The
Development Planning Unit
Government of the British Virgin Islands

ROLE AND MISSION STATEMENT
as given by Deputy Governor’s Office
May 1987

MISSION

The primary objective of the Development Planning Unit is to formulate, evaluate, monitor, co-ordinate and control all plans for development, in both the public and private sector, to ensure that they contribute to the social and economic well being of British Virgin Islanders.

ROLE

In order to meet this objective the unit will undertake the following major functions:

• Formulating and preparing comprehensive national development plans and sectoral plans that are consistent with Government policies and priorities.

• Establishing and maintaining close liaison with all Government Ministries, Departments., Parastatal organisations and Aid agencies requesting or executing Development Projects.

• Formulating and developing the strategies, programmes and projects necessary to implement the economic, social and physical plans.

• Ensuring that all aspects of the development programme are executed in a timely manner by co-ordinating and monitoring closely the extent of implementation in individual Ministries and Departments through regular reports on progress of work and expenditure incurred.

         c)  Undertake the micro economic planning process:-

• Advise the Government on the recurrent financial costs and savings from all Development proposals.

• Identify, analyse and present to Government the economic implications of all private sector investment and development plans and projects. In this regard liaise closely with and provide direct input to the Inter-ministerial Planning Review Committee.

• Carefully evaluate the financial implications of all public sector investment proposals (PSIP) for public or private finance (recurrent or capital).

• Advise the Minister, on a timely basis, of the performance and prospects of the territory’s economy.

• Maintain close liaison with those units within the Ministry responsible for:- fiscal review and reporting, debt management and financial negotiations pertaining to the PSIP into the annual budget and appraisal of all incentives and concessions for investment and trade promotion

d)   Administer the Development Aid Programme:-

• Establish and maintain close and effective communication with all Ministries and departments to co-ordinate and fully evaluate their needs and requests for development aid.

• Prioritise and incorporate the requests into a Development Aid package that accords with Government’s current policies and priorities.

• Ensure that all aid offered to the territory from various aid/donor agencies is co-ordinated and matched against the needs of the various sectors for aid, and that full use if made of all available funds from external aid donors.

          e)   Provide a full range of statistical services by:-

• Developing and maintaining a co-ordinated scheme of social and economic statistics relating to the territory.

• Liaising closely with all departments of government and other agencies to collect statistical data.

• Analysing, abstracting, compiling and publishing statistical information relating to social, agricultural, commercial, industrial, and general activities and conditions within the territory.

• Collecting any other social or economic statistics which may be required from time to time.

          f)   Advise the Government on all matters relating to Science and Technology by:-

• Co-ordinating the formulation of a policy on Science and Technology and providing direct input where appropriate.

• Carefully evaluating all public sector plans and projects to introduce new technology.

• Liaising closely with international science and technology organisations such as the Caribbean Committee on Science and Technology.

• Liaise closely with major employers in the private sector; the Immigration Department, training Department and Ministry of Health, Education and Welfare in the public sector to co-ordinate manpower supply and demand forecasts.

• Compile and maintain an inventory of existing manpower supply in the territory.

• Determine realistic manpower demand in the private sector, in terms of skills, numbers and distribution.

• Balance the supply and demand situation to identify short falls of skills, experience etc. and to ensure that the level of foreign labour working in the territory is compatible with the level of development within the territory.

HISTORICAL NOTE

The Development Planning Unit was established in 1974 by Executive Council at the recommendation of the United Nations Development Programme (U.N.D.P.). The present Acting Governor, Mr. Georges, is indicated in the records as being one of the key persons behind establishment of this unit within the Office of the Chief Minister. Information gathered says that it was established to focus primarily on Economic Development and collection and dissemination of Economic Statistics with three statistical clerks, one local economist (who subsequently left for another department) and one UNDP Economist.

Indications are that from those humble beginnings and concurrently with the growth and development of the British Virgin Islands, the Development Planning Unit has evolved into a Department of 7 professional staff and 11 semi-professional and support staff equipped with a wide variety of skills in Economic Analysis, Integrated Development Planning, Statistical Methods, Investment Management, Word-processing, Data processing, Computer Programming, Statistical Analysis and Project Development.

MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY

It is assumed that the Development Planning Unit falls within the critical mass of pre-requisite service agencies required to facilitate the socio-economic transformation of this country to the level which the political Directorate aspires i.e. their agenda. To this end and, given the general constraints of the public service in the BVI, our management philosophy, in keeping with General Orders, is to be deliberate, proactive and to allow participation of staff members in the decision making process at the departmental level. Our general philosophy is that we strive to be the best because we see our department as most critical in the implementation of the goals and objectives of the Political Directorate whom we see as having the ultimate responsibility for growth and development of our country.

To achieve the objectives of Government under the present Framework or Governance, we realize that the cross-discipline training and operations are absolutely essential. Further continuous training and updating of analytical skills together the application of computerization to our operations are pre-requisites.

Presently the following portfolios are assumed to be the responsibilities of the Development Planning Unit:

• Development Planning
• Economic Planning
• National Manpower Planning
• Development Aid Co-ordination
• National Statistics
• Science and Technology

In order to execute these portfolios the Development Planning Unit must undertake the following activities:

• Integrated Development Planning
• Statistics and Research
• Aid Co-ordination and Management
• Investment Management and Programming
• Investment Policy Development
• Sector Policy Development and Analysis
• Manpower Planning
• Energy Planning Management

19k

50k

41k

Webmaster: Jerinice Stoutt
Website designed and created by CPMD
This page was last updated on: Monday, 21st November 2005