Minimum 60 hours of yearly training coming for gov’t workers

As the government continues its bid to improve the public service, civil servants will soon be required to complete a minimum of 60 learning hours annually.

This will be part of the Essential Learning and Development Programme available to all public officers, through the new Virgin Islands Public Service Learning Institute (VIPSLI).

The institute is set to be completely launched in early 2024 and is poised to place the Virgin Islands as a leader in public service transformation and development.

According to the government, the institute will stand as the instructional and governing body for the training and development of all new and existing public officers and will endeavour to ensure officers have the necessary skills and abilities needed to carry out their duties.

Deputy Governor, David Archer Jr expressed gratitude for the work that has gone into the development of the institute.

“It is an incredible feeling to know that more resources are available now for the development of public officers, and, by extension, the transformation of the public service. This is an important step forward on the road to building a world-class public service”, the Deputy Governor said.

Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Sharleen DaBreo-Lettsome stated that she has increased confidence in the outlook for the future of the public service through the work of the institute. She said the genesis of the programme represents the beginning of a new age of continued and increased excellence within the public service.

“The training and development of the public service will be closely aligned with the priorities and objectives defined within the National Sustainable Development Plan and the Public Service Transformation Plan,” the Permanent Secretary added.

The Learning Institute is estimated to benefit tremendously from a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the H Lavity Stoutt Community College. The extensive MOU allows the Learning Institute to build upon and thrive within the existing framework for professional development that the college has developed and enables public officers the immediate benefit of these collective resources.

Interim Director of the institute Dr Connie George said training and development will span from entry-level personnel to senior leaders within the service.

Dr George said: “Our collective commitment to ongoing learning will contribute greatly to the overall improvement and success of the public service, leading to enhanced service delivery and better outcomes for the public. With a specific focus on building capacity, we will continue to develop a public service that is truly one to be rivalled on the world stage.”