Reform in Focus PAGE 3

Update on the Reform PAGE 12

CA$20M for Regional Institutions Review PAGE 17

This year, each specialist will be focused on completing projects and initiatives that are key to bringing the Reform Process to completion.

Key 2019 Initiatives - the Market Survey and Job Alignment, the Accountability Framework and the Functional Structure should be completed in the first quarter.

BPR

Work continues in RMTA, HRM, the Communications Unit and in the technical units, which commenced in September 2019.

The focus in 2020 will be launching the Project Management Office (PMO). So far, the core functions have been identified, the processes mapped, and areas of improvement have been identified. The next stage for the PMO includes the approval of the TORs, which have been drafted in a joint effort by PMO and the Change Management Office (CMO). The PMO has also completed its draft project management methodology. Consultations on this scheduled. Agreement must be reached on the projects to test the new project management methodology. Meanwhile, BPR in the technical units started in TEI, followed by OTN and HSD. The next Directorate to get started will be

WHAT’S IN STORE FOR REFORM IN 2020

FCR, followed by Legal. Once all the Directorates get going, OSG, ODSG, Conference Services, and the Documentation Centre and Registry will commence.

PEOPLE

Work on the Capability Model continues into 2020. The Capability Model is a framework to guide Secretariat employees on the knowledge and skills they need in a results-focused organisational culture. The first draft is completed and very shortly the CMO will start consultations across the organisation.

Another body of work within the People quadrant is the Job Evaluation Tool. Job evaluation is the consistent, logical and equitable analysis and measurement of job functions through identifiable compensable factors of each job. Other work that is being undertaken in this quadrant during 2020 are job description templates, the Leading Change Workshop and Job Families Implementation.

GOVERNANCE

Under this quadrant the Governance Specialist will be focusing on the Review of a number of Organs and Bodies, namely CARICOM Committee of Ambassadors, Community Council and COTED.

The Executive and Senior Management Committees will also be reviewed during the course of the year, and finally the Review of the Regional Institutions, which is a huge project, and will also commence this year.

CANADA FUNDS REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS REVIEW

The Government of Canada has awarded the Secretariat CA$20 million to fund an independent review of the CARICOM Regional institutions.

The project, which will be managed by the Change Management O ffice, will be governed by a Project Steering Committee, comprising representativesfromthe Secretariat, Member States, relevant regional agencies, development partner agencies and the project sponsor. The PSC will oversee the project’s strategy, review progress, provide technical guidance and approve annual work plans.

In addition, Canada will provide an Organisational Development (OD) Specialist to assist with the development of the project plan and the TORs for the consultant.

Liza Bynoe, Head - Change Management Office stated that “the project is an ambitious undertaking and one that was being explored for several years.

“The Conference o f Heads of Government mandated this project over seven years ago. There were several attempts to find funding, and finally through tremendous effort, including having the President of the Bureau write the Government of Canada, we have been successful,” she said.

The review will assess the degree to which each institution has evolved, offer unique services, and complement efforts to achieve regional integration. The project, which will be conducted over an 18-month period, provides an independent, objective (fact-based) assessment of the Regional Institutions and allows each organisation to provide a self-assessment.

It is expected that the Review will engage representatives from the technical directorates once the OD Specialist begins his/her work.

In addition, the review will identify the modus operandi of each Institution, its oversight and governance arrangements. It will also make recommendations for the standardisation of governance arrangements and broad policies and procedures, make recommendations to strengthen the Community’s ability to monitor and guide the programme priorities and performance of the Institutions, and finally make recommendations to strengthen the capacity of the Institutions to support the Community’s ability to take decisions, develop and implement mandates.

Recommendations will address mandates from Heads of Government with respect to the Institutions e.g. enhanced oversight by Community Council. Questions to be answered include: Is there scope for greater functional cooperation?

The Project Management team will comprise Radha Permanand, Project Coordinator, Winston Richards, Accounts Officer and a Project Assistant. The Project Coordinator and the Project Assistant will coordinate, guide and direct all activities of the project to ensure that the project’s objectives and results are achieved within the timeframe and in accordance with the established rules and procedures of CARICOM and Global Affairs Canada.