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Remarks by Remarks by the the Hon. Robert Hon. Robert Montague Montague Minister of State Minister of State with responsibility for Local with responsibility for Local Government Government in the Office of the Prime in the Office of the Prime Minister, Minister, Jamaica Jamaica

Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

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Page 1: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Remarks by Remarks by the the

Hon. Robert Montague Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State Minister of State

with responsibility for Local Government with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, in the Office of the Prime Minister,

JamaicaJamaica

Page 2: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

The Commonwealth Vision for The Commonwealth Vision for Local GovernmentLocal Government

********************Commonwealth Local Government Commonwealth Local Government

Conference,Conference,Our Lucaya Conference Grand Bahama, Our Lucaya Conference Grand Bahama,

Freeport, BahamasFreeport, Bahamas

May 12, 2009May 12, 2009

Page 3: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

WELCOMEWELCOME• CLGF Organizers

• Bahamian Government & People

• Delegates of the Americas

• Commonwealth Delegates

• Ladies & Gentlemen

Page 4: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Presentation Presentation

• Introduce key themes

• Highlight key issues for discussion

• Set out likely outcomes

• Cite Caribbean experience

Page 5: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

The Vision to LeadThe Vision to Lead

• Leaders must be visionary

• Organisation serious about succeeding

• “Without vision the people perish” if policy makers and practitioners in local government cannot translate vision to communities

Page 6: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Economic Crisis our OpportunityEconomic Crisis our Opportunity

• Global economic crisis

• Do not allow crisis to erode gains made in local government

• Despite budget cuts

• See the opportunity in the crisis

Page 7: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Business Unusual ApproachBusiness Unusual Approach

• Be not fearful of the storm

• Learn to dance in the rain

• Employ a Paradigm shift in doing business

• Cultivate attitudinal shift which recognizes the multiplier effect

Page 8: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Business Unusual RequiresBusiness Unusual Requires

• Improving revenue streams

• Improving customer service delivery

• Increasing community dialogue

• Identifying funding by finding new & deepening old partnerships

• Adopting involved management approach

Page 9: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Business Unusual RequiresBusiness Unusual Requires

• Leading from the front

• Articulating your vision well

• Being innovative & creative

• Sharing a common regional vision for local governance

Page 10: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

NeededNeeded

• Regional vision

• Sense of shared vision

• Achieving collectively

• United front

Page 11: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Guiding PrinciplesGuiding Principles

Aberdeen Agenda & Auckland Accord

embrace:

• Capacity building

• Transparency

• Autonomy

• Accountability

• Citizens participation

Page 12: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Applying the Principles in JamaicaApplying the Principles in Jamaica

• Citizens involvement – town hall meetings, open budgeting

• Autonomy- Central government returning functions

• Transparency- local public accounts committee set up

• Legal framework – Revision of strategic laws for entrenchment of local government in Constitution

Page 13: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Ja’s International ApplicationJa’s International Application

• CFLGM Chair• Regional Policy & Cooperation Framework

developed• Policy articulates strategies and

interventions to be pursued for effective regional governance

• Regional and Int’l conferences serve to solidify implementation within national boundaries

Page 14: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Regional CommitmentRegional Commitment

• Committed to system that is citizen-centred

• Confident in security of resources

• Hosting of RIAD conference later this year to provide greater networking benefits

• Provide opportunity for information sharing

• Fosters move towards regional shared vision for local democracy

Page 15: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Conference Background Paper Conference Background Paper

Themes include:

• Increasing role of local government and public expectations

• Challenges of financing for local government

• Importance of sound local democratic practices

Page 16: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Conference Background Paper Conference Background Paper cont’dcont’d

• Role of partnerships with private sector/NGOs

• Challenge of measuring the progress that is being made at local level in terms of service delivery

• Assessing local democracy and governance

Page 17: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Conference OutcomesConference Outcomes

• Develop Conference Declaration • Recommendations to be forwarded to

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November in Trinidad & Tobago

• Encourage Prime Ministers & other Heads to draw attention to role of local government in the main discussion at CHOGM

Page 18: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

The ChargeThe Charge

• As visionary practitioners need to share recommendations arrived at

• Commit to implementing recommendations arising out of conference

• Each visionary practitioner to utilise conference tools to help local governance process at home

Page 19: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

CLGF’s CommitmentCLGF’s Commitment

• To move agenda forward

• Designing leadership training intervention programmes

• Supporting partnerships

• Share skills under good practice scheme

• Enhance collaborative effort between CALGA, CIDA, CLGF to strengthen partnership

Page 20: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

Supporting the VisionSupporting the Vision

• Using network effectively

• Maximising benefits of event

• Supporting improvement of local government across Commonwealth

Page 21: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

ConclusionConclusion

• Embrace vision

• Embrace principles of Aberdeen Agenda and Auckland Accord

• Success of conference relies heavily on your participation

• Bahamas the right choice for CLGC Conference 2009 !!

Page 22: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

• A Successful Conference to us All!

Page 23: Remarks by the Hon. Robert Montague Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government in the Office of the Prime Minister, Jamaica

• Thank You!