Galen and G.O.B. Join Forces for Public Service Reform

While the unions have been agitating for good governance measures to be enacted by the Government, there is already an ongoing partnership between G.O.B. and Galen University.  Their “train the trainer” program is designed to help with both good governance and public service reform. News Five’s Duane Moody travelled west for the signing and files this report.

Duane Moody, Reporting

A partnership agreement between Galen University and G.O.B. was officially penned today in San Ignacio. According to Public Service Minister, Henry Charles Usher, it’s part of the Briceño administration’s commitment on its good governance agenda.

Henry Charles Usher

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service, Constitutional & Political Reform

“It’s a convergence of wills. It is a signal by all the partners involved that we are serious about developing this country; we are serious about doing it the right way. We are training the trainers. So we have thirty-nine persons from different ministries who are learning how to then take back that training module to their respective ministries. So the hope is that every single public officer gets to do this training module at some time or the other. We want to make it a part of the promotion requirements meaning that you can’t go from one level to the next unless you take the training module within your particular ministry.”

The training at Galen began earlier this year and is being facilitated by Professor Carlos Magana, an economist who helped to develop the program.  Doctor Cynthia Aird says that it’s a historic milestone for the university.

Cynthia Eve Aird

Dr. Cynthia Eve Aird, Provost, Galen University

“Even as we sign this agreement, we are one week short of the completion of a seven-week course in which forty-three senior public officers are being trained as trainers for the delivery of good governance, transparency and ethics. These officers would in turn deliver training to members of their respective ministries.”

The U.S. Government is providing support to the initiative through its CARSI program.

Alan Flesch

Alan Flesch, Economic & Political Officer, U.S. Embassy in Belize

“What CARSI plans to do is to improve citizen security, good governance, transparency – all of these things which the presence of inhibiting factors would drain down a country. So what we want to do is to enable Belizeans who have the great ideas, who have the capacity, who have the spirit to come together, form their civil society unit, organizations, the non-governmental organizations and then give them the funds and the resources to succeed and advance those goals.”

The five-year agreement will see programs in other areas made available for public officers.

Henry Charles Usher

“We hope to collaborate on other projects. It’s not only good governance. We also have a training module that we are developing with Galen for our finance officers to learn budgeting, to learn how to implement cost saving measures within the ministries. So there are other areas that we hope to work in partnership with Galen as well.”

Duane Moody for News Five.

Today’s M.O.U. signing was held at the Cahal Pech Village Resort in San Ignacio.