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Caribbean Development Bank Partners with the World Bank Group to Build Public Procurement Capacity in the Region

Bridgetown, Barbados – July 9, 2015 – The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced the creation of a Regional Procurement Centre that aims to improve the efficiency and transparency of public spending across its Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs).

 

The Centre will provide high-quality, relevant, accredited education for procurement professionals in the Caribbean, which is tailored to the specific needs of the Region.

 

CDB has committed financing up to USD 137,875 and an estimated additional USD 45,895 in “in-kind” resources, such as staff time, to the project, which will be delivered under the Programme for Improved Public Investment Management through Sustainable Public Procurement Capacity Building in the Caribbean Region.  The World Bank has committed USD 320,000 in grant funding.

“Improving public procurement is essential to sustainable development and good governance. There has been some notable progress in reforming public procurement policies within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and CDB is pleased to support that momentum through the Regional Procurement Centre. It will provide robust training and help guide our Borrowing Member Countries toward reforming their public procurement systems,” said Douglas Fraser, Head of Procurement at CDB.

 

During the World Bank’s 2015 Caribbean Project Implementation Workshop, held June 8-11, 2015 in the Dominican Republic, Fraser shared with participants and sought feedback on the plans for the Centre, which will initially focus on supporting public sector procurement professionals.

 

During his presentation he outlined that after the initial launch, there are plans to enhance the Centre’s operations to provide services to both public and private clients. It is further hoped that the Centre’s role will evolve to include research, policy support, and wider procurement knowledge and networking services.

 

A medium-term business plan is included in the project to help make the Centre a commercially viable institution, sustainable beyond the initial World Bank and CDB funding.

 

A rigorous process to select a regional entity that will “house” and run the Procurement Centre and a procurement consultant to support the regional entity in developing the Centre and initial training is in progress. The Regional Procurement Centre is scheduled to commence operations in 2016.

 

These organisations will work closely together and seek feedback from key regional stakeholders to ensure the Centre and its training align with their needs.  CARICOM will be a key project partner to ensure the services offered complement its work to develop a regional procurement framework and protocol.

 

 

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About the Caribbean Development Bank

 

The Caribbean Development Bank is a regional financial institution established 1970 for the purpose of contributing to the harmonious economic growth and development of member countries. The Bank’s founding president was noted economist and Nobel Laureate Sir Arthur Lewis. There are nineteen regional borrowing member countries – including Guyana and Suriname; three regional non-borrowing member countries – Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia.  Members outside of the Region are Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Mexico, UK and Venezuela. As of December 31, 2014, CDB had total assets of USD2.61bn (This includes USD1.38Bn of ordinary Capital resources and USD1.23Bn of Special Funds Resources.)  CDB has an “Aa1” with stable outlook rating with Moody’s Rating Agency and an “AA/A-1+” with stable outlook rating with Standard and Poor’s Rating Agency. In 2014 the Bank approved loans and grants of USD269.5 million.

For further information please contact:

Klao Bell-Lewis
Head of Corporate Communications
Email: lewiskl@caribank.org and Mobile: (246) 826-9923

 

Or

Collin Cunningham

Communications Officer

Email: cunninc@caribank.org and Mobile: (246) 826-5614

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