By ANDRE BAGOO Wednesday, September 17 2008

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Hazel Manning...

THE PROCESS of local government reform will go on for as long as it takes, Local Government Minister Hazel Manning indicated yesterday as she launched a ground-breaking new programme which will reform the way projects are managed at all government ministries.

Speaking at the launch of a training programme, which will involve 400 employees of the Ministry of Local Government, Manning said this programme is key to achieving the objectives of reforming and developing local government.

But crucially, she also asked for continued support and cooperation in the ongoing process of local government reform. “We must keep going. We must keep building,” Manning said as she addressed those gathered in the Ballroom of the Hilton Trinidad, Cascade. “Some of you said that the process was taking too long. And that we were vacillating between green paper and white paper and then back to green paper.

“But we told you that change is uncertain and that we were aiming to get it right,” Manning said. “We must be certain that where we are going must be the right road. Local government must be reformed, needs to be reformed and will be reformed.”

She also revealed that 9,000 participants have taken place in the process of local government reform thus far and called the process “a resounding success”. The Minister’s comments came as the Local Government Ministry launched the ambitious training programme which will lead to the introduction of the Projects in Controlled Environment (PRINCE 2) programme.

PRINCE 2 is a structured approach to project management. It covers the management, control and organisation of a project and was originally developed by the United Kingdom’s Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) as a information standard for that country.

“This project management programme represents phase two of the ministry’s thrust towards modernisation and transformation,” Manning said. “We must engage in strategic change management.” She said the project was “inherently linked to the achievement of (the) goal of sustainability.”

The Local Government Ministry will act as the pilot ministry for the gradual introduction of the PRINCE 2 system to all government ministries.