Senior Managers in the Public Service are being trained this week in the techniques of negotiating agreements in services and public procurement.

The five day training workshop titled “Short programme on trade negotiations” commenced on Monday and was organised by the Government of the Virgin Islands.  The training is being facilitated by Dr. Stephen Woolcock and Dr. Elisa Garnizova of LSE Consulting Ltd., a United Kingdom company. The instructors are said to be experienced senior experts in trade/international economic negotiation with knowledge of the specific topics of services and public procurement. 

Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie says he welcomes the partnership between the Government of the Virgin Islands and LSE Consulting for the training of the senior public officers which he said will better assist in matters of negotiating trade and procurement agreements.

Premier Fahie stated, “I am happy to see the collaboration of the Government and LSE Consulting.  I am even more delighted to know that the senior managers of the Public Service are further improving their skills set to better contribute to the Government of the Virgin Islands and the wider Territory.  I know that we are moving in the right direction by investing in workshops such as these for capacity building of our public officers”.

Meanwhile, Financial Secretary, Mr. Glenroy A. Forbes said the training is necessary for the senior managers. “For years I have championed the virtues that capacity building in this area holds for the public service and the Territory by extension,” Mr. Forbes said. He added “The new skills set to be developed by the participants will go a long way in ushering in a wave of efficiency, savings and greater focus for effective expenditure.”

The workshop will concentrate on areas including analytical tools for a better understanding of the factors that shape any negotiation, as well as making for more effective negotiators and negotiating strategies.

Participants will also be trained in the rational approaches to prepare and conduct negotiations, institutional factors shaping negotiations, and transparency and trust as factors in negotiations.

The objective of public procurement is to promote an enhanced and sustainable capacity in agreements and their negotiation.

To this end, it is proposed that a programme of course units be offered to provide the flexibility necessary to provide a broad appreciation of the issues and negotiating processes in public procurement for those engaged in trade negotiations.

The workshop will end on Friday, November 8.