VOLUME 4, ISSUE 4
St. Ann Sets Pace for Achieving Vision 2030 Jamaica
Inside this issue: New MTF Preparation Underway
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Hot Topic - Vision 2030 Jamaica - Dashboard of Indicators
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Meetings & Presentations
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TWGs in Action
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St. Ann Communities Cop Vision 2030 Jamaica Awards
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Conversations for Transformation
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Recent Significant Events
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Bite of the Quarter
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What’s Happening
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Next Steps Breaking News
OCTOBER 2011 – DECEMBER 2011
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DID YOU KNOW?
The National Vision Statement for Jamaica is:
“Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business”
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HE PARISH OF ST. ANN is setting the pace for implementing Vision 2030 Jamaica, from the bottom up, through the recently launched St. Ann Inter-Agency Network for Transforming Social Services (SAINTSS). The brainchild of the St. Ann Social Development Commission (SDC), headed by Parish Manager, Richardo Aitken, SAINTSS is the collaboration of the efforts of key agencies and organizations in St. Ann to ensure Mr. Richardo Aitken, SDC Parish Manager, St. Ann the effective delivery of social services in the and Chairman of SAINTSS speaking at the Launch parish. of SAINTSS , at the Cardiff Hotel, Runaway Bay, “... we hold the concept of Vision 2030 dearly, so what we are trying to do as agencies is to see how we can be actively engaged in the communities in transforming our local space, St. Ann, which will in turn make Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business”, states Mr Aitken who is also Chairman of SAINTSS.
St. Ann, November 16, 2011.
National Goals of Vision 2030 Jamaica, these initiatives focus on ensuring that: the citizens of St. Ann are empowered to achieve their fullest potential; St. Ann is secure, cohesive and just; St. Ann’s economy is prosperous; and The network supports, encourages and cooper- St. Ann has a healthy natural environment. ates with relevant inter-agency initiatives, and encourages the establishment of thematic sub- To date, SAINTSS has over 22 different memgroups relevant to its work among the 55 com- ber organizations including: the National Youth munities of St. Ann. In keeping with the Service; National Centre for Youth Development; HEART Trust NTA; National AIDS Committee; Child Development Agency; St. Ann Health Department; St. Ann Fire Department; and the Jamaica 4-H Club.
Social Sector Specialist, Vision 2030 Jamaica, Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), Mr Charles Clayton, brings greetings at the Launch of SAINTSS while a section of the audience (r) listens attentively.
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VISION 2030 JAMAICA UPDATE
Volume 4, Issue 4
MTF 2012-2015 Preparation Underway
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he Planning Institute of Jamaica, in its capacity as National Focal Point for Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan, through the internal MTF Planning Committee comprising Senior Technical Directors and chaired by the Deputy Director General, is currently coordinating the preparation of the second Medium Term SocioEconomic Policy Framework (MTF) document, MTF 2012-2015. The Committee will provide strategic guidance and overall direction to the preparation process and will guide implementation of the priority areas necessary for achieving the goals and outcomes under Vision 2030 Jamaica, over the period 20122015. A new MTF is being prepared because:
iv) it gives Government and its stakeholders Phase III – Jamaica Country the opportunity to address emerging issues Assessment: and challenges in continuing existing policies and programmes, and in setting out - to provide overview and analysis of the development situation in the new ones that will be followed over the mecountry based on Vision 2030 dium term in pursuit of the goals and outJamaica - National Development Plan; comes of Vision 2030 Jamaica . The MTF preparation process comprises the following five phases: Phase I – Preparation Phase II – External Review of MTF 2009 - 2012 Phase III – Country Assessment Phase IV – Strategic Prioritisation Phase V – Finalisation of MTF 20122013 to 2014-2015
- to identify new development issues and challenges in the political, social, environmental and economic spheres; - to provide justification and relevance to ensure that the new medium term priorities are aligned with the country’s most urgent needs and initiatives. The main output during this phase — The Jamaica Country Assessment Report.
Phase IV – Strategic Prioritisation: i) March 2012 marks the end of the three Phase I - Preparation involved: - involves a series of intense consulyear cycle for MTF 2009-2012; - establishment of a coordination tations with critical stakeholders to mechanism to oversee the preparaii) several new global and domestic developagree on a set of national and tion process; ments of significant implications for the sectoral priorities (linked to the key country and the current MTF have taken - Environmental Scanning Workshop development issues and challenges place, warranting a revision; identified in the Jamaica Country held in September 2011 to assess Assessment) to be addressed over the global environment and arrive iii) the preparation exercise will enable the the three-year period; at understanding of key internaGovernment and other stakeholders to retional trends, challenges and opporview the level of progress in the attainment tunities that may impact the country - articulation of priority strategies to of MTF priorities; and the Plan. achieve key results over the period. over the next three years; DID YOU KNOW? - selection and sensitization of key The main outputs — (i) National Strategic Prioritisation Workshops The Medium Term Socio-Economic stakeholders about plans for the (ii) MTF 2012 – 2015 Results Policy Framework (MTF) is the main preparation and to garner their supFramework (prioritised) and (iii) mechanism for translating the long-term port for the MTF. Financing Plan. national goals and outcomes of Vision 2030 Jamaica into action. Vision 2030 Jamaica will Phase II – External Phase V – Finalisation of MTF be implemented through a series of seven Review of MTF 2009 consecutive 3-yearly MTFs from fiscal year 2012-2013 to 2014-2015: 2012 is being undertak2009-2010 to fiscal year 2029/2030. The en to: first in the series is MTF 2009-2012. The - Involves preparation of final MTF next in the series will be MTF 2012 – 2015. 2012-2015 along with required doc- to determine effectiveuments for submission to Cabinet ness of MTF 2009-2012 in achievAs a fundamental component of the by the MTF Planning Committee. national planning framework, the MTF ing the national vision, goals and outlines a prioritized package of policies, strategies and programmes aligned to the budget at the macro level that will be implemented primarily by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
outcomes of Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan;
- prepare MTF 2009-2012 Review Report.
Contributed by: Plan Review Consultant, Mrs. Curline Beckford
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VISION 2030 JAMAICA UPDATE
Volume 4, Issue 4
Measuring our progress under Vision 2030 Jamaica
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n this page and the next, we present the Dashboard of selected Indicators of National Well-being, as presented at the PIOJ Quarterly Press Briefing on November 23, 2011. For the first time, we have included in Vision 2030 Jamaica Update, indicators for Goal # 3 over the review period. The National Dashboard of Indicators are being used to track our country’s progress during the period to 2030, based on areas critical to our achievement of the four National Goals.
Under the Vision 2030 Jamaica - National Development Plan framework, key indicators were examined for this quarterly press briefing under three main reporting areas—Labour Force Quality, Security Status, and Environmental Stewardship Status. For the Economic Sector, we focussed on growth and employment.
ted over the period January to September 2011, a decline of 9.9 per cent from 307 per 100,000 population over the comparable period in 2010. The murder rate from January to September 2011 was 30 per 100,000 population, down 26.4 per cent from 40 per 100,000 population over the comparable period in 2010.
Labour Force Quality (Goal #1) continues to improve, with an average of 23.9 per cent of the total labour force having vocational or professional certifica- These figures for the year to date continue the downtion based on the quarterly labour force survey for July ward trend in crime rates that began in June of last year. However, there was an upturn in the number of mur2011, up from 21.3 per cent in the July 2010 survey. ders in the most recent quarter from July to September 2011.
With respect to Major Crimes (murder, shooting, rape, carnal abuse, robbery, break-ins and larceny), (Goal # 2) 277 major crimes per 100,000 population were commit-
More on p4
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Volume 4, Issue 4
Cont’d) from Page 3 Finally, under Environmental Stewardship Status (Goal # 4), we look at the health of our forest cover and system of protected areas. The total land area covered by forest in Jamaica fell from 332,000 hectares in 1998 to an estimated 328,600 hectares in 2010, an estimated decline of 1.0 per cent in forest cover over twelve years. Meanwhile the number of land and marine protected areas increased from 230 in 2006 to 243 in 2010, due to an increase primarily in the number of fish sanctuaries during the period. This review of Environmental Stewardship Status preceded the launch in December 2011 of Jamaica’s State of the Environment Report 2010 prepared by the National Environment and The Jamaican economy (Goal # 3) recorded an esti- Planning Agency. mated real growth of 1.4 per cent in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the period January - September 2011, as compared to negative 1.7 per cent over the similar period in 2010. This positive growth represents three consecutive quarters of growth in the economy in 2011, following the prolonged recession between 2008 and 2010. Looking at the latest employment data, the Labour Force Survey undertaken by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), indicated that the unemployment rate as at July 2011 was 12.3 per cent. This was 0.7 percentage point higher than in July 2010.
Meetings and Presentations Presentations
to incoming trainees of HEART Trust NTA sponsored Operation Friendship: A motivational presentation that included information on Vision 2030 Jamaica was made to new students of the Heart Trust sponsored Operation Friendship training institution. The students were made aware of the goals of Vision 2030 Jamaica and
possible roles that they could play in Unit’s (PSTU) thrust to build awaretheir achievement. ness of the Public Sector Transformation process and its plans to date. Presentation to Public Sector workers in St. Thomas and Labour Market Forum: Portland: A presentation on the Vision 2030 Presentations were made to public Jamaica and its implications for the sector workers in St. Thomas Labour Market was made at the (November 15, 2011) and in Port- Annual Labour Market Forum hostland (November 22, 2011) respec- ed by the PIOJ on December 1, tively, on Vision 2030 Jamaica. The 2011. The theme of the Workshop presentations were delivered as part was “The Future of Work”. of the Public Sector Transformation
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Volume 4, Issue 4
Thematic Working Groups in Action... the state of the environment, but recognizes the important role of business enterprises, NGOs and others ver the period, the Environment and Planning in environmental protection and conservation. Thematic Working Group continued to provide CEO of NEPA and Chair of the Thematic Working guidance and support to NEPA, in the preparation of Group, Peter Knight, says ‘improving the current state Jamaica’s State of the Environment Report 2010, in terms of of the Jamaican environment is the responsibility of all the structure of the report as well as inputs (including Jamaicans and is to be led by the State in active collabodata) and comments on the various drafts. ration with civil society, the private The Report which prosector and the citizenry. The many vides an overview of complexities and unique features of the current state and the Jamaican environment require a quality of the country’s focus on strategies that can be utinatural heritage is a lized to ensure that the country’s tool to help in the susdevelopmental objectives are comtainable management patible with the natural environment of Jamaica’s natural and in keeping with the tenets of and physical environsustainable development”. ment in support of achieving Goal 4: “Jamaica has a The complete Jamaica’s State of the Environment Report Healthy Natural Environment” as set out in Vision 2030 2010 may be viewed directly at: www.nepa.gov.jm or via Jamaica – National Development Plan. This will be accomwww.vision2030.gov.jm plished by pursuing the national strategies contained primarily in National Outcome 13: “Sustainable ManPopulation agement and Use of Environmental and Natural Resources”; National Outcome 14: “Hazard Risk Reduc- A Population Thematic Working Group meeting was tion and Adaptation to Climate Change”; and National held on October Outcome 15: “Sustainable Urban and Rural Develop- 19, 2011. Discusment”. sions focussed mainly on the roles The report presents primarily the Government of and responsibilJamaica’s response to the observations made of the ities of TWG memeffects of bers under the stresses on Action Framework of the Population Plan, which outthe envi- lines the activities, roles and responsibilities of impleronment menting agencies under the Population Sector Plan of and the Vision 2030 Jamaica. consequent A second meeting to further the work started in measures October, was held on November 10, 2011. Additional undertaken work is to be done in this area by the group. to improve
Environment and Planning
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VISION 2030 JAMAICA UPDATE
Volume 4, Issue 4
Community Groups Cop Top Performers’ Awards ...
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our community groups earned the 2011 Top
Performers Award in the St. Ann Spirit of Community Awards 2011, when they copped the “Empowerment Award”; “Security & Safety Award”; “Economic Development Award”; and the “Environmental Award”, respectively, in keeping with the four National Goals of Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan. The event was held November 25, 2011 at the Cardiff Hotel, Runaway Bay, St. Ann, under the theme “Empower to Transform”. It was coordinated by the Social Development Commission (SDC) in partnership with the Jamaica National Building Society, Noranda Bauxite Partners, Cardiff Hotel (formerly Runaway Bay HEART Hotel), and the St. Ann Inter-Agency Network for the Transformation of Social Services (SAINTSS). Groups winning the Top Performers’ Awards were:
Noranda Bauxite Community Empowerment Award
Council
Steer Town CDC – Security & Safety Award
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Nine Miles United Development Association – Environment Award
Programme Director, Vision 2030 Jamaica, Mr. Richard Lumsden, bringing greetings at the St. Ann Spirit of Community Awards 2011, at the Cardiff Hotel, Runaway Bay, St. Ann, November 25, 2011.
Vision 2030 Jamaica.
The main aim of the St. Ann Spirit of Community Awards is to demonstrate that local governance structures are the real agents of change in the community and are Runaway Bay CDC critical for achieving community, parish and national visions. – Economic Award. Twenty-two groups received awards in the 2011 event which focused on awarding communitybased organizations which contributed towards achieving their community's vision. They were selected based on the assessment scores of these organizations facilitated Vision 2030 Jamaica Communi- by the SDC and the use cation Specialist Ms. Carmen V. of data to inform local Miller (l) presents the Empowerplanning and project ment Award to a representative of implementation, towards the Noranda Bauxite Community the four national goals of Council.
Other award categories were the: 2011 Community Service Award; 2011 SAINTSS Recognition Programme Award; and 2011 Helping Hands Award.
Members of the Marcus Garvey Band performing a cultural item at the St. Ann Spirit of Community Awards 2011.
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Volume 4, Issue 4
Conversations for Transformation ...
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NEW CIVIL SOCIETY/PRIVATE SECTOR GROUP, Conversations for Transformation, headed by Team Leaders, Donna Duncan-Scott and Beverley Manley is, through forging partnerships with the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and other key agencies already involved in promoting core and transformational values, taking positive action to assist specifically in the implementation of Outcome # 4: Authentic & Transformational Culture, under Goal #1 of Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan. The group which identified the “gap between the culture we desire and what we have right now” as the problem they’ve set out to solve and as such their raison d'etre, is on a mission, through a proposed project entitled, Movement for Authentic Conversations: “To foster in all Jamaicans a mindset and identity that lead to authentic and transformational behaviours and practices creating the future we desire.” They “will accomplish this by building awareness and competence in individuals and groups to stand for their own greatness and that of others”. Among the specific goals are: 1. Facilitating a national conversation about Outcome #4 of Vision 2030 Jamaica:
who we are, what are our deepest values;
the ways of thinking (mindset), ways of being, and conversing and acting that work to realize Vision 2030 Jamaica, and those that don’t.
Members of the Conversations for Transformation Group (left of table) during their first round of conversations with the PIOJ, at the PIOJ office, 16 Oxford Rd. Kingston 5, on Thursday, December 22, 2011. Members (l to r): Ms Dawn Williams; Ms Jenny Jones (partly hidden); Mrs Brigette McDonald-Levy; and Mrs Donna Duncan-Scott. (Absent is Mrs Beverley Manley.) PIOJ team: Led by Mr Richard Lumsden, Programme Director, Vision 2030 Jamaica (centre); Ms Antoinette Richards, Manager (Actg.), Community Renewal Programme (r); and Mr Charles Clayton, Social Sector Specialist, Vision 2030 Jamaica. Missing from photo is Ms Carmen V. Miller, Communication Specialist, Vision 2030 Jamaica.
2. Providing opportunities for Jamaicans (individuals, organizations and communities):
for training in the knowledge, attitudes and practices needed to operationalize the core values; to share best practices and lessons learned.
In its efforts to operationalize its activities, Conversations for Transformation Group is now working with the PIOJ to develop strategies for engaging other relevant stakeholders towards formulation of interventions for achieving the targeted Outcome and Goal of Vision 2030 Jamaica.
...Some behaviours work in the short term, “samfie”, “beat the system” etc. however, in the long term, they serve to undermine social systems and give us the society that we have … We therefore need to create an enabling environment that underpins and sets the stage for Vision 2030 [Jamaica] by identifying ways of thinking and behaviours that work and those that don't work. (Conversations for Transformation Project Doc.)
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Recent Significant Events... October Vision 2030 Jamaica Workshop for Senior Education Officers (SEOs) Regions 3,4 & 5 St. Hilda’s High School Auditorium Brown’s Town, St. Ann October 7, 2011 Open discussion session
Group presentation
Discussing strategies
Break-out group discussions
November, 2011 S D C T W E N T Y 2 0 Vision 2030 Jamaica Programme Director, Mr. Richard Lumsden (l) presents one of the “Most Visionary Cricket Team” Award to a representative of the Old Harbour Cricket Club team at the SDC Twenty20 Cricket Awards Ceremony, at the Knutsford Court Hotel, November 9, 2011.
A W A R D S
PIOJ Director General, Dr. Gladstone Hutchinson (2nd r) at the SDC Twenty20 Awards Presentation at the Knutsford Court Hotel on November 9, 2011. Seated extreme right is Chairman of INSPORT, the Rev. Al Miller and 3rd right, Act. Executive Director, SDC, Dr. Dwayne Vernon.
Mr. Richard Lumsden (r) as he addresses participants (l) on the topic: “Vision 2030 Jamaica and its Diaspora in Partnership for National Development”, at the Conference for Jamaican Diaspora Leaders within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), November 30, 2011, at the Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport Hotel, Toronto, Canada. The Conference was held under the theme: “Jamaica 50 and Beyond – Towards a Developed Nation”.
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Volume 4, Issue 4
Communitiy Month Activities —Nov. 2011
Recent Significant Events... Members of the PIOJ/Vision 2030 Jamaica team, partnered with the SDC to help upgrade a Basic School (in Rose Heights, St. James); and an entrepreneurial centre (a fix-it-up Come Unity Project in Boundbrook, Portland). Dissemination of information on Vision 2030 Jamaica to both young and old, was a key component of the activities.
Young and old alike, enjoy reading the Vision 2030 Jamaica, Popular Version.
Above: Kadian & Orette “Crieffe”; and left: Sherica and Carmen ensure that the message is spread!
“Crieffe” paints the school walls
From L to R: Sherica, Kadian, Vivienne, Sherica (again?) pretend to be driveway pavers and master painters.
December, 2011 PIOJ Staff (l) learn about SAINTSS and its work to make St. Ann the parish of choice, from Chairman of SAINTSS Mr. Richardo Aiken (r), during a presentation at the PIOJ in Kingston, December 7, 2011.
Mr. Steven Kerr (l) makes a point during the Q & A session.
Left: Members of the SAINTSS team pose with Mr. Richard Lumsden (l), after the presentation. They are from 2nd left: Mr. Richardo Aiken; Mr Frank Beecher, Regional Health Promotion Manager; Ms Rose-Ann Virgo, Client Service Supervisor, HEART Trust NTA; and Mr Oral Higgins from the Parish AIDS Association.
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VISION 2030 JAMAICA UPDATE
NEXT STEPS
Bite of the Quarter
Thematic Working Group Meetings Ongoing meetings with MDAs on alignment with Vision 2030 Jamaica
...The good thing about the future is that it can be altered because it is not yet written. Jamaica, like Scrooge, can change the path and have a brighter future, but it takes will and determination. We already know what needs to be done, it is all written in Vision 2030. We just need politicians and citizens committed to seeing the plan through and getting us back on track.
Ongoing presentations to key stakeholders on Vision 2030 Jamaica BREAKING NEWS!!! Vision 2030 Jamaica Popular Version now in
Talking Book format! David Mullings, first Future Leaders representative for the USA on the Jamaican Diaspora Board in: Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, published in The Sunday Observer, December 25, 2011 p 7.
Download via www.vision2030.gov.jm
What’s Happening EVENTS JCDC Performing Arts Workshops Vision 2030 Jamaica Presentation
DATE Speech Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 9:00 am Louise Bennett Garden Theatre, Kingston Drama Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 9:00 am SDC Complex, Spanish Town Friday, January 20, 2012, 9:00 am Louise Bennett Garden Theatre, Kingston
Contact us at:
Tuesday, January 24, 2011, 9:00 am Morant Bay Anglican Church Hall, St. Thomas
Planning Institute of Jamaica 16 Oxford Road, Kingston 5
Speech/Drama Thursday, February 16, 2012, 9:00 am St. Peter’s Anglican Church Hall, Falmouth
Tel: 935-5150; 960-9339;906-4471/2
Wednesday, January 24, 2012, 9:00 am Morant Bay Anglican Church Hall, St. Thomas
Website:www.vision2030.gov.jm
Music Tuesday, March 6, 2012, 9:00 am St. Peter’s Anglican Church Hall, Falmouth Presentation to Peace Corps Jamaica (PCJ)
Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 2:00 pm PCJ Conference Room, 8 Worthington Ave., Kingston 5
Thematic Working Group Meetings
Environment & Planning & Hazard Risk Reduction February, 2012 (Date to be confirmed)
MTF National Strategic Prioritisation Workshop
February, 2012 (Date to be confirmed) Knutsford Court Hotel, Kingston 5
Email: ndp@pioj.gov.jm
and on: