|
DEVELOPMENT PLANNING UNIT
1997
DEPARTMENTAL REPORT
19k |
2.5m |
 |
SECTION
I:
Head of the Department Message
We believe that the work of the Development Planning
Unit (DPU) is very important for every British Virgin Islander,
businessperson, consumer and visitor.
The development policies
and strategies of Government of the British Virgin Islands underpin the
growth and development of this country. In recent years there has been
a sustained governmental effort to
develop a national planning infrastructure
as the basis for decision
support in both the public and private sectors. The DPU is the
department primarily responsible for a combination of both functional and
advisory service on broad economic, statistical and project development
affairs of the British Virgin Islands. In addition, it interacts with
other departments of Government and public sector agencies that have an
impact on the economy, as well as being the co-ordinator of the National
Integrated Development Plan (NIDP).
In connection with
government’s policy of openness and consultation, we sought to ensure a
wide scope for participation of the public in planning affairs. In
recent periods, we have been successful in involving the public in policy
development, in providing more timely and accurate decision support
information, and in a good line communications with the non-governmental
organizations and the public in general.
We are cognizant that
providing a sustained information flow and a high quality of service require
a lot of effort, and we are therefore determined to build on our performance
year after year.
We are encouraged by the
public response, and we will continue to be involved in the development
process. |
Mr. Otto O’Neal
Director of Development Planning Unit
|
SECTION II: Departmental Overview
A.
Mandate, Roles and Responsibilities
| To assist government in developing
policies and programmes for integrated development |
The department's fundamental purpose is to assist the
Government in developing, implementing and reviewing economic, social
and developmental policies and programmes that accommodate integrated
development. The Development Planning Unit serves as the government's
primary source of analysis and advice on the broad social and economic
affairs of the British Virgin Islands. In addition to preparing major
national development plans, the department provides a full range of
national statistical services; provides a full range of project cycle
management services; administers the Development Aid Programme;
provides advise on matters pertaining to science, technology and
energy and provides a full range of functional manpower services. In
addition the Development Planning Unit often represents or forms part
of the representation for the British Virgin Islands in regional,
sub-regional and international economic developmental and
inter-governmental forums. |
| Our mandate requires researching and
monitoring the performance of the economy |
Our mandate requires monitoring and researching the
performance of the British Virgin Islands economy in all important
aspects including output and growth, income and employment, interest
rates and prices; and short-term and long-term structural changes. By
the nature of Government's development strategy, the department, in a
co-ordinating role, is ultimately responsible for the integration of
population, environmental, economic and social affairs. These affairs
are ultimately critical to the domestic and international
competitiveness of the British Virgin Islands. |
| Primary duties include Project Cycle
Management and Public Sector Investment Programming |
In its role as a central agency, the department
co-ordinates national project development activities. These include
the identification, pre-selection and preparation of projects proposed
by ministries. In this connection the department also provides project
appraisal, monitoring and implementation services. Related to these
services, the department plays a key role in the development of the
Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) through the present national
budgetary process. As well, in the public investment area, the
department is responsible for administering the Development Aid
Programme, although this has now become rather limited. |
| We operate through 10 department
programmes interacting with the private sector as well |
In operating through ten (10) departmental programmes,
the department has no statutory programme although some programmes are
partially mandated by legislation. Through these programmes, the
department interacts with international agencies such as the European
Union, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Department for
International Development, the United Nations, the World Bank the
International Monetary Fund, the Commonwealth Fund for Technical
Co-operation, CARICOM and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean
States. The department also interacts with other government
departments, agencies and public enterprises, and private sector
interests as well as non-governmental organizations. The department
plays a key co-ordinating role in public consultations pertaining to
public investment initiatives and the national planning process,
including the winding-down National Integrated Development Plan (NIDP). |
|
The department has as its key client
groups:
|
| The Governor, the Government and the
Executive Council |
by providing analysis, advice and recommendations on
economic, population and social affairs of the British Virgin Islands.
The department is also responsible for identifying legislative
requirements in a limited way in some of these areas. |
| The Legislative Council and the
Public |
by supporting an expanded programme of public
information and consultation with a focus on the provision of basic
facts to BVIslanders on key economic and fiscal issues to facilitate
wide participation in a more open, broad-based consultation process.
This approach is consistent with wide ranging national consultations
on major capital projects and other responsibilities falling |
| Departments and Agencies |
by playing an active role in co-ordination of national
developmental affairs, national statistical services and project
management services. |
| International
Economic Community |
by being responsible for economic analysis, national
statistics and development aid, the department has the European Union,
the Caribbean Development Bank, the United Nations, the Department for
International Development, the International Monetary Fund, the
Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation, the Eastern Caribbean
Central Bank, the Caribbean Community, the Organization of Eastern
Caribbean States and the European Investment Bank as its clients
representing the British Virgin Islands in many international forums. |
| National Interests Groups |
by consulting and exchanging information with
representatives of business, social and other non-governmental groups
in the economy on matters of strategy, statistical phenomena and
potential public investment projects. |
B.
Objectives
The following are the departmental programme
objectives:
| Policy Advice and Decision Support |
Provide the full range of decision support information
for policy development in matters relating to science, technology and
energy in the development process.
Preparation and presentation of
policy advice to government in respect of microeconomic and
macroeconomic issues, decision-support information for the achievement
of good public policy and programme delivery outcomes.
|
| Project Cycle and Development Aid
Management |
Ensure the development of public sector programmes and
projects through the integrated approach to the Project Cycle in
accordance with government investment priorities.
Ensure that
Government maximizes its use of international aid in accordance with
national priorities and aid agencies development themes and focuses.
|
| Statistics, Surveys and Research |
Provide the full range of statistical services including
economic, social, environment and population in accordance with
internationally acceptable standards and conventions as well as the
development priorities of the country including the private sector.
Provide a full range of research and survey services in accordance
with socio-economic phenomena and international norms and conventions.
|
| Planning and Investment Programming |
Provide conventional economic and planning analysis of
institutional and economic sectors of the country giving situational
analysis, past policies and trends and future actions.
Ensure that the investment priorities of Government are developed
in accordance with acceptable standards of international
donor/financing organizations in a programmed fashioned according to
available resources. |
| Departmental Services and Whole of
Government Linkages |
Provide a range of support services including personnel
and financial management and other management functions for various
departments of government in accordance with the policies of good
government.
Provide advice on relevant development planning issues through
various Boards, Committees and Groupings. |
| The above-listed programmes are
to be delivered by six work groups whose specific responsibilities are
listed immediately below. |
| Management and Departmental Services |
is responsible for determining and managing departmental
outputs and outcomes, personnel services, departmental accounting
services and whole of government linkages across sectors. |
| Economic Statistics |
is responsible for the development and maintenance of
statistical programmes in national accounting, balance of payments,
private finance, government finance statistics, external trade,
tourism, financial services, employment, prices and the environment. |
| Social and Population Statistics |
is responsible for the development and maintenance of
statistical programmes in health, education, welfare, population,
social security, crime and justice, poverty, women in development,
social capital development, youth, children and the elderly. |
| Investment and Projects Development |
is responsible for project cycle management including
project identification, pre-selection, preparation, appraisal,
implementation, monitoring and post-implementation analysis. In
addition this work group is responsible for the development and
maintenance of the public sector investment programme (PSIP). |
| Economic Analysis and Manpower |
is responsible for developing appropriate policies and
providing sound advice on economic, fiscal and financial implications
of government's macro and micro-economic policies and programmes. This
work group is also responsible for objective economic analysis for the
public and private sectors and the management of the national manpower
planning process. |
| Surveys and Field Research |
is responsible for the development and implementation of
major socio-economic surveys including population and household
censuses, household income and expenditure surveys and tourist
expenditure surveys. |
In our
day-to-day operations to fulfill the objectives of the Central Government
and those which we have accordingly set for ourselves, we use the following
as our guide. The following makes up the essence of performance as a
department of Government.
| We work for the Governor and our Ministers |
Our Ministers and the Governor are our first priority
and our goal is to live up to their expectation |
| Performance Driven |
We are driven by the desire to excel - we aim to be the
best in our regional and the public service providing advice and
services. |
| Responsive and Ready for Change |
We are prepared to be creative and innovative |
| Integrity and High Ethical Standards |
We are open and honest in working and relationships with
each other. We do not compromise on quality and integrity. |
The Development Planning Unit role is to help
Government achieve its policy objectives by contributing to four key
outcomes.
-
Improved performances of the
public sector
-
Environmental Sustainability
-
Maintaining Social Welfare
-
Promoting and supporting
private sector development
C. Strategic
Priorities, 1997
Against the backdrop of expanding national output,
stable prices and full employment in the macroeconomy, the Government of the
British Virgin Islands realized that a booming construction industry,
expanding tourism and exploding financial services were the driving demand
for government services. The rising demand for government services has
in turn led to a rapid expansion in public expenditure. In order to
meet the public expenditure objectives and to facilitate continued growth
and development in a sustainable manner, the Government of the British
Virgin Islands sought to accomplish the following as national priorities:
(i)
rationalize the level and the structure of the public expenditure programme
through strengthening of the Internal Audit Department and bringing our
spending priorities into sharper focus;
(ii)
aggressive training and re-training of the public service through
scholarships, workshops and specialized training in critical areas;
(iii)
expanding human resources development through extended tertiary education
and the increased application of science and technology as tools of
empowerment; and
(iv)
developing and broadening of the social safety net through more focused and
targeted expenditure in accordance with well-defined qualifications regime.
With the above-mentioned
national priorities established, the Development Planning Unit fixed the
following priorities to ensure that we fulfilled our mandate as the major
decision support information provider by:
(i)
building on our statistical database in the areas of tourism, population,
consumer prices, construction, gender and government finance;
(ii) enhancing
information dissemination through electronic communications such as
facsimile, e-mail and the INTERNET;
(iii)
improving public sector investment programming through better programme
design and information storage;
(iv)
introducing the database and management framework for manpower planning by
developing a list of indicators.
DEVELOPMENT PLANNING UNIT
Organizational Chart
 |
>Personnel
>Management
>Financial Management
>Information Technology
>Departmental Services
>Communication
>Library Services
>Committees and TaskForces
>Conferences, Seminars & Meetings
>Official Photos and Pictures
>Other Confidential Matters
>Miscellaneous Matters
|
>National Accounts
>Balance of Payments
>Prices
>Money and Banking
>Government
>Finance
>External
>Trade
>Tourism
>Financial Services
>Labour Market
>Economic Indicators
>Other Economic Stats
>Miscellaneous Matters
|
>Social Indicators
>Education
Health
Welfare >Social Security
>Vital Statistics
>Women
Children >Population
Crime & Justice >Poverty
>Food and Nutrition
>Miscellaneous Matters
|
>Pre-Investment Activities
>Investment Activities
>Operational Activities
>Project Data Bank
>Public Sector Investment Prog.
>Project Dossiers
Investment >Policies
Miscellaneous
|
>Economic Publications
>Economic Research Papers
>Economic Sectoral Studies
>Policies and Strategies
>National
>Economic Plans
>Physical Develop. Plans
>Analysis of Issues
>Project Impact Analysis
>Environmental Indicators
>Physical/Spatial Indicators
>Environmental Issues & Studies
>Physical Planning Issues & Studies
>Miscellaneous Matters
|
>Household Income
>Tourism
>Population Census
>Business Surveys
>Social Surveys
>Environment Surveys
>Economic Surveys
>Physical/Spatial Surveys
>Miscellaneous Matters
|
Section III:
Performance Expectations and Accomplishments
|
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES
|
PERFORMANCE
EXPECTATIONS
|
PERFORMANCE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
|
| Policy
Advice and Decision Support
>Provide the full range
of decision support information for policy development in matters
relating to science, technology and energy in the development process.
>Prepare and present
policy advice to government in respect of microeconomic and
macroeconomic issues, decision support information for the achievement
of good public policy and programme delivery outcomes.
|
>Preparation
of timely short -and medium-term economic assessment.
>Preparation
of an outline medium-term economic strategy.
>Preparation
of an assessment of economic policy impact over the past decade.
>Analysis
of energy importation and consumption.
>Public
consultations on NIDS
|
>Published
4 Quarterly Bulletins in Economic Indicators.
>Developed
the basic information set for the medium- term economic strategy.
>Published
30 Weekly Bulletins
>Preparation
of a policy impact document over the past decade published on the
INTERNET.
>Prepared
and circulated a report on energy use in the BVI.
>Held
1 public meeting and 6 special interest meetings on NIDS.
|
Project
Cycle and Development Aid Management
>Ensure the development of public sector
programmes and projects through the integrated approach to the Project
Cycle in accordance with government investment priorities.
>Ensure that Government
maximizes its use of international aid in accordance with national
priorities and aid agencies development themes and focuses.
|
>Preparation
of Project Dossiers
>Co-ordination
of the capital budget preparation, evaluation and analysis.
>Analysis
of all project proposals.
>Development
of an outline PSIP.
>Preparation
of capital aid applications.
>Preparation
of an aid priorities and use report.
|
>Prepared
dossiers on two projects for the HLSCC.
>Prepared
sector orientation document of the EU on BVI.
>Prepare
project dossiers for Beef Island Airport.
>Initiated
design of the Project Data Bank.
|
Statistics,
Surveys and Research
>Provide the full range
of statistical services including economic, social, environment and
population in accordance with internationally acceptable standards and
conventions as well as the development priorities of the country
including the private sector.
>Provide a full range
of research and survey services in accordance with socio-economic
phenomena and international norms and conventions.
|
>Preparation
of annual publications in national accounts, balance of payments,
external trade, money and banking and prices.
>Undertake
statistical surveys on economic and social phenomena.
>Preparation
of annual publications on health, education, welfare, police,
crime prevention and justice and population.
>Provide
statistical analysis as support for other departments.
|
>Prepared
but did not release provisional national accounts and balance of
payments.
>Release
monthly publications on prices, external trade and tourism.
>Collected
and prepared tables on health, education and welfare statistics.
>Prepared
tables on crime prevention and justice and population estimates.
>Respond
to 150 requests for information
|
Planning
and Investment Programming
>Provide conventional
economic and planning analysis of institutional and economic sectors
of the country giving situational analysis, past policies and trends
and future actions.
>Ensure that the investment priorities of
Government are developed in accordance with acceptable standards of
international donor/financing organizations in a programmed fashioned
according to available resources.
|
>Prepare
sectoral reports on the economy.
>Development
of policies for sustainable development.
>Development
and updating of national development priorities.
>Preparation
and analysis of sectoral and national integrated plans.
>Prepare
analysis of donor and aid organizations priorities.
|
>Released
the 1992-1996 Recent Economic Development Report.
>Release
and impact analysis of the last decade of economic policies.
>Contributed
sectoral analysis to the National Tourism Development Plan (NIDP).
>Prepared
a listing of the Core Public Sector Investment Priorities.
>Prepare
draft sustainable development policies for the tourism sector.
|
Departmental Services and Whole of
Government Linkages
>Provide a range of support services including
personnel and financial management and other management functions for
various departments of government in accordance with the policies of
good government.
>Provide advice on relevant development planning
issues through various Boards, Committees and Groupings.
|
>Record
personnel matters including attendance and punctuality
>Prepare
evaluation reports on all personnel.
>Maintain
Developmental Financial Accounts.
>Contribute
to various Committees, Boards and Task Forces.
>Attend
meetings overseas on official duty.
|
>Submitted
attendance and punctuality records to the Personnel Department.
>Submitted
annual and semi-annual evaluation on all personnel.
>Maintained
department Financial Accounts in accordance with financial
instructions.
>Attended
meeting for 6 committees, 1 task force and 2 Boards.
>Attended
30 meetings and conferences overseas on official duties and
training.
|
Page 2
|
The