Delegates of the 12th Biennial Conference of the Commonwealth
Association of Public Administration and Management (CAPAM), which
concluded today at the Marriott Hotel said this year’s theme
“Transforming the Public Sector for Climate Governance” is relevant
and timely given the existing climatic occurrences throughout the
region.
Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Officer in Charge,
Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business, University of the West Indies
(UWI), Dr. Ann Wallace said, “we don’t have to look too far to see
what is going on with some of the neighbouring countries… we are very
close to Dominica that is still in recovery mode.”
For Dr. Wallace, the shift from high policy focus to educating and
informing the populations of the respective countries about climate
issues, is the most interesting and beneficial aspect for her.
This new focus, she noted will help individuals to understand the role
they can play towards mitigation of the effects of climate change.
Dr. Wallace, added, “ it also came over to me from this conference
that these small islands and vulnerable states are not just sitting
back and being reliant on what the developing countries will offer us
as assistance, but we are recognising that working together we have a
role to play in calling the shots [and] making decisions… and be
better prepared for what the effects of the inevitable climate change
will be.”
Most importantly, Dr. Wallace said the need for the nations to unite
and pool resources to show that countries in the region can better
themselves as they work collectively to tackle the global phenomenon.
“To do that we need to educate and inform our people, all of this came
out from this conference and for that reason, I am happy to have been
a delegate here,” she noted.
Meantime, Executive Director, Caribbean Centre For Development
Administration (CARICAD), Barbados, Devon Rowe told DPI there was a
fair exchange of country experiences during the plenary sessions,
which allows for the opportunity to avoid the recreation of the wheel.
He noted, “we understand what people elsewhere are doing and we have
an opportunity to tap in.”
In addition, the conference, Rowe said, pointed to the need for more
partnerships and the deepening of existing ones to ensure countries
meet their common agendas.
“Also, from the point of view of peer-to-peer learning, not only
understand what people are doing but avoid the obstacles they had
faced on their journey to where they are now,” Rowe added.
Only recently, amid a flood disaster, which caused massive destruction
and loss of property in some parts of the Twin -Island Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago, a 4.2 tremor followed by a 5.1 magnitude
earthquake rocked the nation, leading to the declaration of a national
disaster.
These and other weather occurrences have led to the deepening of
climate talks, among the Caribbean and other states.
According to CAPAM, with many regions experiencing both shared and
unique climate challenges, “it is clear that effective and efficient
climate governance must occur across government systems and through a
multitude of sectors in order to better tackle complex environmental
matters.”
The 2018 conference was hosted under a number of sub-themes focusing
on structuring the public sector so that it is increasingly aware of,
and coordinated in being climate proactive.
