CDB funds US $5 million project to address Implementation challenges in Saint Lucia

THE Board of Directors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved funding of US $5 million to establish a Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PMDU) in Saint Lucia.

According to the CDB, “The Government of Saint Lucia is in the process of developing a Strategic Development Plan for the period 2019-2022, and has committed to adopting a new approach to executing its strategic priorities, with a focus on implementation.

“CDB’s research has shown that implementation of projects and policies identified in national development plans and annual budgets remains a weak area for many countries in the Region. In addition, implementation deficits and lack of capacity often limit the effectiveness of the Bank’s projects in the Caribbean.”

Dr. Justin Ram, Director, Economics, CDB said, “As such, CDB is committed to helping our Borrowing Member Countries to overcome these challenges. Through this new approach, we hope to assist the Government of Saint Lucia in delivering meaningful results and outcomes that are sustainable.”

The funding from CDB will be used to finance the third and fourth stages¬ of a four-stage Implementation and Delivery Mechanism being piloted in Saint Lucia, with support from CDB.

The first two stages, which involved a country diagnostic data-gathering exercise and high-level workshops, took place in April.

The final two stages comprise consultative labs, which focus on solutions to critical problems, developing and implementation of plans; and the establishment of the PMDU, which will focus on the implementation of key priorities over the medium term, with full governmental support. In addition, the PMDU is expected to function as a monitoring mechanism, gathering data and tracking the progress of key priorities.

In 2017, CDB hosted the Caribbean Leadership and Transformation Forum, which focused on the challenge of implementation in the Caribbean, and also introduced the concept of delivery units to regional policy-makers and government attendees.

The project is consistent with CDB’s strategic objective of promoting good governance, as well as its corporate priorities of strengthening evidence-based policymaking and improving economic, and fiscal management.