The Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST) in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) hosted its first ever seminar with stakeholders in relation to the Public Sector Modernisation Programme (PSMP) on Wednesday, 5th July 2022 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael.

The theme for the Seminar was “Working Together – Achieving Targets for Public Sector Modernisation”.
The primary objective of this Seminar was to ensure that all the stakeholders where on the same page regarding the intended project targets.  Another key aim of the seminar was to highlight some of the issues and challenges encountered to date on the project and to discuss possible solutions to such issues. However, the major objective of the gathering was to encourage government agencies to participate and give priority to the modernization of the Public Service so that they all play their part in achieving alignment between the proposed outcomes and the Vision of the Barbados Public Service: A model of excellence, innovation, service, and leadership.
The team from the Public Execution Unit and representatives from the IDB presented on areas such as project measurement, procurement, and key areas from component 1 and 2 of the project that address the modernization of governments services through the adoption of Information Communication Technology (ICT) such as Digital Channels, and the strengthening of the Human Resource respectively.  Thereby creating an environment for citizen and business to access a broad range of government services, that are timely, cost effective, consumer centric and above all improve Barbados’s productivity to its citizens and prospective foreign investors.
Members of the PEU and IDB team repeatedly stressed the importance of stakeholder engagement and participation to the implementation of the programme.
Those agencies present were:
 1. Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs
2. Business Development, Ministry of Energy & Business Development
3. Ministry of Public Service
4. Solicitor General’ s Chambers
5. Barbados Immigration Department
6. Customs & Excise Department
7. Lands & Survey Department
8. Barbados Licensing Authority
9. Barbados Archives Department
10. Barbados Registration Department – no presence 
11. Barbados Police Service
12. Public Investment Unit
13. National Library Service
14. Planning & Development Department 
15. Office of the Attorney General
16. Ministry of Home Affairs and Information
17. Ministry of Health and Wellness
18. Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training
19. Ministry of Transport, Works and Water Resources
20. Government Procurement Department (Special Tenders Committee)
Country Representative, Inter-American Development Bank, Ms Vivianna del Carmen Alva Hart and the Executive Director, E-government Academy of Estonia, Mr. Hannes Astok who made his presentation via Zoom.