Effective project management key for addressing national issues

How the government implements projects to address national issues associated with climate change, hard economic times and other problems will be critical as the island seeks to improve its resilience, says Minister in the Ministry Of Economic Affairs and Investment Senator Chad Blackman.

He has therefore called for a fresh approach to the project management process and suggested that project managers become the chief executive officers for each project assigned.

Delivering remarks at a project management symposium organised by the Inter American Development Bank under the theme Fostering Collaboration, Leadership And Innovation at the Hilton Barbados Resort, Blackman said: “The world, and indeed, Barbados continues to face many crises, all of which are interconnected – the issue of high cost of living, fiscal constraints, climate crisis, natural disasters, food and energy security, social erosion, and cybercrime. There are none that are not connected and, therefore, in the context of the polycrises, governments and their partners must move from policy to action.

“It requires us to be more granular in our efforts to not only improve the project portfolio performance by the standard metrics that we use, but rather to be innovative and ensure the sustainability of projects and outcomes and impacts to improve our lives and livelihoods or advance. It means, in my view, that project teams must be the CEOs of change and the champions of exemplary project management techniques.”

Senator Blackman also said donour agencies must be nimble and flexible when required, exercising greater flexibility in the turn-around times for projects and how they are designed and approved..

“Traditionally, we know that donors normally give plus or minus five years for the execution of projects. Realistically, we know from the outset that a project generally is a six-year programme at the minimum. This modality needs to be changed and also be more aligned with the actual realities on the ground. This process of streamlining is not only for loans but also relative to technical assistance,” he said.

(SZB)