VOLUME 5, ISSUE 4
OCTOBER 2012 – DECEMBER 2012
Vision 2030 Jamaica Champion Announces Departure...
P Inside this issue: Vision 2030 Jamaica
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Hot Topic ...Tracking Our Progress
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Guides Gender Policy
Vision 2030 Jamaica Essay Competition
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Vision 2030 Jamaica E-
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School Launches
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Dashboard of Indicators
Vision 2030 Jamaica Club
Community Renewal Programme
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Communication Interventions
8-9
Bite of the Quarter
10
What’s Happening
10
Next Steps Breaking News
10
DID YOU KNOW?
The National Vision Statement is:
“Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business”
IOJ Director General, Dr. Gladstone Hutchinson, recently announced his imminent departure from the PIOJ to return to his post as Professor at the Lafayette College, Pennsylvania, USA, in January 2013.
and International Development Partners— understood the import of that declaration; and developed new levels of partnership and collaboration with the PIOJ.
He worked tirelessly and aggressively, through the PIOJ, to During his two and a half year actualize the paradigm of stint at the helm of the PIOJ, holistic national growth and he was a strong advocate and development— a development champion of Vision 2030 that integrates the economic, Jamaica. He was to make this social, environmental and govobvious from his first meeting ernance aspects, rather than with the PIOJ staff and one based on just economic through his numerous public growth. He thus “earned the speeches, beginning with his reputation of a forceful but delivery of the 17th MIND effective arbiter on the entire Public Lecture in August 2010. gamut of national development Then he asserted: reform efforts”.
PIOJ Director General, Dr. Gladstone Hutchinson will demit office in mid January 2013, after leading the Institute for approximately two and a half years .
and ultimate vision of making “Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business”.
The Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat in quoting from the PIOJ Citation to Dr. Hutchinson, thanks you DG“...for inspiring I would also offer that Jamaica and His passion was ultimately to greater confidence in our Institution Jamaicans have no choice but to ag- give people, especially the vulgressively and credibly pursue Vision nerable, self-agency, or to em- and in the country which we serve. You have motivated us to put aside 2030 Jamaica, as it is not only the power them to be active particbest way forward for achieving our skepticism and release ourselves from ipants in their own developaspirations, it is the only way. a state of bounded imagination, reThere is no other way that makes ment, in order to improve signed preferences and rational myocredible sense or that breaks the cycle their individual well-being and pia, and to achieve our ‘conciliant’ of adversity and underdevelopment we that of their country. goals”. have endured for too long. Through his emphasis on Public Scholarship, and his “inclusive and participatory style” of leadership, he ensured that everyone — public sector, private sector, civil society; academia
Towards this end, he spearheaded the development of several initiatives, including the Growth Inducement Strategy and Community Renewal Programme, which are critical to the achievement of the goals
“We will always remember your wit, your warmth and your wisdom” and look forward to your continued championship of Vision 2030 Jamaica - National Development Plan.
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VISION 2030 JAMAICA UPDATE
Volume 5, Issue 4
Did You Know? - Vision 2030 Jamaica Guides Gender Policy ...
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ision 2030 Jamaica - National Development Plan acknowledges gender as a cross-cutting issue for all national development initiatives.
Jamaica was the first English-speaking country in the Caribbean to achieve universal adult suffrage in 1944 and grant women the right to be elected to Parliament. It was a process that many thought would bring an enlightened approach to democracy and governance as well as a robust starting point for gender equality.
Vision 2030 Jamaica and more specifically, the Gender Sector Plan provides the overarching framework for Jamaica’s achievement of gender equality. The primary goal of the Sector Plan is to see a society free of discrimination based on sex and other grounds; where all males and females at all stages of the life cycle can enjoy full human rights and develop their full potential as productive citizens. The National Policy for Gender Equality (NPGE) therefore, outlines the implementation of this Vision and communicates the strategies and tools that will be utilized in the quest for achieving gender equality, and allows for an integrated and coordinated gender mainstreaming approach to equality. The NPGE underlines the need to focus on empowerment strategies that age the Jamaican community to demonstrate an understanding of essen- recognize that development must tial linkages within sectors. involve the reduction of gender inequalities as an integral element For both plans, there is a recognition that the NPGE and Vision 2030 Jamaica of achieving equitable growth, and are essential planks for are people-centred and transformative Jamaica to become a developed and speak to enhancing the quality of country. The Vision is that both life of all Jamaicans. The long-term vision of both is to create a society that women and men will have equal treats each gender equally, regardless of access to socially valued goods and services and are empowered socioeconomic background, and proto share equally in and contribute vide equal opportunities for all in all to national development. spheres of human involvement. Most importantly, both aim to encour-
“The Vision is that both women and men will have equal access to socially valued goods and services and are empowered to share equally in and contribute to national development�
In March 2011, Cabinet approved the National Policy on Gender Equality (NPGE) which seeks to mainstream gender considerations into all activities undertaken by state institutions, nongovernment organizations and the private sector. This was done to ensure that females and males have equal access to opportunities and resources in order to eliminate discrimination and to promote sustainable human development.
Article submitted by: Mareeca Brown Gender Specialist Social Policy Planning and Research Division PIOJ
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Volume 5, Issue 4
VISION 2030 JAMAICA UPDATE
Tracking Our Progress
(As presented at the PIOJ Quarterly Press Briefing, November 20, 2012)
U
nder the Vision 2030
Jamaica - National Development Plan framework, key indicators of national well-being are examined under eight main areas— Health Status, Education Status, Labour Force Quality, Security Status, Justice Status, Economic Growth, Employment, and Environmental Stewardship Status — as shown in the diagram: National Dashboard of Indicators. In this issue, we present a summary report for the July 2012 to September 2012 quarter of performance on two of the main areas— Labour Force Quality and Security Status. An overview of performance shows improvement in both areas.
Labour Force Quality Under Labour Force Quality, as shown in the diagram: National Goal #1, 24.5 per cent of the total labour force had vocational or professional certification based on the quarterly labour force survey for July 2012. This represents an increase of 0.6 percentage point compared with 23.9 per cent with vocational
or professional certification in the July 2011 survey.
Security Status With respect to Major Crimes (murder, shooting, rape, carnal abuse/sexual intercourse against a male or female under the age of 16, robbery, break-ins and larceny), as indicated by the Diagram: National Goal #2, 276 major crimes per 100,000 population were committed over the period January to September 2012, a decline of 9.6 per cent from 305 per 100,000 population over the similar period in 2011. The murder rate for January to September 2012 was 31 per 100,000 population, up 1.1 per cent over the similar
period in 2011. These figures for the current year continue the overall downward trend in crime rates that began in June of 2010. Article Submitted by: R. Lumsden Programme Director Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat PIOJ
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Vision 2030 Jamaica Essay Competition ...
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VER 70 STUDENTS aged 10 to 19 years from primary and secondary schools across the island, took the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and opinions about Vision 2030 Jamaica, by entering the Vision 2030 Jamaica Essay Competition which was advertised in October. The competition was held as part of the strategy to create awareness and understanding of the Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan among the school population, which is critical to the successful achievement of Vision 2030 Jamaica. The competition also served as another means by which students could hone and exhibit their research and essay writing skills.
AUDIO BOOK NEARS COMPLETION…
Just pop the CD in — your car or other CD player; or download it to your MP3 player— and learn all you can about Jamaica’s first long -term national development plan that aims to transform your well-being and country over the next 17 years to 2030; as well as how you
Students were invited to enter in one of two categories: Category
I — for students aged 10 - 14 years Category II — for students aged 15 - 19 years Prizes include: an iPad 2, Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD and the Coby Tablet. The schools of the 1st prize winners will receive the Vision 2030 Jamaica Essay Competition Trophy. In late December, selections were made for first, second and third place entries in each category which best satisfied the Judges’ criteria. The competition was organized by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in collaboration with the Core Curriculum Unit, Ministry of Education.
can become an agent of change in this process. Key stakeholders at home and abroad will have this opportunity when the Vision 2030 Jamaica Popular Version Audio Book is completed in early February 2013. Described as a “labour of love” by Coral Crew-Noble, a member of the Jamaican Diaspora who is currently spearheading the production in collaboration with the Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat, PIOJ, the audio book is being narrated by Jamaicans (including some well-known voices) from home and in the Diaspora. To help get the message across in a light-hearted and entertaining way, the audio book includes snippets of information called “Culture Bytes” that are conveyed through popular Jamaican folk and popular tunes created specifically for the Vision 2030 Jamaica Popular Version by PIOJ member of staff, Mrs.
Collette Robinson. Member of the Jamaican Diaspora, Ms. Coral Crew-Noble (left), in discussion with Sound Technician, Paul Davidson, at the Creative Sounds Ltd. Studios in Kingston.
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VISION 2030 JAMAICA UPDATE
Creating a Vision 2030 Jamaica E-Dashboard of Indicators ...
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takeholders in Jamaica and abroad, will soon be able to access information on the progress of Vision 2030 Jamaica at the click of a button. That’s because the Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat in collaboration with the JamStats Unit, DevInfo Support Group and a specially formed Dashboard Oversight Committee, is in the process of developing a dedicated link to the Vision 2030 Jamaica website. This will provide an interactive graphical dashboard on the Internet, communicating how Jamaica is progressing towards developed country status by the year 2030.
interface, users, including those from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), the international development community, the general populace and the world at large, will have direct access to relevant information, at a glance, on the performance of Vision 2030 Jamaica indicators. They will also have the opportunity to be more involved in monitoring the country’s development progress.
What is a Dashboard? A dashboard provides a snapshot of the performance of an objective, and thereby is a useful mechanism for identifying targets not being met and areas which require immediate intervention.
The DevInfo-powered data dashboard will display key indicators based on data contained in JamStats.
To date, over 40 indicators have been identified to be displayed on the dashboard, and some of the Currently, data related to the progress of Vision 2030 Jamaica is acces- expected features are as follows: sible on the JamStats website, and in Graphical presentations for each quarterly reports produced by the indicator in the form of line and Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat. bar graphs Traffic signals to highlight whethPart of the difficulty with accessing er progress is being made on a data by these media is that many perparticular indicator sons either do not know how to use the technology or do not wish to read through quarterly reports for the information they require.
Information on the definition of the indicators
Presentation of strategies towards achieving each national outcome
An interactive mock-up of the Dash-
board has so far been created and the final product is scheduled for completion and launch in the first quarter of 2013.
Kirk Chambers, Research Assistant at the PIOJ, and a Technical Advisor for the project, points out that with the creation of the new dashboard DID YOU KNOW? DevInfo is a powerful database system, developed by UNICEF in cooperation with the UN System, to compile and disseminate data on human development. JamStats is a database that captures information on some of Jamaica’s most critical social and economic indicators. A DevInfo adaptation, it was developed by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) in partnership with the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), with support from UNICEF Jamaica.
Dashboard Oversight Committee (r) from PIOJ and UNICEF, and Mr. John Toner (l), DevInfo Aid Effectiveness and Development Technical Advisor, N.Y., discuss development of the Dashboard.
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School Launches Vision 2030 Jamaica Extra-Curricular Club
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ideon Educational Centre (GEC) launched Jamaica's first schoolbased Vision 2030 Jamaica Club (V2030Ja) on Friday October 12, 2012.
Pupils at Gideon Education Centre, Buff Bay, Portland, during the launch of the Vision 2030 Jamaica Club, Friday, October 12, 2012.
6. Can you recite the Four Goals and explain them? 7. What can you do and what can we do to make the Four Goals happen as soon as possible?
Principal of the GEC, Mr. Michael Aiken, is “convinced that through the Club, students and teachers at that learning institution are well on their way to embracing Vision 2030 Jamaica. " Students are each given a Popular Version of the National Development Plan As Mr. Aiken explained, V2030Ja is an and songs such as The National Anintra-curricular club, based on our them, “I am a Promise”, “Jamaica ToNational Development Plan. Intragether We Can” & “We’ve Got to curricular means that the club meets Come Together”, are used to reinforce during class time. “Meetings” are 15 and excite their learning. minutes for K1 to K3 (Kindergarten) members and 30 minutes for G1 to G6 At the Launch, Grade 5 presented a (Grades 1-6) members. Vision 2030 Jamaica skit on the Four Goals. Club members learn, celebrate and work toward our four National Goals and discuss what it takes to make “Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business”! Students begin by discussing and acting out questions such as: 1. What is a Vision? 2. What is your “Vision” for yourself when you grow up? 3. What would make your classroom the best classroom in the school, in Portland & in Jamaica? (Individual responsibility and collaborative activity is “drawn out” by the Adult Club Leader). 4. What would make Gideon Educational Centre the place of choice for all children in our community? 5. What is your Vision of Jamaica when you are an adult?
Vision 2030 Jamaica Programme Director, Mr. Richard Lumsden (2nd left), participates in a Panel Discussion at the launch.
Mr. Aiken further revealed that the Club was piloted for six weeks previous to the Launch to see how the children would respond to the content of the Popular Version. The V2030Ja Club is part of CARE — Creating and Reinforcing an Environment of Excellence— a package of programmes at GEC that “provide an esteem-building environment for students who show signs of physical, verbal, sexual and emotional abuse. It is our way to ensure that even when family fails, school does not”. “Our school partners with parents, community members and organisations in providing the best possible learning experience for our precious children," Mr. Aiken states.
The pupils also performed drama pieces, songs and dances and offered greetings to the partners in attendance, including representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Planning Institute of Jamaica, parents, community residents Gideon Educational Centre is located in Kildare, and other stakeholders. Buff Bay, Portland
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Community Renewal Programme (CRP) Seaview Gardens Majesty Gardens, Community on a Mission Charette
Member of Parliament, the Hon. Anthony Hyton, speaking with residents of Seaview Gardens during the consultation. Seated next to him is Dr. Gladstone Hutchinson, Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) which houses the Secretariat of the CRP.
On October 7, 2012, the Community Renewal Programme (CRP) in conjunction with the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) held a consultative session called a “Charette” with residents of the community of Seaview Gardens.
Dubbed “Together We Build”, the sports extravaganza and talent showcase which the community of Majesty Gardens held on Thursday, November 24, 2012, was the first event of its kind for the community. The event was an attempt by the newly constituted Majesty Gardens Community Development Committee (CDC) and all the community based organizations to help bring together all persons living in the community, as part of their unification process, as well as mark Jamaica’s 50th year of existence.
The day’s event commenced with a parade by the Seaview All Star Marching Band and was filled with sporting tournaments — basketball, netball and football (5-a-side)— organized by The Charette was an opportunity to discuss with residents, the Majesty Gardens New Creations Youth Club and the basthe proposal for the establishment of a commercial lifestyle ketball and football teams. A Domino competition was centre in the community and to solicit their input. The centre hosted by the National Dominoes Association of Jamaica for will cluster economic and cultural activities at a central hub, the men and face painting along with bounce a-bout and through a model that promotes and fosters employment and merry-go-round rides for the children. entrepreneurship, convenience of access to state services and to generally advance the quality of life and experiences of A community awards ceremony recognizing the contribution community residents. of persons who live in and out of the community, culmiThe event was nated the day’s event. well attended and the idea received overwhelming support. Residents also made recommendations on the type of enterprises they would like to see included in the centre. These were documented and will be used to inform a feasibility study which will be conducted to better quantify the viability of the proposed initiative.
Charettes are consultative sessions often used in urban planning, where developers consult with stakeholders on ideas to be included in the design and development of a solution to a design problem.
The programme was designed with support from the Community Renewal Programme (CRP) and the Citizens Security and Justice Programme (CSJP). Like many other inner-city communities in Jamaica, Majesty Gardens was divided by an invisible line that segmented the community into “Top” and “Bottom” for over 20 years. Residents on either side of the divide crossed at their own risk to visit loved ones from either section. However, through the intervention of the Peace Management Initiative (PMI) supported by the National Housing Trust and the Jamaica Constabulary Force, stability has been restored within the community. Articles submitted by: Sherrian Gray & Stacey Guyah Community Renewal Secretariat PIOJ
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Communication Interventions ... 3RD ANNUAL ST. ANN SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AWARDS CEREMONY 2012 Friday, November 30, 2012
Vision 2030 Jamaica Ambassador’s Pledge
Above left: St. Ann Vision 2030 Jamaica Ambassadors being pinned with their Vision 2030 Jamaica badge by Mr. Richard Lumsden; and at right: they affirm the Vision 2030 Jamaica Ambassadors of St. Ann Pledge which they created. The St. Ann Spirit of Community Awards was held on Friday, November 30, 2012 at the Cardiff Hotel & Spa, Runaway Bay, St. Ann. Coordinated by the Social Development Commission (SDC), the Spirit of Community Awards, now in its third year, is aimed at honouring volunteers, community-based organizations and other stakeholders for outstanding service to others in their communities and parish, in keeping with the national development goals and vision.
CIVIL SERVICE EXPO Tuesday November 20, 2012 Emancipation Park
The PIOJ, Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat joined stakeholders in government and civil society in observing Civil Service Week, at the Civil Service Expo on Friday, November 20, 2012. This proved to be a good opportunity for members of the public to gather information and learn more about Vision 2030 Jamaica.
We the ambassadors of Vision 2030 Jamaica, promise to work with community stakeholders to empower citizens to stimulate economic development, enhance the safety and security of our communities, protect the environment and represent our communities in all efforts towards making St. Ann and by extension Jamaica, “the place of choice to live, work, raise families and do business”.
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Communication Interventions (cont’d)… SDC COMMUNITY MONTH LECTURE & EXPO Wednesday November 7, 2012 Porus, Manchester
Above: Students and other attendees visit the Vision 2030 Jamaica booth, and at right: watch the Vision 2030 Jamaica Information video during the SDC Community Month Lecture & Expo on Wednesday, November 7, 2012, at the Porus Community Centre, Manchester. To whip up students’ enthusiasm, team members of the Vision 2030 Jamaica Secretariat (left), set the stage, then join with students from Mile Gully High School, Manchester, in singing a Culture Byte from the Vision 2030 Jamaica Popular Version. SDC COMMUNITY MONTH REGISTRATION & OPPORTUNITY FAIR Thursday, November 29, 2012 Spanish Town, St. Catherine
The Vision 2030 Jamaica booth mounted at the SDC Community Month Registration & Opportunity Fair in Spanish Town on Thursday November 29, 2012, attracted much attention as everyone was eager to learn more about the Plan and what it meant for them. Top, left & right: Persons collect information material Bottom, left & right: A young girl displays her prizes after correctly testing her knowledge about Vision 2030 Jamaica by spinning the “Knowledge wheel”, while the adults at right get ready to find out how much they know.
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VISION 2030 JAMAICA UPDATE
NEXT STEPS
Bite of the Quarter
Thematic Working Group Meetings Ongoing presentations to key stakeholders on Vision 2030 Jamaica
With the conviction of age and the unwavering belief in the creative potential of the Jamaican people, I urge you as Parliamentarians to exercise your legislative powers to drive, superintend and ensure the timely execution of Vision 2030, as the method and pathway to achieve the status of a developed country within two decades from now.
Finalizing 1st Draft of MTF, 2012 - 2015
Anchored in sound scholarship, fueled by meaningful consultations with Jamaicans at home and abroad, Vision 2030 provides the best trajectory for self-sustaining growth and the optimum development of our human, social and physical resources. Once we work together, there is nothing we cannot achieve.
Salute the Journey … Embrace the Vision Response to Tributes by the Most Hon P. J. Patterson, ON, OCC, PC, QC at the Joint Session of Parliament, Gordon House, Tuesday, November 13, 2012.
Breaking News!! What’s Happening EVENTS TWG Meetings
Vision 2030 Jamaica Essay Competition Awards Ceremony
Population
Vision 2030 Jamaica Information Video now available!
Thursday, January 17, 2013 Venue: Planning Institute of Jamaica 16 Oxford Rd., Kingston 5 Wednesday, January 30, 2013 Venue: Planning Institute of Jamaica
Vision 2030 Jamaica Schools’ Essay Competition winners chosen Visit our website for details!
DATE
MTF 2012-2015 Draft Review Workshop
February 2013 To Be Decided
The Development Gap Task Force for Sustainability Healthy Lifestyle Fair
February 2, 2013 Brooks Park, Mandeville Manchester
Vision 2030 Jamaica Update is produced by : The Plan Development Unit Planning Institute of Jamaica Design & Layout: Carmen V. Miller
St. Elizabeth 4-H Club Parish Achievement Day & Exposition
Thursday, March 14, 2013 Venue: Lacovia High School St. Elizabeth
For more information Contact us at: Planning Institute of Jamaica 16 Oxford Road, Kingston 5 Tel: 935-5150; 960-9339; 906-4471/2 Email: ndp@pioj.gov.jm Website:www.vision2030.gov.jm Facebook.com/vision2030.ja