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Highlighting Our National Development Champions (March, 2021)

Vision 2030 Jamaica is stakeholder-driven and people-centred. It was developed and has been continuously strengthened because of partners in development—people who dedicate their lives to champion the cause of national development. 

 

Vision 2030 Jamaica recognizes Clive S. A Edwards, Former Co-Chairperson of the Governance Thematic Working Group, Vision 2030 Jamaica, who retired from public service in 2020. The Governance Thematic Working Group (TWG) was established in 2013 and serves as the main consultative mechanism for the monitoring and evaluation of National Outcome #6 of Vision 2030 Jamaica “Effective Governance” and the aligned SDGs #s 5, 10, 16 and 17. The Governance TWG also served as a Result Group for the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development (UN MSDF) Priority Area #3 “A Safe, Cohesive, and Just Society” and informed the development of the Country Implementation Plans (CIPs). 

 

We thank Mr. Edwards for his contribution and encourage others to build on his work as we advance Effective Governance and the localization of Vision 2030 Jamaica and the SDGs. 

 

Contributions of Clive Edwards to National and Regional Development

Clive S. A. Edwards was (up to 2020) Project Manager, Local Government Reform Programme in the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development (MLGCD)/Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD),Government of Jamaica, performing the functions of a decentralisation and capacity building specialist in local government and also with responsibility for managing a range of internationally funded projects—Parish Infrastructure Development Programme, Supporting Local Government Programme, Enhancing Local Government in the Caribbean, Orientation Programme for Local Authorities – CFTC, IPSAS Accrual Accounting Project.

 

Mr. Edwards:

 

  • Led the team that developed the Prototype for an Ideal Local Authority as well as designed and facilitated workshops which focused on Councillor role orientation and skill development in key competencies, and the skill development of Senior Administrators in Local Government in key competencies.

 

  • Designed and managed the consultative process with stakeholders in the promulgation of three strategic laws related to Local Government – inclusion of local government in the Constitution of Jamaica and the Building Act; provided technical support to the Ministry’s Legal Department, Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and the Legislative Committee of the Cabinet of the Government of Jamaica in promulgation of these pieces of legislation.

 

  • Facilitated a range of international collaboration initiatives with international development partners and officials in the Caribbean with responsibility for their respective local government portfolios in the areas of capacity building, local economic development and regional policy development.

 

  • Managed the on-site coordination of two Caribbean Ministerial conferences in local governance on behalf of the Caribbean Forum of Local Government Ministers (CFLGM), which enabled the formulation of a Regional Policy & Cooperation Framework.

 

  • Occupied the post of Technical Secretary to the CFLGM and member of the Technical Working Group for the Caribbean Regional Local Economic Development Project (CARILED).

 

  • Contributed to national development in other areas including President of Jamaica Association of Training and Development (currently Human Resource Management Association of Jamaica) and President, Association of Licensed Financial Institutions.

 

Up Next: Interview with Joseph B.B. Cox, author of “The New Normal: A Post-COVID Primer for Business” (August, 2021)