2ND REGIONAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION & CONFERENCE HELD IN JAMAICA

Hillsborough, December 3, 2008 -- Ministers of Government, Permanent Secretaries, local government officers, members of civil society from eleven (11) CARICOM countries and international funding agencies attended the 2nd Regional Local Government Consultation and Conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica from December 1st – 2nd, 2008.

A five (5) member delegation from Carriacou and Grenada led by Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs, Senator  George Prime was in attendance as the government continues on its promise of establishing a parish council as part of local government in the twin-isle constituency.

The consultation and conference was the culmination of a series of regional consultations on the draft regional policy and cooperation framework on local governance and democracy in the Caribbean. According to Regional Local Government Advisor, Winston Cramer, seventeen national consultations were held in eight countries and approximately nine hundred (900) persons participated.  

Convenor of the Technical Working Group who was responsible for putting together the policy, Keith Miller, said that the policy has a focal role to play in the Caribbean islands in addressing some of the challenges faced such as recruitment of adequate and competent personnel and limited capital and financial resources.

All ministers in attendance gave their full support to the policy and they were happy to see it referring to the involvement of youth and persons with disabilities in the decision-making process. They therefore promised to make presentations before their respective cabinets.

However, some recommendations on improving the policy were made so that it could be endorsed as the blue print for local governance; among them were a review after two years of being adopted, and restructuring of the document to make it more reader friendly.

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) funded the development of the policy.

Some of the other ministers who attended the consultation and conference included Hazel Manning of Trinidad & Tobago, Brian Woodside of the Bahamas, Gabrielle Martinez of Belize and Richard Frederick from St. Lucia.

An invitation was also extended to those in attendance to be part of the Commonwealth Local Governance Conference in the Bahamas from May 10th- 14th, 2009 which will be held under the theme “Improving Local Government: the Commonwealth Vision”.