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Prime Minister Andrew Holness Urges Increased Public-Sector Productivity
As the Government moves to implement the next phase of the public-sector compensation review, Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has reiterated the call for increased productivity in the civil service.
“We are at the point where we have to get our public sector to be more efficient. But the public sector is not made up of block and steel. The public sector is made up of people; we have to get our people [to be] more efficient. Put it another way, we have to get our workers more efficient,” Mr. Holness said.
He was speaking during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Vineyards at Deanery apartment complex on Deanery Road in Vineyard Town, Kingston, on Wednesday (March 27).
The Prime Minister noted that productivity is a complex issue, partly driven by motivation fuelled by compensation.
“But a part of productivity is management, and the culture of managing our resources for efficient delivery is not a culture that is deeply entrenched in our public service. The Government has put in place the compensation review programme, which, so far, the understanding of it is that it is about increasing pay levels. That is so, and I think we have largely accomplished that, except for anomalies that need to be worked through,” he stated.
“The next phase of the compensation review is the performance and accountability systems. If we are to maintain these layers of accountability which you, the public, have asked for, and increase efficiency, which you, the public, are also asking for, then the only way to get both is by performance management. We have to set goals and we have to keep to those goals. We have to set systems of rewarding people who use initiative and who deliver,” the Prime Minister added.
Mr. Holness argued that this is not a concept that is necessarily rooted in the public service.
“We don’t take risks and we are not rewarded for risk or performance. If this project gets built on time, I get the same pay as if it did not get built on time. So, my job, uncomfortable as it is and as unfavourable as it sounds, is that if Jamaica is going to move forward to achieve the vision that all of us want and all of us want to participate in it, then the next phase of this compensation review has to be executed. And it is for all of us here who work in the public sector – we have to recognise our important role in embracing performance management. So, we are going to move towards that, and we are going to ensure that Jamaica becomes the productive country that we know it can be,” he emphasised.
The Prime Minister further noted that the only way to protect against inflation is to increase output and increase productivity.
“So, it is in the interest of workers to increase productivity,” he underscored.
Meanwhile, Mr. Holness welcomed the new housing development, and congratulated the developers for getting the project done.
The Vineyards at Deanery comprises studio and two-bedroom apartments, with a sixth-floor penthouse, which are in both blocks.
It offers convenient commute to key destinations, including hospitals, educational institutions, sports facilities, and churches.
Other features include solid countertops, porcelain tiles, pool house, glass-walled elevator, water tank, water heater, landscaped grounds and lobby, Juliet balcony, and 24-hour security.
General Manager, Jamaica Mortgage Bank (JMB), Courtney Wynter,
For his part, General Manager, Jamaica Mortgage Bank (JMB), Courtney Wynter, said the entity has significantly contributed to the nation’s housing stock and the growth of the economy.
He noted that evidence of this is in the financing of approximately 60 per cent of Portmore and, more recently, funding of the Long Mountain housing development, the University of the West Indies dormitories, and countless other developments across the length and breadth of Jamaica, including The Vineyards at Deanery.
“In 2020, the world experienced the worst pandemic in 100 years. Most global businesses were severely impacted as governments of the day tried to implement measures to keep their populations safe. Jamaica was not immune to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, unlike most developing and developed states, Jamaica had the foresight to balance the need for safety with the necessity for continued economic activities,” Mr. Wynter said.
“As a result, one of the sectors that held up our economy during this challenging period, was the construction sector. The Vineyards [at Deanery]… is clear evidence that the decision to keep the construction sector open during the pandemic was the correct decision,” he added.
Mr. Wynter noted that seven of the now eleven projects currently managed by the JMB started during the height of the pandemic.
He further stated that these apartments are the result of a very innovative public-private partnership.
“The Jamaica Mortgage Bank’s legacy over the past 50 years is also very evident, through the number of Jamaicans that have achieved homeownership through its business, resilience and innovation. As the Bank pivots for the next 50 years, to being a private listed company, it is our commitment to continue building on that legacy of a great Jamaican financial institution, providing safe and affordable housing and shelter for Jamaicans, while contributing to the wealth creation for the ordinary man,” Mr. Wynter said.
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Guardsman Metaverse, in collaboration with Jamaican artificial intelligence company Crimsontide AI, is revolutionizing security across Jamaica with cutting-edge, customizable solutions. This partnership brings together Guardsman’s expertise in virtual security and Crimsontide’s advanced AI technology, delivering a suite of intelligent security offerings tailored to meet the unique needs of Jamaican businesses and institutions.
Through this strategic collaboration, Guardsman Metaverse is positioned at the forefront of the country’s security landscape, offering systems that leverage both immersive digital technology and sophisticated artificial intelligence.
The partnership underscores the importance of local innovation in addressing the security challenges faced by Jamaica today, providing clients with tailor-made solutions that ensure effective protection.
Guardsman Metaverse is committed to offering security solutions that go beyond traditional models, emphasizing customization and flexibility to meet the specific requirements of each client. From large commercial operations to smaller enterprises, the platform delivers a personalized approach that ensures maximum efficiency and peace of mind.
This flexibility is what sets Guardsman Metaverse apart—adapting to each environment’s unique security demands and offering a more responsive, intelligent way to safeguard people and assets.
With AI-driven features that allow for real-time monitoring and proactive threat detection, Guardsman Metaverse empowers businesses and institutions to stay ahead of potential security breaches. Each system can be fully customized to fit the environment it protects, delivering advanced functionality across a wide range of settings.
Advanced Features for Comprehensive Protection
- Facial Recognition: Guardsman Metaverse enhances access control through secure, real-time identification of authorized personnel, ensuring that only those with clearance can enter critical areas.
- License Plate Detection: For commercial properties, this feature allows for real-time monitoring of vehicle activity, helping to identify unauthorized or suspicious vehicles and notify security personnel immediately.
- Personnel Counting and Crowd Management: Especially important for businesses, this feature tracks occupancy and manages crowd flow, helping to ensure safety, meet regulatory requirements, and optimize operational efficiency.
- Firearm Detection: Using AI-powered analysis, Guardsman Metaverse detects the presence of firearms, providing instant alerts to security teams to ensure a rapid and effective response to any threat.
- Customizable Behavioural AI: Tailored to each client’s specific needs, Guardsman Metaverse’s behavioural AI can be trained to detect and respond to specific actions or patterns that are unique to the environment it monitors.
- Infrared Drone Surveillance: Equipped with infrared technology, Guardsman Metaverse drones provide round-the-clock aerial surveillance, ideal for large properties, high-security areas, and search-and-rescue missions, offering comprehensive monitoring that goes beyond traditional methods.
These advanced security features are fully customizable, ensuring that businesses receive a solution designed specifically for their needs. Whether it’s safeguarding large commercial complexes, healthcare facilities or educational institutions, Guardsman Metaverse offers tailored protection that provides complete peace of mind.
The partnership with Crimsontide AI, a rapidly emerging Jamaican company specializing in state-of-the-art patent-pending artificial intelligence software, ensures that Guardsman Metaverse’s solutions are not only technologically advanced but also locally relevant.
Crimsontide AI Limited is at the forefront of technological innovation, and its expertise allows the system to be fine-tuned to the specific security challenges that businesses in Jamaica face.
Through this collaboration, a diverse offering of services is available to various customers and industries, including theft detection at banks, supermarkets, and retail stores, intruder detection and breach prevention at hotels and resorts, as well as risk mitigation and compliance solutions.
Crimsontide’s AI technology also enables businesses to recognize trends in data, detect outliers, and summarize data sets, all aimed at informing better business decisions.
This partnership ensures that Jamaicans are at the forefront of solving their own security issues, with solutions designed by Jamaicans, for Jamaicans. At Crimsontide AI, the commitment to rebuilding a safer Jamaica is at the heart of every innovation, working toward a future where local technology empowers local security.
However, beyond responding to security threats as they happen, Guardsman Metaverse is designed to predict and prevent potential issues before they escalate. By leveraging AI to analyse behaviours and patterns, the system can foresee risks, giving clients the ability to take proactive steps. This predictive approach ensures that businesses and homeowners are always ahead of security challenges, helping to mitigate risks before they become serious threats.
With Guardsman Metaverse, clients are empowered to protect their environments not just reactively but pre-emptively. This next-level security capability, combined with fully customizable features, ensures a comprehensive approach that adapts to the ever-evolving nature of security threats in today’s society.
Studies consistently show that most strategic plans fall short.
The reasons are varied, but a common mistake stands out: teams often assume they understand “strategic” planning, only to end up misguided, compromising their organizations’ success. Often, what they call a “strategic plan” lacks real strategic thought.
How Missteps Occur
If you’ve ever reviewed a company’s strategic plan, you’ve likely seen a list of ambitious goals. They may be grouped in catchy ways, but as you read through, doubts surface. Why?
You sense the organization may lack the resources or focus to achieve all these objectives simultaneously. The longer the list, the more you suspect it may be abandoned when daily issues arise, with lofty goals slipping out of view.
Redefining “Strategic”
One way to prevent this common pitfall is to rethink how we use the term “strategic.” Today, the label “strategic” is often used casually to signal importance, so much so that it’s lost its impact, and audiences tune it out.
This isn’t just a communication issue. When teams invest time in a strategic retreat, they expect the final plan to be truly strategic, yet often that’s not the case.
Typical brainstorming sessions encourage a mix of ideas and positive intentions without much structure. The result is often an extensive report of hopeful outcomes, which can look similar to other plans within the industry—ultimately, another reason for failure.
Enter the Strategy Triad
Peter Compo’s book *The Emergent Strategy* introduces a helpful redefinition of “strategic” by proposing a triad approach:
1. Aspiration: A meaningful, challenging goal that requires effort and won’t happen automatically.
2. Bottleneck: The main obstacle preventing the organization from achieving its aspiration(s).
3. Guiding Principle: A decision-making rule to help navigate actions that address the bottleneck.
Consider a store aiming to increase profits. If the biggest bottleneck is low brand recognition, the guiding principle could be to improve brand awareness through multiple channels—online, in-store, and through partnerships.
Applying the Strategy Triad
At a recent strategic planning retreat, a leadership team was challenged to apply the triad. Initially, it was difficult; identifying bottlenecks from new perspectives required collaboration and creativity, especially without cross-functional data, which led them to rely on firsthand experiences. Yet, they successfully defined bottlenecks and guiding principles that empowered employees to align their daily choices with the strategic plan. This alignment is what leaders want but is often rare.
Why Alignment is Rare
Leadership teams often avoid the challenging, healthy conflict required to build a robust strategy triad. They may take the easier path, creating lists of goals rather than diving into critical strategic planning. Alternatively, when discussions become too heated, leaders may intervene prematurely, cutting off debate and limiting essential buy-in.
To achieve meaningful alignment, it’s important to work through differing viewpoints until agreement is reached. Though challenging, this process builds the intellectual and emotional commitment needed for successful execution. By persevering through difficult conversations, leaders can significantly improve their strategic plans’ success and longevity.
Found this topic interesting? You may want to delve into my long-form content in my JumpLeap Strategic Planning Newsletter/Podcast.
Francis Wade
JumpLeap NewsletterPodcast
Framework Consulting
http://blog.fwconsulting.com : http://fwconsulting.com
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