIOJ staff as the first option and external
consultants are contracted as required.
Main Achievements
The main achievements for the year were:
• preparation of a Business Plan;
• establishment of a Steering Committee; and
• preparation of three proposals with a total value of
J$13.5 million, in response to requests from potential
clients in Jamaica and the Caribbean region. Of these,
one was secured and another was reported by the client
to be in the final stage of approval. These two contracts
were secured at $5.9 million. In addition, two
new proposals valued at J$2.3 million were in an
advanced stage of preparation.
28

R E P O R T 2 0 0 5
COMPENSATION PACKAGE OF
SENIOR MANAGEMENT GROUP
JANUARY – DECEMBER 2005
Entry Post Basic Pay Motor Car Gratuity Special
or Upkeep
Allowance
Director General 3 922 663 M/C 1 150 355 c 1 489 606
(Contract)
Director, CS 2 588 958 341 220 647 240 b –
(Contract)
Director, ECM 2 588 958 341 220 – –
Director, EPRD 2 588 958 341 220 647 240 b –
(Contract)
Director, CAM&C 2 588 958 341 220 647 240 b –
(Contract)
Director, SPRPD 2 753 342 a 341 220 – –
Director, SDRPD 2 260 192 341 220 – –
Total number of persons in senior management group = 7
Contract Officers aligned to market rate
a. Includes Seniority Allowance
b. Gratuity payable at the end of the contract period
c. Gratuity payments calculated on basic pay
29

50th Anniversa
P I O J A N N U A L
“Planning Today . . .
Entertainment group Ashe Caribbean Ensemble, performs a lively number
at the launch of the PIOJ’s 50th Anniversary celebrations held January 26,
2005 at the Knutsford Court Hotel.
The PIOJ’s Chorale sings melodiously, at the Webster Memorial Church, on
February 26, 2005. The occasion was the Church service which marked the
50th anniversary of the PIOJ.
A cross-section of the PIOJ’s staff and Journalist at the Media Open House
held on June 15, 2005 at the Institute’s Training Room.
Mrs. Sheneico Allen Morgan, Library Assistant, hands out PIOJ’s brochures
to a group of students from the Wolmers Girls’ High School at one of
Institute’s island-wide displays, which was held from March 7–October 20,
2005.
30

R E P O R T 2 0 0 5
ry Highlights
Securing Tomorrow”
GIS analyst Nadine Jones, (right) from the Sustainable
Development & Regional Planning Division at the PIOJ,
addresses questions from Merl Grove High School students
during a Speakers Bureau, held November 11, 2005 at the School.
Leila Palmer (left), Director of External Cooperation Management Division
at the PIOJ, smiles brightly as she receives a special award for exemplary
service from PIOJ’s Director General, Dr. Wesley Hughes during the
Institute’s 50th Anniversary Banquet, held November 17, 2005 at the
Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
Dr. the Hon. Omar Davies, Minister of Finance and Planning,
addresses the audience at the Conference on Economic and
Social Development Planning, held November 23–24, 2005 at the
Jamaica Conference Centre. Listening intently is Dr. Wesley
Hughes, Director General of the PIOJ.
Winners of the PIOJ Essay Competition Awards Ceremony stand proudly
along with a few of the sponsors of the competition. Standing in front is
ten-year old Daveena Swearing (centre), first place winner in the primary
category from Seaview Gardens Primary and third place winner Geogea
Golding, from Hayes Primary & Junior High School. The Awards Ceremony
was held on December 17, 2005.
31

P I O J A N N U A L
MEMBERS OF
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DR. WESLEY HUGHES
Director General & Chairman
MS. ALISON ANDERSON
MR. COLIN BULLOCK
MS. LILYCLAIRE BELLAMY
MRS. PATRICIA FRANCIS
PROFESSOR EDWIN JONES
MRS. ANNETTE MCKENZIE
MS. DARLENE MORRISON
MR. COLIN STEELE
32

R E P O R T 2 0 0 5
PLANNING INSTITUTE OF JAMAICA
AUDITOR’S REPORT AND FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2005
(With Additional Information)
33