The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council launch Productivity Awareness Week today with an official ceremony at the Finance Administrative Center, Pointe Seraphine, Castries today, 15 October 2018. The launch was followed by displays of innovative projects by both the public and private sectors.
The Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility (CCPF) and the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) will partner to undertake the project “Saint Lucia Competitiveness Agenda & Action Plan”. The purpose of this technical assistance will be to foster competitiveness, productivity and innovation in Saint Lucia.
The project has the objective to enhance innovation, productivity and competitiveness, and foster sustainable economic growth in Saint Lucia. The project will define a National Competitiveness Agenda that reflects consensus between the public and private sectors and civil society; build capacity within key institutions such as NCPC and the Department of Innovation; and support the implementation of priority business climate reforms detailed in the Agenda.
This project deepens the successful partnership that the Government of St Lucia and Compete Caribbean have cultivated to improve competitiveness and the Country’s business climate. During phase 1 of Compete Caribbean, this partnership produced the NCPC and the Commercial Court.
“The Compete Caribbean Program is one of the best initiatives implemented in recent times, it has the potential to transform and enhance the region’s competitiveness. St. Lucia benefited from funding assistance from CCPF through the establishment of the NCPC. Since then, issues surrounding productivity have taken centre stage.” said Fiona Hinkson, Executive Director of NCPC.
Dr. Sylvia Dohnert of Compete Caribbean reflecting on the organization’s support to Saint Lucia explained that “Compete Caribbean is much more than providing financing for projects. We are about dialogue with national stakeholders to promote improvements to the approach to private sector development; supporting transformative reforms; and establishing and strengthening institutions capable of sustaining the change momentum beyond Compete. We appreciate working with the Government of Saint Lucia because a strong partnership is a prerequisite to, and the most critical ingredient for, the success of any Compete-supported initiative”.
This assistance will be funded by the Inter-American Development Bank through the Compete Caribbean Facility in the amount of USD200,000; and by the Government of St Lucia that will provide contributions in cash and kind of US$140,000.
The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council was established with the aim to identify the key issues related to competitiveness and productivity in St. Lucia as well as provide timely and effective recommendations to policy makers, private sector and other stakeholders. The council intends to do this through research, broad based stakeholder consultations, providing technical assistance, coordinating and assisting in strategies that will enhance and sustain Saint Lucia´s productivity and competitiveness.
The Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility (CCPF) is a private sector development facility that delivers innovative and practical solutions that stimulate economic growth, increase productivity and foster innovation and competitiveness. We work in 13 countries across the Caribbean region. CCPF is a partnership between the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
“True independence and freedom can only exist in doing what’s right.” – Brigham Young
‘I Am Saint Lucia’, the theme chose for Saint Lucia’s 39th independence anniversary, is one which evokes feelings of pride and patriotism. It calls us to re-examine what it means to be Saint Lucian. It calls us, the ‘Sons and Daughters of Saint Lucia’ to ‘love the land that gave us birth.’
As we celebrate 39 years of independence under the theme ‘I Am Saint Lucia’, the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council extends warm and patriotic wishes to the Government and People of Saint Lucia.
Happy Independence Day Saint Lucia!
#saintluciaindependence #saintlucia #iamsaintlucia #ilovesaintlucia #saintluciawelove #39yearsandcounting #lucianpride #thelandthepeoplethelight #sonanddaughters #758
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Productivity Matters- February 2018
In 2016, Compete Caribbean conducted research into how the gender composition of ownership and management affected firm performance in the Caribbean. This research suggested that women-owned firms are significantly smaller, less likely demand credit from financial institution, less likely to take advantage of technical assistance and more likely to perceive access to finance as an obstacle to their businesses.
To this effect, the overarching objective of this call for papers is to stimulate original analytical pieces focused on why women-owned firms in the Caribbean face these challenges.
Find out more about the call for proposals and apply here.
Participants at the 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity Workshop- Nov. 2017
Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Eileen Gillard got it right when she said, ‘Our future growth relies on competitiveness and innovation, skills and productivity […] and these in turn rely on the education of our people.’
The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC), the local body tasked with ensuring that the optimum conditions exist to facilitate an environment of maximum productivity and competitiveness and continued economic growth, remains committed to partnering with organizations which not only understand the importance of but are also invested in the Council’s mandate.
In elaborating the Work Programme for the 2017-2018 period, the Council identified capacity building as critical component to improving employee productivity and ultimately the quality of service and the output in both the public and private sectors. Similarly it was agreed that investing in the training and development of employees would be key in achieving the mindset change necessary to advance the productivity and competitiveness agenda locally and ultimately encourage sustainable economic growth.
Consequently, when the NCPC Technical Secretariat was approached by the team from Celestial Self Development Centre, the Eastern Caribbean Franchisee for Franklin Covey, to partner to offer the critically acclaimed 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity Workshop in Saint Lucia, the decision was simple.
The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity, one of the many solutions offered by Franklin Covey, is aimed at empowering individuals by allowing them to “be more selective, and make high-impact choices about how and where they choose to invest their time, attention and energy.”
The one-day workshop which was held at the Bay Gardens Hotel in Rodney Bay on Wednesday, November 29, was attended by nine (9) participants from the public and private sector; of which three (3) were from the Department of Finance.
In opening the session, Programme Facilitator and experience trainer Mrs. Thecla Deterville informed that the focus during the 5 Choices training would not be on getting things done but rather getting the right things done. She said, ‘It is so easy to get inundated with activities which have little or no return. The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity is about finding the delicate balance between the important and unimportant activities. Today, we are going to learn how to make the right choices for maximum results in all aspects of our lives.’
Throughout the day, participants had an opportunity to define what extraordinary productivity meant to them from both a professional and personal standpoint, while engaging in lively discussions and exercises and sharing experiences and best practices.
The day ended with each participant sharing on what their key take-away was from the activity.
Donna Louis, Human Resource Officer in the Department of Finance, indicated that the workshop had left her with a renewed appreciation for the importance of living above the noise. She said, ‘Choice 3: Schedule the Big Rocks, Don’t Sort the Gravel is very important in my role as HRO. I am looking forward to applying the concepts learnt here today to identify the tasks which are not only important but yield the maximum output. Training like this 5 Choices Programme makes all the difference in helping to change mindsets and dispel the notion that being busy is equivalent to being productive. I look forward to immediately applying what I learnt here today and helping to change the way things are done in not only my department but within the public service.’
Since 2016, Celestial Self Development Centre has hosted the 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity in Saint Lucia. This recent collaboration with the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council is testimony to the organization’s commitment to addressing the state of productivity in Saint Lucia.
If you are a group of 3 or more firms willing to collaborate on a joint project, this initiative may be for you! This call for proposals aims to fund cluster initiatives that can help Caribbean firms to grow, generate employment and export to new markets.
The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) has partnered with Celestial Self Development Centre, franchise owner of FranklinCovey East Caribbean to celebrate Saint Lucia Productivity Awareness Week by hosting a 1-Day 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity work-session.
The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity process measurably increases productivity of individuals, teams, and organizations. Participants make more selective, high-impact choices about where to invest their valuable time, attention, and energy. The programme is designed to provide the in-depth skills, knowledge, and attitudes that allow individual contributors, teams, and organizations to be able to identify, validate, and act on what’s most important. It inspires participants to apply a process that will dramatically increase their ability to achieve life’s most important outcomes. Supported by science and years of experience, this solution not only produces a measurable increase in productivity, but also provides a renewed sense of engagement and accomplishment.
This time and life management workshop will help participants focus on how to get the right things done. This discernment enables them to make wiser decisions, harness technology to enhance workflow, and put their finest attention and energy on executing what matters most.
This is what participants have to say about this training programme
The workshop takes place on October 25th 2017 from 8:30am to 5:00pm at the Bay Gardens Inn, Rodney Bay. The program cost US$850 per participant. The cost includes, a Pre and Post Assessment, Participant’s Workshop Materials as well as break and lunch. The more participants you register, the more you save!
Work-session Objectives:
v Understand the key productivity problems of the 21st century.
v Articulate the language and methodology of ‘discerning’ important from less important.
v Structure what extraordinary looks like in your current, most important roles.
v Implement weekly and daily planning processes to identify, schedule and execute on high-impact priorities.
v Explore how to manage appointments, tasks, contacts, notes and documents.
v Apply demonstrated Outlook or Lotus Notes ‘master moves’ and planning system to align your technology.
v Understand the impact of brain health and the 5 Energy Drivers on day-to-day performance
v Put together a process for implementing the 5 Choices
The Process:
The 5 Choices process includes a Pre-assessment, which gives participants an opportunity to examine their level of productivity; a one-day work session, where participants learn how to apply the 5 choices; a 5-Week Quick Start Action Plan to ensure skills, language, and behaviors are practiced and become part of the day-to-day culture; a Post-Assessment, and Report Session 5 weeks after the workshop to share their success stories and give concrete examples of improved productivity.
CEU (Continuing Education Unit) credits according are awarded to all those who participate in this world-class seminar according to the number of instructional hours associated with the program.
Complete the registration form Registration Form and return to celestial@candw.lc.
As part of ongoing efforts to increase awareness and cultivate a greater sensitivity towards productivity and competitiveness among Saint Lucians, the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NCPC) of Saint Lucia is getting set to host its fourth annual Productivity Awareness Week (PAW) from October 16 to 20 under the theme: ‘Empowering Human Resources for Greater Productivity.’
According to Executive Director of the NCPC, Mrs. Fiona Hinkson, this year’s activities will focus on reinforcing the importance of investing in the human resource as means of enhancing productivity as this ultimately impacts Saint Lucia’s competitiveness and economic growth.
“Human capital is a firm’s greatest asset. By investing in the capacity and ability of employees, companies are able to drastically improve employee performance and productivity. A critical component in addressing the productivity and competitiveness challenges that we continue face, is ensuring that we are able to adapt to the ever-changing environment by equipping our employees with the necessary skillset to face these challenges. Training and development is the first step towards developing employees who are competent, productive and solution-oriented. We are happy to start this process by working with the Public Sector this year for Productivity Awareness Week.”
The highlight of Productivity Awareness Week will be three days of workshops drawing employees at all levels across the various Ministries and Departments within the public sector. This training will run from Monday, October 16 to Wednesday, October 18 at the Finance Administrative Centre at Pointe Seraphine.
Participants will tackle the theme of Emotional Intelligence on Days 1 and 2 in a workshop entitled, “Enhancing Productivity Using Emotional Intelligence.” These sessions will be co-ordinated by Trainer and Psychologist, Ms. Constance-Ann Akuffo-Paul of Employee Assistance Solutions.
Day 3 will be facilitated by local Human Resource and Business Consultancy and licensed facilitator of the FranklinCovey franchise in the Eastern Caribbean, Celestial Self Development Centre. The areas of Delegation, Employee Engagement and Motivation will be covered in a workshop coined “Building a Highly Empowered Workforce through Effective Delegation.”
The training exercises for the week will develop and build on some of the core skills which are critical to job performance. The attitudes and current practices among participants will be assessed with a view towards improving the employee efficiency.
The NCPC recognises the importance of productivity as an issue of national importance and has issued a wider call to the private sector and individuals to use Productivity Awareness Week as an opportunity to reflect on ways in which they can empower themselves for greater productivity.
About the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC)
Established in October 2013, The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) is responsible for the identification of key issues related to competitiveness and productivity in Saint Lucia.
The NCPC and its Technical Secretariat is committed to providing the necessary advocacy and research to produce timely and effective recommendations to policymakers on issues that affect both competitiveness and productivity on island. For more information about productivity or on the NCPC, visit www.stluciancpc.org; www.facebook.com/stluciancpc, call 468-2592/2591/1587 or send an e-mail to stluciancpc@gmail.com
