CDB pushes for stronger Caribbean evaluation culture

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is working to build a regional culture of evidence-based decision-making, with president Daniel Best calling for transparency and accountability among evaluators and policymakers.

As the inaugural Caribbean Evaluation Space got underway at the Wyndham Grand Barbados, Sam Lord’s Castle, on Tuesday, Best said the event focuses on building resilient societies, improving public institutions and ensuring investments benefit citizens.

The three-day forum is led by the Office of Independent Evaluation (OIE), an independent unit within the CDB that assesses the bank’s policies, strategies, and projects to ensure accountability and learning.

It brings together evaluators, policymakers, researchers and development practitioners from the OIE, the Caribbean Evaluation International Network, the University of the West Indies and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).

It aims to create a forum for participants to learn, connect, ask questions and lead evaluation shaped by Caribbean realities.

The head of the OIE, Dr Roberto La Rovere, said the Caribbean was “for the first time” creating its own space for evaluation, designed “by the Caribbean and for the Caribbean”.

La Rovere said: “For a long time, conversations about evaluation in our region have been part of broader global discussions. Certainly valuable, but the Caribbean was at times portrayed as a small part of a bigger region, of a larger story. So from today, the C for the Caribbean stands at the centre, also in evaluation. Therefore, the first Caribbean Evaluation space, or C Eval space, in short, recognises that its region has its own realities, its own development challenges, its own solutions, and its own lessons for the world.”

The answers must therefore come from Caribbean evidence, Caribbean experience and Caribbean leadership, he said.

The overall aim was to build a community of evaluators, policymakers, researchers and development practitioners capable of asking difficult questions, collecting meaningful data and turning findings into action.

“The Caribbean needs a stronger culture of evidence and people who know how to ask the hard questions, gather meaningful data to answer them, and translate the findings into action. It needs leaders in evaluation, leaders who can strengthen accountability, foster learning, brief analysis, and action. Leaders who understand that evaluation is not just about ticking boxes, but is about improving outcomes.”

Best highlighted the importance of evidence and the role of evaluation in improving outcomes across the Caribbean.

“This gathering marks an important shift in how we think about development in our region. It reflects a growing understanding that evidence is not optional; it is essential. Essential evidence informs better decisions, guides smarter investments, strengthens accountability, and ultimately delivers better results for the people we serve. Evaluation, therefore, is no longer something that happens at the end of a project. It helps institutions learn, adapt, and improve.”

He explained the bank’s responsibility for accountability and results, saying independent evaluation was central to that responsibility.

“Evaluation, therefore, is no longer something that happens at the end of a project. It helps institutions learn, adapt, and improve. As president of the Caribbean Development Bank, I have a responsibility to ensure that our institution remains accountable for the resources entrusted to us, and more importantly, for the results we promise to the people of this region. Independent evaluation, therefore, is central to that responsibility.”

Best pointed to difficult questions the region must be willing to answer honestly.

“The discipline of evaluation challenges us to ask some of the most important questions in development: Have our efforts delivered the results we intended? Have they created lasting value for our people and our countries? What worked? What did not? And most importantly, what must we do differently to achieve greater impact?”  

The region’s progress depended on its willingness to answer those uncomfortable questions, the CDB chief said.

Climate change, fiscal constraints, competing priorities, digital transformation and demographic changes were changing the nature and needs of Caribbean societies, while citizens were increasingly expecting transparency, stronger institutions and better public services, he added.

He continued: “In this context, accountability and transparency are not simply good governance principles. They are essential to how we position ourselves to honour national, regional, and global commitments, build public trust and ensure that scarce development resources deliver maximum impact.”

Evidence-based learning and collaboration across the Caribbean were needed to achieve greater impact, the CDB president said.

“Evidence gives us the confidence to make better choices. Evidence helps us adjust course when necessary, and evidence ensures that every investment contributes meaningfully to the sustainable development of our Caribbean region; that is why evaluation matters. For CDB, evaluation is not just a compliance requirement; it is a strategic tool that drives learning, improves performance, strengthens institutions, and enhances development impact.”

The Office of Independent Evaluation played an important role in providing the evidence, insights and accountability needed for stronger decision-making and institutional learning, Best added.

“This role is particularly important as we implement our 2026 to 2035 strategic plan, with its focus on development effectiveness, measurable results, and continuous improvement. Independent evaluation helps us understand not only what works but how to achieve results more effectively and sustainably.”

Youth development is at the heart of CDB’s strategy, Best said, as young professionals bring talent, creativity and leadership.

“Young professionals bring fresh perspectives, digital fluency and curiosity, and the courage to ask new questions. You will help redefine how evidence is generated, communicated, and most importantly, how it is used to improve lives. Many of you in this room may one day shape national policies, advise governments, lead institutions, and influence decisions that affect millions of Caribbean people.”

He said the CDB has a responsibility to strengthen decision-making today while building the institutions and systems the region will need tomorrow.

(LG)