Looking back, Looking forward | Increasing public knowledge of the CDF

It has been a distinct privilege and honour to lead the dedicated and hardworking men and women comprising the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) team since assuming office in May 2018.

The CDF's mandate is central to the delivery of good governance through partnership with stakeholders across the 63 constituencies in delivering services and implementing projects that develop communities, positively impacting people's lives and building a better Jamaica.

My experiences in project management and social entrepreneurship have been serving me well as head of the CDF as there has been focused attention on accountability, transparency, equity and efficiency. The team I lead is confident that, as we concentrate our efforts on these fundamental areas, we will be much more successful as an organisation and deliver even more value for money to the Jamaican taxpayer.

Since assuming office, the team and I have been focussing our attention on the following areas and we have achieved some successes to date. This includes:

1. The revision of the operations procedures accepted by MOFP to improve efficiency, ensure value for money, promote transparency and accountability. There is now an established limit on project categories.

2. We recently developed a social media presence and the website is currently under construction. Instagram: @constituencydevelopmentfund Facebook: Constituency Development Fund.

3. There is an aggressive push for an increase in reporting compliance by project implementing agencies and we have seen success to date, due to the fact that a reporting template was created by the unit. This in and of itself has strengthened the relationship with project implementing agencies and we have seen a greater buy-in.

4. MOUs re-drafted for the next five years, reviewed by OPM's legal team and signed by all 24 implementing agencies.

5. More astute management of funds disbursed, for example the reconciliation of balances held (SDC example cited in Gleaner, Jamaica).

There have been a lot of misperceptions and misrepresentations about how the CDF operates and it has been my priority to create greater transparency and increase public knowledge about the use and activities of the fund. This includes clarifying how disbursements are made and for what purposes they can be used. In pursuit of this, I have held several stakeholder meetings across constituencies with community members and members of parliaments and their committees to outline the processes and function of the fund. Greater transparency will undoubtedly be the hallmark of my stewardship.

TRANSPARENCY

A critical element of transparency must be the reduction of debt owed to the CDF. As such, I am pleased to state that $24 million of the $109 million that was previously owed to communities by the Social Development Commission has been received and will be allocated in short order. I have taken a very firm stance as it relates to this and there have been successes so far. The fund is for the benefit of communities and I will be resolute in ensuring that debts are collected and resources are made available to the members of parliament so they can effectively represent their constituents.

We have also been informing constituents of the allocations and projects that will benefit their constituency. This will be continued moving ahead with greater communication between the constituents and the fund. They are the beneficiaries of the projects and should hold the government and their representatives accountable for projects being undertaken. To help them to do this, the fund has become increasingly accessible and will continue to host meetings across all 63 constituencies.

Parliament's CDF committee met in October to review 49 projects for approval ahead of the Christmas period. This includes submission from members of both political parties. It is my intention to dispel the myth that the CDF is a tool of political victimization but rather a social system for the benefit of all. More than $80m in projects were submitted from both sides of parliament.

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

For the 2019-2020 fiscal year, the Constituency Development Fund Programme Management Unit will strive for more physical infrastructure projects. We have started with works in constituencies such as West Rural St Andrew where the Padmore Infant School received support through Member of Parliament Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn for construction as well as the Red Hills Skills Training Centre which was opened in September which will benefit over 150 unattached youth.

Another example to be sited is the Frankfield Resource Centre which was recently approved and work commenced through the support of North West, Clarendon Member of Parliament, Richard Azan.

I envisage a CDF which continues to raise its profile and exhibit proficiency and efficiency in the delivery of its mandate so that it remains relevant and accrues increased goodwill.

The vision is to undertake projects that will be lasting and help to benefit communities for generations. Capital projects and physical infrastructure will be the focus going forward and I encourage the MPs to identify projects and make their submissions.

I want the impact and work of the CDF to be seen and felt. We will be far more visible, but people must be able to see what the CDF funds are doing in their communities, and I believe that improving physical infrastructure is the perfect route for accomplishing this.

The fund is named for development and that will be the focus now and in the future under my administration; tangible development of constituencies.

- Kedesha Campbell, head of the Constituency Development Fund Programme Management Unit.