Government project managers, coordinators and officers working on programmes funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), are now better equipped to monitor and evaluate the success of the projects under their purview.
This, after participating in an eight-day Project Monitoring and Evaluation seminar sponsored by and hosted at the IDB Barbados Country Office in Maxwell, Christ Church.
The seminar, conducted by facilitators from the Washington, DC-based International Law Institute, familiarised participants with project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems and tools that focus on results in international development. It offered both a conceptual framework and practical skill development.
The 17 participants were drawn from the Public Investment Unit (PIU) and six Project Executing Units (PEU) of the Government of Barbados that are managing IDB-funded projects across a variety of sectors, namely energy, education, social protection, transport and coastal zone management.
Participants indicated that the training provided useful tools and techniques for evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of their programmes. In addition, project coordinators noted that they gained insight into how M&E impacts project design, emphasising that it does not only happen at the middle or the end of a project, but is a continuous process throughout the entire project life cycle.
Meanwhile, the IDB’s Chief of Operations for Barbados, Francisco Javier Urra, highlighted the Bank’s commitment to building the capacity of Project Executing Units.
“The IDB has a very strong presence here and the IDB Country Office is open to you. Please continue to give your feedback on what areas need strengthening and what can be improved. After all, there is no PIU, PEU or IDB – there is one country and one goal, which is improving the lives of Barbadians. We will continue to offer opportunities to ensure better equipped PEUs and, ultimately, better results for Barbados.”
The Inter-American Development Bank is a main source of development financing for Barbados, with investment loans valued at US$191 million. (PR)
