PHOTO CUTLINE: L to R, Okama Ekpe Brook, Senior Policy Advisor (BAK), Joeri Arion, Policy Advisor (BAK), Andrea Ortega-Oudhoff, Senior Project Manager National Development (BAK), and Tom Woods, Project Manager, from the United Nations Volunteer and UNDP, after conducting a presentation to civil society organizations.
Part of National Development Plan Process
The Regional Centre of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for Latin America and the Caribbean (RCLAC) is supporting the National Development Plan (NDP) process through a capacity building program for "dialogue champions" and "facilitators" integrating virtual and face-to-face learning on democratic dialogue.
The NDP project, "Building a Nation: Sint Maarten National Development Plan & Institutional Strengthening," is being led by the country’s Department of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK) of the Ministry of General Affairs.
The course can accommodate up to 40 persons and will start August 13 and run until September 6. It will be in English, there are no costs/fees involved, and the deadline to register is August 6. The participant after successfully completing the course will receive a certificate of approval issued by UNDP Virtual School and UNDP RCLAC.
Requirements for the course are that you have access to a computer and internet, and have 10 hours minimum per week to participate in course activities. BAK is arranging computer facilities and locations that would allow individuals without the aforementioned still the opportunity to participate in the virtual course.
The course is for persons who are interested in getting involved with the NDP process and playing a crucial role in the bottoms-up approach that has been embarked upon.
A two-page spread will appear in the daily newspapers and will also be available on the Government website with respect to more information pertaining to this virtual course and how to sign-up. The first advertisement will appear on July 31 followed again on August 2.
The NDP is being developed through community engagement/people participation. The NDP is a people’s project that is putting institutions in place that not only enable everyone in St. Maarten to come together to build a national development strategy but to have an on-going participation in its implementation.
The NDP is a strategic policy on a constitutional level. Governments will have their own four-year term proposals in how to implement their programs in accordance with the NDP, but the actual overarching strategy of the NDP will not be able to be changed by governments themselves at the end of this process.
For further information please refer to: nationaldevelopment@sintmaartengov.org, and/ or call 542-0897.