The Government of the Bahamas believes greater synthesis between its public and private sectors may assist with further improving the country’s ranking as measured by the World Bank in its annual Doing Business Report.  According to data published this year, The Bahamas ranked 119 of 190 countries—an improvement on its 2017 position at 121.

With efforts focused on strengthening its public sector, Government, in collaboration with CDB, on March 19, launched one of the largest training efforts in Bahamian public service history, and believes one of the outcomes could be a further ascension in the ranking, and perhaps regaining their record ranking of 59, achieved in 2008.

Approximately 170 public servants of varying grades are expected to benefit from face-to-face training in Public Policy Analysis and Management and Project Cycle Management (PPAM/PCM).

Government believes the CDB-funded training will assist efforts to strengthen the efficiency, reliability and accountability of the public sector and lead to improved private sector relations.

“As Head of the Public Service, this pleases me immensely,” Camille Johnson, Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Public Service, The Bahamas, told senior public officers attending the first day of training.

Johnson noted that those in attendance are, or should be, in the business of providing unfettered advice to policymakers and legislators to assist in creating a harmonious relationship with the private sector that leads to a friendly and competitive business climate.

“Changes in the process begin with a concomitant alteration in the attitudes, practices and mindset of the people who conceptualise or manage those processes,” Johnson said.  “Public policy is not static and needs to continually be reviewed, evaluated and updated.  I look forward to many such improvements emanating from your participating in this workshop,” she told the trainees.

The CDB-funded training programme aligns with the Bank’s commitment to supporting good governance and building the capacity of civil servants in its Borrowing Member Countries.

“We recognise that capacity in public policy, project cycle administration and project cycle management in general, including leadership capacity, are critical to the Region’s development, especially in these periods of uncertainty and an accelerating pace of global and regional changes,” said Darran Newman, Division Chief (Ag.), Technical Cooperation, CDB.

Newman, in her opening remarks, told participants the Region must address the disconnect between policy principles and implementation.

“It will not be a neat, rational process.  It is complex and must be ongoing,” she said.  “Solutions must be evidence-based and include public consultations.  It is a challenging process but is absolutely important to ensure transparency in how policies are derived and implemented.”

CDB launched PPAM/PCM to assist governments of its 19 Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) with more effectively managing policies, programmes and projects.  The current face-to-face training modules are complemented by a suite of recommended online courses.  The Bahamas is the fifth country to participate in the face-to-face sessions, and the remaining  BMCs are scheduled to benefit from this training during 2018.

CDB’s Training Unit in its Technical Cooperation Division is facilitating the training programme, and Consultants from the Dods Training Group; the Centre for International Development and Training (CIDT), University of Wolverhampton; and MindBloom Consulting are delivering the modules and providing monitoring and evaluation services.