Anguilla News covers Anguilla and the wider
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Social
Partnerships and Jamaica
Date Posted: November 12, 2008.
How can Jamaica get government, the private sector and
citizens to work together to help promote economic growth,
learning from other countries? The Caribbean Policy Research
Institute (CaPRI) and the Caribbean Council are currently
undertaking a project on Social Partnership in Jamaica to
help find out just that.
The CaPRI team is conducting a study on Social Partnership
models, with the intention of looking at examples of best
practice on social partnerships in different countries and
whether they might relate to Jamaica.
Examples of Social Partnership models can be found in
various countries around the world, and usually include
voluntary agreements between the Government, main employer
groups and trade unions on issues surrounding pay and wages,
tax, and welfare. In countries where such models have been
implemented successfully, they have played a central role in
economic strategies that have produced rapid and sustainable
growth.
The Republic of Ireland is perhaps the best known example of
a successful Social Partnership. To assist in the
development of CaPRI’s study, the Caribbean Council has
arranged for a former top Irish official, Paul Haran to
visit Jamaica and participate in a number of informal
meetings and discussions on social partnership.
Mr Haran is one of the individuals credited with developing
and implementing the social partnership programme in Ireland
that led to the increased economic growth that earned it the
international title ‘Celtic Tiger’ in his role as
then-Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise,
Government of Ireland. The aim of the visit is for Mr Haran
to assist with consultations being held by CaPRI with key
stakeholders from the public and private sector and outline
Ireland’s experience in areas identified by Jamaican
interests as being of relevance to Jamaica.
Mr. Haran will meet with Government and Opposition, as well
as taking part in a number of seminars organised by CaPRI
and Jamaica Trade and Invest. The discussions that take
place during the visit will feed in to the research
currently being undertaken by CaPRI, with the final report
being released early in 2009.
The Caribbean Council, led by David Jessop, has worked with
CaPRI to put this project together. The project is being
supported by the UK Department for International
Development, the Jamaica Tourist Board, De La Rue and Virgin
Atlantic. Commenting David Jessop noted that “Ireland’s
history and recent economic experience have unusual
relevance for the economies of the Caribbean. Mr Haran’s
direct experience in the development of successful social
partnerships and his involvement in Ireland’s economic
transformation are likely to be of great interest to all in
Jamaica who are seeking new avenues to growth.”
