PIOJ Annual Report 2005 - Planning Institute of Jamaica

P I O J A N N U A L
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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