PIOJ Annual Report 2005 - Planning Institute of Jamaica

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.
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