THE CANADIAN Government is putting $20 million into the training of public service managers here, the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP) said on Monday.The training will be carried out under the Caribbean Leadership Project, which will see permanent secretaries and senior managers of Government ministries and agencies being trained in the areas of service delivery, leadership, administration transitions, and team building, the MoTP stated.

Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, Omar Shariff; Permanent Secretary of the Department of Public Service, Reginald Brotherson; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communities, Emil McGarrell; and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Delma Nedd, on Monday met with Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Pierre Giroux; Regional Project Manager of the Caribbean Leadership Project at Cave Hill School of Business, Dr. Lois Parkes; and Development Officer at the Canadian High Commission, Ms. Marcella Thompson, to discuss the project.

“It is the first time we will have a training [project] like this in Guyana, and we are excited. This training for top-level managers is part of the overall restructuring of the Public Service. I believe it is an important time for us in Guyana. I am excited for this cohort in Guyana, and it is something which we embrace as a government,” Minister Harmon stated.

The Minister noted that while this training caters only for top-level managers, the Public Service Staff College will be equipped to train new entrants into the Public Service, while special programmes will be crafted to train those who serve in middle management.

Permanent Secretary Emil McGarrell embraced the initiative, noting that he has had the opportunity to participate in the project, “Cohort Two” in 2014, which was held in Barbados, Belize, St. Lucia and Canada, and he believes it can help to accomplish the Administration’s goals.

“I would really endorse this project, because I was a part of it and it really makes a big difference. It provides an opportunity to develop leaders in the Public Service,” he said.

The Canadian High Commissioner said the project, which is a seven-year programme in the Caribbean and is funded by his government, is aimed at training and enabling public and civil servants to deliver a high standard of service.

“We have had a regional programme for the past four years. The purpose is to train public and civil servants in the Caribbean, and it is delivered through the Cave Hill School of Business. We hope that this will help Guyana to develop its Public Service, which is important to any democracy,” he said.

Dr. Parkes, who heads the project, said the team intends to commence training in Guyana from September 12, 2016. The session, which usually lasts for about five days, will target mainly the permanent secretaries, heads, and other senior managers of government agencies.

“We came here today to lay the foundation for that, and to hear from the Minister [the government’s] own vision for the development of the public service, and to look for opportunities where we can collaborate as we seek to build the Caribbean Public Service,” she said.