Negotiations training ends

More than eight weeks of online training for 79 senior public servants climaxed last Friday, August 7th, with a closing and awards ceremony.{{more}}

The participants were involved in the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Distance Learning Capacity Building Pilot: Virtual Development Academy Caribbean Program, which was done in collaboration with the University of the West Indies Open Campus.

The ceremony saw the public servants, who are expected to have developed and enhanced their knowledge, attitudes and skills that relate to negotiations and consensus building, receiving certificates of participation.

Deputy Prime Minister Sir Louis Straker, who addressed the gathering, congratulated the awardees for successfully completing the course, saying that this revealed a level of commitment to service and discipline.

Noting that the public service is in a constant need of overhauling and reform, Straker said that the training should enable the participants to accept reform. He urged public servants to seize every opportunity to be on the cutting edge of learning, for their personal and professional development.

Local representative of the UNDP Laura Anthony Browne said that the program was piloted to the OECS and Barbados after its internal success with its staff members.

Browne, who is also the Director of Planning, and a successful participant, said that the program was just another successful collaboration between the organization and the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Also addressing the ceremony were Chairman of the Public Service Commission Cecil ‘Blazer’ Williams and Dr. Adrian Fraser, Head of the UWI Open campus, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The participants are expected to use the knowledge and skills gained to negotiate in the workplace, with workers’ organizations and with international partners and organizations.(JJ)