Administration and Operational staff in the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs was on Monday apprised on the Ministry’s strategic direction in achieving its mandate to the indigenous peoples.

Ministers Sydney Allicock and Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Permanent Secretary Alfred King and Deputy Permanent Secretary Samantha Fedee were all in attendance.

The engagement was the first for 2019 and came on the heels of a successful 2018.

The Ministry was able to deliver on its Current and Capital Budgetary allocations with an expenditure totaling approximately 96%.

Staff members attending the first general meeting of 2019.

Minister Sydney Allicock in his address assured staff that the APNU/AFC coalition remains in Government and will deliver its mandate to the indigenous peoples since they (the indigenous populations) is dependent on the Ministry to deliver needed goods and services.

The Minister also encouraged staff to ensure that projects under the Presidential Grants initiative which are incomplete are completed in a timely manner and assistance be given to ensure this is realized.

Some $1.9B was approved in the National Assembly for 2019.

Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe in echoing similar sentiments, also noted that staff is critical to delivery, and encouraged all, to work together and much will be achieved.

Alfred King who is the Ministry’s Accounting Officer also noted that to realize development, staff must be able to give a good account of their hours at work and be good stewards for the allocation of resources which will ultimately benefit villages and communities.

Meanwhile, in order for effectively and efficiently execution the Ministry’s budgetary allocations, the Policy team last week sought assistance from the Finance Ministry in order to successfully implement is budgetary allocations.

The Ministry of Finance proposed a 5-STAR approach which will be used by the Ministry to implement is policies and programs.

The approaches are the Quick Gains, the Green Dot, the Yellow Dot, the Low Hanging Fruits with the fifth and final approach being the REDDD Flags.

“The Quick Gains’ approach will see a matrix developed for all roll over projects with stipulated timelines and progress reports, and once those timelines and guidelines are observed, implementation of project/s will be execute in accordance with Government’s developmental agenda.

This approach identifies issues, challenges concerns (if any) that were encountered during the execution phase.

“The Green Dot” approach will see projects budgeted for in 2019 and executed in a timely manner, since they would have been in “a state of readiness” following the acquisition of designs and Bill of Quantities.

A matrix must be developed which must include Name of Project, date advertised, Close Date of Bids, Date for Evaluation to be completed, Date for Award from the National Procurement Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Date of No-objection from Cabinet (if necessary), Date of Commencement and Completion of Works.

“The Yellow Dot” focuses on projects for which no designs are available and hence cannot be tendered.

A matrix will be developed and must include, Name of Project, Preparation of designs (if In-House), Preparation of TOR for consultant ( if External design consultant), Date for Launch of tender, Closing Date, Award date an Period of design and preparation of Bill of Quantities.

Hereafter, Ministries must apply the Green Dot status and the Quick Gain status as required.

“Long Hanging Fruits”, which refers to the procurement of goods and services will also see several guidelines observe among them, acquiring technical specifications (where technical specifications are not available, prepare specs immediately), commencement of the tendering process and as far as practical, group procurement of similar goods, equipment and supplies across departments/divisions, then proceed to the “Green Dot” phase.

“The REDDD Flags” identifies projects that are not yet identified in budget 2019 among them miscellaneous roads, drains, bridges, schools, health facilities, police stations to name a few.

Staff in the Procurement, Governance and Projects are the specific target departments since they play a key role in implementation.

The Ministry has in its employ some one hundred and thirty three staff covering Policy, Administration and Operational.