The Caribbean Leadership Project (CLP), funded by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), and executed by the Canada School of Public Service, convened the second module for Cohort 3 in its Leadership Development Programme (LDP) here in St Vincent and the Grenadines yesterday.{{more}}

The module, which runs from July 21 to 25, is being held at the Sunset Shores Hotel and follows the previous module which was held in Grenada.

During the opening ceremony, which was held last night at the official residence of Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves addressed this third cohort which comprises 24 permanent secretaries and officers of equivalent rank from nine CARICOM countries and three regional organisations.

Daniel Joly, counsellor, head, Development Cooperation (Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago), Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) was the other featured speaker at this event. Prime Minister Gonsalves also hosted a reception in honour of this third LDP cohort.

As part of each module, the LDP participants will go on field trips in order to examine areas of leadership and public sector management that are working extremely well in the region. In the case of St Vincent and the Grenadines, the participants will be examining the International Airport Development Co. Ltd, the Central Water and Sewerage Authority, the National Emergency Management Organisation, and the St Vincent Electricity Company Ltd These field visits will provide opportunities for the participants to explore the significant shifts that have occurred in the life of these organisations and the role of leadership in supporting those shifts.

By participating in this Leadership Development Programme, participants are expected to advance regional integration and economic development by bringing practical learning to the workplace and developing a network of trusted colleagues during and beyond the programme. The third module of the LDP is scheduled to take place in Barbados in September. There will also be a study tour to Canada in October, before the programme culminates with a leadership symposium to be held in Trinidad and Tobago in December. Subsequent cohorts of the LDP will target the next two levels of public service officers (both technical and administrative) in the chain of command within central governments and key regional institutions.