A Memorandum of Understanding valued nearly $150,000 has been signed for a capacity building initiative which is being spearheaded by the Governor’s Group to benefit the public service.
This is according to a media release from the Office of the Deputy Governor dated Tuesday September 21, which said the agreement will aim to develop highly skilled and adaptable leaders and officers within the Public Service.
The agreement was signed between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland acting through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Office of the Deputy Governor on September 16.
The total sum of the initiative is $147,554 and will be managed by the Governor’s Group who will see the provision of initiatives and learning opportunities in the priority areas of focus identified.
According to the release, these opportunities were specifically selected to meet priority gaps and the demands of the evolving modernisation and enhanced governance within the public sector and will be available for all public officers.
Governor John Rankin who signed the MOU on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said he remains committed to furthering the good governance of the Virgin Islands.
He said, “This Memorandum of Understanding is aimed at further building the capacity of our Public Officers and supporting them in the provision of improved services and governance structures.
“And it does so in a very practical way, with the UK providing over $147,000 for training in key areas, all central to good governance,” Governor Rankin added.
The Governor said that he endorsed the efforts that the Deputy Governor continues to make through the Public Sector Transformation Programme and the capacity building initiatives in the priority areas of the MOU will serve well in the creation of the top-class Public Service.
Priority areas listed
The priority areas identified in the Capacity Building Initiative include: building capacity in estate management through the first cohort of Public Officers being trained in land and property valuation by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors; training in electoral processes, information technology, human resources, audit and software development for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to digitally manage cases and the establishment of a records repository for the management of the Public Estate Programme by supporting the highly-skilled, accountable, professional and independent Public Service, which remains vital for the Territory.
Deputy Governor, Mr. David Archer, Jr. stated that the signing of the MOU represents a great partnership between the FCDO and the Government of the Virgin Islands – the Public Service in particular.
He said, “Following the hurricanes of 2017, we launched the Public Sector Transformation Programme and today represents the commitment to build the capacity of the Public Service during tough times, when things are not always right. We remain steadfast in our efforts to ensure that we provide our officers with the tools needed to transform the Public Service.”
The Office of the Deputy Governor and Premier’s Office lead on the Public Sector Transformation Project which aims to increase capacity within the Public Service to deliver strong governance by improving leadership skills, financial management, information technology security, audit and legal skills, digital process efficiency and capability.