Regional Human Resource Development Strategy will not sit on a shelf waiting to be implemented – Director, Human Development

Director of Human Development at the CARICOM Secretariat Ms. Myrna Bernard has given the assurance that the Human Resource Development 2030 Strategy will be implemented. She said she was aware that there were many other similar strategies across the Region that have sat waiting to be executed but reassured that it would be different with the HRD Strategy.

Ms Bernard was giving welcome remarks at a Planning Workshop for the CARICOM Human Resource 2030 Strategy Regional Framework for Action at the Georgetown Marriott Hotel in Guyana on Tuesday. The three-day workshop is expected to develop transformational change initiatives, corresponding actions and mobilisation for change. Its overall aim is to formulate a Regional Framework for Action that will implement the CARICOM HRD 2030 Strategy.

Ms. Bernard, in her remarks, noted that the strategy was drafted based on a mandate from the CARICOM Heads of Government. She said the Heads also stipulated that a Commission was to be convened to spearhead the drafting of the strategy, and representatives from the Commission, which was formed in 2015, were attending the workshop.

Speaking to the drafting of the strategy, Ms. Bernard stressed that a holistic approach to the transformation of education and training has been used and will continue to be used in the development and application of the strategy.

It provides for converged action by Member States in the field of education and training with the intent of unlocking Caribbean Human potential, Ms. Bernard said.

She indicated that a draft of the strategy has been approved by the CARICOM Community Council of Ministers for presentation to the CARICOM Heads in July 2017. She said before approval from the Community Council, the strategy benefited from inputs by various stakeholders via consultations that were conducted across the Region. Since its approval the strategy has been presented to a group of CARICOM Ambassadors and Institutions, she added.

Ms Bernard said the planning workshop would be crucial to the successful execution of the plan. She also highlighted the importance of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and its impact on how people now create and communicate. She stated that ICT would have to be taken into consideration in the content and delivery of the strategy.

Participants of the workshop included representatives from the 15 CARICOM Member States, the Associate Members, International Development Partners, Private Sector/Civil Society Organisations as well as Regional Institutions in education and business.