Jamaican Diaspora Stakeholder Engagement for National M & E System

With Jamaica’s Independence celebration coming up six days from today, we believe it is important to focus on building capacities for sustainable development at home and in the diaspora.

We also believe presenting this opportunity for diasporans to contribute the the development of Jamaica’s National Monitoring and Evaluation Systems in partnership with the Co-leaders of the UN Decade of Evaluation for Action, Jan V and the Jamaica Diaspora North East, USA will help to catalyze change.

But we will need you and your commitment to drive the sustainable development of Jamaica and to secure a better future for us at home and in our host cities.

Will you join us?

Meet our guest speakers and session facilitators

 

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Khalil Bitar

Khalil Bitar is the Chair of EvalYouth Global Network; Founder of the Palestinian Evaluation Association (PEA); Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the EvalYouth MENA Chapter; and co-leader of the Eval4Action Campaign.  Khalil is also a leader of the EvalMENA Network and serve as a member of the EvalPartners Coordination Committee (and previously EvalPartners Management Group).

Khalil has worked an internal and external evaluator and researcher for several governmental institutions and local and international NGOs in the MENA region and Europe. Throughout his experience, he evaluated numerous projects and programs covering a wide range of sectors, including: education, refugee response, economic empowerment, youth, gender, women empowerment, local governance, corporate social responsibility, and training.

He is now completing his doctoral research (Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at Erfurt University – Germany)  focusing on investigating the impact of M&E systems on policymaking and governance in conflict-affected and fragile states. He holds an Advanced Master’s degree in Development Evaluation and Management (Institute of Development Policy and Management at Antwerp University – Belgium) and Bachelor degree in International Politics and Sociology (City University London – UK).  He is also an International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET) graduate.

Khalil has published articles in the New Directions for Evaluation Journal and Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation, and he has been a speaker in several evaluation community conferences and other events.

His research interests include evaluation in conflict-affected and fragile states, national evaluation systems, policy evaluation, evaluation in the MENA region, activism in evaluation, and social justice, equity-focused, and youth participatory evaluation.

 

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Johannes (Jan) VOORDOUW

Johannes (Jan) VOORDOUW is a well-rounded development professional who has worked in the Wider Caribbean region for over 30 years.  He is a dual national Jamaica/Netherlands, multi-lingual and an ecologist by training.  Since 2015 as an independent consultant, Jan Voordouw specializes on project and programme evaluation, institutional development, community participation and media development.  He previously worked with the relief and development social enterprise Cordaid as Haiti director, the regional communication for development organization Panos Caribbean as Executive Director and Director of Programmes, and UNEP’s Caribbean Environment Programme as Programme Officer).

During past years, he conducted various designs of M&E frameworks, regarding forestry management and justice reform.  Currently, he is designing the M&E framework and plan of Vision 2030 Jamaica-National Development Plan, including the SDGs.  Further, Jan Voordouw is regularly involved in strategic planning activities at local community, national and regional levels.  Jan Voordouw has a M.Sc. from the Agricultural University of Wageningen, Netherlands.  Currently he serves on the Boards of Caribbean Evaluators International as Marketing and Communication Director and the Alliance française de la Jamaïque as Treasurer.

 

Andrea Wright

Andrea Wright is a Guidance Counsellor at Charlemont High School, Linstead, Jamaica. She has worked at Dinthill Technical and Vere Technical High. The Parenting Speaker and Actress is popularly known as Delcita, a popular Jamaican comedian.

Andrea excels at working with parents for ensuring they understand the connection between a nurturing home and academic achievement. She helps teachers with coping strategies for behavioural challenges. Her proven track record of success includes helping Departmental Heads to deliver various school projects. In 2015, Andrea organized and successfully launched the Vere Technical High School’s first Children’s Day Celebration. In 2015 she was selected as the advocate for the United States Embassy Youth Ambassadors from Clarendon.

Andrea is solid in her belief that the quality of a country’s labour force rests on its investment in its children. Hence, in May 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, she heralded a campaign to send external exam students back into the high schools for a few weeks of face to face teaching and also strongly advocated that the Ministry of Education allow the students to sit their CSEC and CAPE exams at the same time as the other Caribbean countries.

She is a well sought after Guest Presenter and recently addressed the Bank of Jamaica retirees on coping skills and strategies. Besides theatre, her event development experience includes staff development workshops addressed by executives such as the Chief of the Office of Children’s Registry (OCR).

She has appeared in many theatrical productions as well as Jamaica’s first AIDS Awareness Documentary written by Trevor Rhone. Her stage plays include De Driva, Money Worries, Granny Del, Honeymoon and her true story, Court House Drama.

The Gleaner’s Youth Link named her actress of the year 2012 and Your View Awards named her Jamaican Actress of the year 2017-2018.
She attended Shortwood Teachers’ College and holds a BSc., Degree in Guidance and Counselling from Northern Caribbean University. In addition, she is an A+ Certified Technician (Microsoft, International Professional Certification), and is trained in Psychosocial Training for Grade 7-9 Teachers.

Her mantra: Challenges are Intersections – Stay on Course
Andrea is available for speaking engagements including keynote, guest speaker, motivational talks and Guest speaking, motivational talks and theatrical skits.

Dr. Karren Dunkley

Dr. Karren Dunkley is an Educator, Transformational Leader, and Social Advocate. She is the Representative of the Jamaican Diaspora, Northeast USA. Dr. Dunkley is a Proven Performer, who has earned the respect and recommendation of others who have seen her work first hand. Currently, Dr. Dunkley is one of the most successful educators in the United States, and one of the most internationally recognized Jamaican-born educators. As a former high school principal and deputy superintendent, Dr. Dunkley is known for her transformational leadership and her inspiring relationships with the young people whom she has mentored in Jamaica, New York, and Pennsylvania.

She holds a doctorate in Urban Education with a concentration in Organization and Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University; Masters degrees in Political Science and Education Leadership from St. John’s University, and Columbia University, respectively, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Education from St. John’s University. She is the principal/CEO of KND Consulting, LLC, and the co-proprietor of Spiritz of Montego Bay.

She is the recipient of the Tuskegee University Education Advocacy Award, Omega Psi Phi Education Achievement Award, Philadelphia OIC’s Impact Award, and the Team Jamaica Bickle Community Educator Award.

The Marathoner

Meegan Scott

Meegan Scott, is a Strategic Management Consultant and Principal at Magate Wildhorse Consulting. For almost two decades, She has helped organizational leaders across industries and geographical borders to get better results from their strategy development, planning, and execution processes.  Meegan is the founder and owner of Magate Wildhorse Ltd, Toronto and Magate Wildhorse Inc, New York. Her most recent in Caribbean engagements includes Climate Finance Strategy Planning, The First Ever Outsource to the Caribbean Conference (2017), business incubation, and  corporate strategy planner to the National Environment and Planning Agency of Jamaica. Meegan is also the founder of both Caribbean Evaluators International; BIDEM International Caribbean Diaspora Conference and Trade Show; The Community of Practice of Practice for Caribbean Immigrant Entrepreneurs, author of The Marathoner, a self-syndicated business column as well as the Chief Editor and Producer of The Noësis, Strategy and Performance Magazine/Journal. Meegan had the privilege of compiling the first edition of Jamaica’s Compendium of Sustainable Development Indicators in 2003 while serving as Corporate Strategy Planner to the National Environment and Planning Agency of Jamaica (NEPA).

Meegan is committed to partnering for and delivering influential evaluations, as well as facilitating the use and demand for evaluation within and beyond the Jamaican diaspora, host countries and the Caribbean.

 

Dania Headshot

Dania Sammott

Dania Sammott, is an experienced Retail Merchandizer and Travel Counsellor. Her experience include serving in the hypermarket sub-sector as well as in retail, pharmacy, food and household departments.  She is the Director, Public Relations for the Manchester High Alumni, Toronto, Chapter.

Dania will serve in the role of time keeper for today’s event.

Event Flyer                               Event Programme

Resources added post event on July 31, 2020 courtesy of Jan Voordouw.

In addition to the SDG related links in the event programme at the link above Jan is pleased to share the following with you.

https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/rankings?utm_sq=gghcxpkail

https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/downloads

SDGs and COVID-19


We partner

Business Threat Seminar Discusses Governance Model & Livelihood Protection

 

COVID 19 Caribbean Diaspora Business Response News

Gina Sanguinetti Phillips 5Caribbean governments should build a financial protection strategy that combines instruments that address different layers or types of  risks. So said Gina Sanguinetti-Phillips, Program Manager at Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF SPC).

She was speaking at the fifth global Outride: COVID 19 Business Threat Seminar recently hosted by Magate Wildhorse Ltd, Toronto and attended by representatives in various diasporic markets as well as participants in the Caribbean.

Among the protection strategies and instruments shared by Sanguinetti-Phillips were:

  • parametric insurance, traditional insurance,
  • CAT-Bonds,
  • contingency debt facility, donor assistance (relief and reconstruction),
  • budget reallocation, tax increase and
  • credit (domestic and external) depending on the phase of the disaster response.

The climate risk finance and protection opportunities shared are available to both governments and vulnerable low-income individuals such as “small farmers, tourism workers, fishers, market vendors and day labourers. Vulnerable income individuals can benefit through the provision of  quick cash payouts following extreme weather events (specifically, high winds and heavy rainfall)”.  Participants expressed a strong desire contribute and benefit as business leaders and investors in their home countries.  They pressed for Caribbean wide access to the livelihood protection and other solutions. Sanguinetti-Phillips noted that between 1970 and 2017 damages from natural disaster totaled US $156 billion dollars.

Rudi Page of Making Connections Work, UK invited Gina to share the opportunities with diasporans in the UK.  Available scholarships and internships in climate risk finance were also of interest.

The MarathonerUnveiled at the event was the hybrid core-peripheral network governance model with integrated market mode— for governing and coordinating a comprehensive diaspora and Caribbean response. The model was shared by Meegan Scott, Principal at Magate Wildhorse Consulting. It is an inclusive and collaborative mechanism for delivering business and economic recovery.  The model has been adapted for advancing individual and collective sustainable development goals and ambitions of Caribbean diasporans, home and host countries.

Scott pointed out that the model will eliminate negative competition and allow for different organizations and individuals to advance their visions while contributing to global and local action and results.

The core-periphery structure is often used for driving resilience because it allows for connectivity, idea generation, and information flow including during emergencies or shocks.  The flow can be intensified or scaled down as required for drawing in the public and private sectors as well as civil society as needed.

There will be a need for “significant changes in culture, practice, entrepreneurship in diasporic markets,  and the need to develop key industry market sectors”. “In addition, other social and economic challenges must be addressed, it was therefore essential to include a market mode”. The market mode will complement the network to deliver effective coordination and the development of efficient markets. Complete with diaspora-coordinated working groups, communities of practice, networks and communities, governments, think tank and markets, the model will drive the delivery of profit, purpose, mission-driven social impact and functions of key stakeholders and duty bearers in the third, public and higher education sectors in host and home countries. The model was partly informed by research on COVID 19 and its impact on diaspora organizations being by Scott since April of this year.

In another session Scott shared about Supply Chains, opportunities and strategy responses and hidden industry sectors impacted COVID 19 that hold pivot opportunities for entrepreneurs.  Jennifer Clémence Graham, Managing Director and Senior Consultant at JG&G Consulting Services Inc. highlighted the importance of being social while presenting “ Digital Transformation – Process Pivots for COVID 19 and Beyond”.  Theo Chambers, Motivational Speaker at CaribAcademy reminded the gathering “To be an entrepreneur you don’t have to fear, always do your best, consider how you spend your day, get ready for of any opportunity you can afford or manage”. He also cautioned the audience “not to participate in the recession”,  but to borrow that approach used with success by Sam Walton of Walmart during the 1991 recession.

Roy Page, of Asterix Tourism Services Ltd asked that the gathering consider the financing challenges faced by the Government of Jamaica and growing debt to the Chinese.  That came as the group contemplated the need to shift the mix of remittances towards investment in productive capital. The agriculture sector and food security were named as a priority. Rudi Page, Dr. Roy Davidson, of UNI Healthcare Inc and Andrew Sharpe of Authentic Caribbean Foundation championed health care and disability while Philip Bedward of Pathways, championed education.

Factored into the strategic profit and purpose responses of the organizational leaders for helping themselves, host and home countries were:

  • Predications of a more active hurricane season or the Caribbean with a forecast of 7 to 9 hurricanes, two of which are expected to become major.
  • The pronouncements of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNELAC), for the region shared by Gina “the COVID-19 pandemic will result in the worst economic contraction in the history of Latin America and the Caribbean” and that will that will come “sharp increases in unemployment; reduction in household incomes and the ability to meet basic needs; falling commodity prices; reduction in international trade; and increases in the poverty rate”.

CCRIF, the world’s first multi-country multi-peril risk pool based on parametric insurance and provides parametric catastrophe insurance for Caribbean and Central American governments. Their solutions covers drought, public utilities, agriculture, excess rainfall,  tropical cyclone, and fisheries, the tourism industry included.  The group will reconvene to look at trade, finance and investment as well as how to leverage the governance model for impactful joint response and recovery during and post the COVID 19 era;  as well as how to better prepare to help the Caribbean through relief, recovery and reconstruction phases of environment, climate, health crisis and other shocks.

 

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For Speaking Engagements & Workshops

Meegan Scott of Magate Wildhorse Speaker

       Determined, Decisive, Driven
       Strategic, Witty, Passionate

Meegan Scott, is a competent toastmaster, competent leader, advanced toastmaster bronze, and strategic management consultant.

For almost two decades Meegan has helped organizational leaders across industries and geographical borders to get better results from their strategy development, planning, and execution processes.  She has helped Boards of Directors and managers to think beyond risk management to embrace risk intelligence―to own, and deliver tough pieces of their mandates.

She has inspired people within organizations, and complete straPerfect Slant Cream ATM Ribbon and Pinngers from diverse cultures and jurisdictions to commit and act to deliver visions, missions, objectives, and development goals.

Meegan is known for helping organizations to develop planning mindedness and for growing their competence and demand for organizational performance management and measurement.

When it comes to entrepreneurs, she is known for helping them to bring a deeper understanding of self, the problem to be solved, and finding their own best fit pathways and processes for growing their businesses.  She firmly believes that small businesses should act and think with a big business mind.

Meegan has addressed audiences at conferences, trade shows, MBA and other graduations, boards, corporate launches, webinars as well as radio and television audiences.

Meegan holds a Bachelor of Social Science in International Relations; an MBA (Marketing and finance focused); the designation PMP, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Analysis. She also studied International Trade and Finance Law at the graduate level, and holds a Diploma in International Environmental Law.

She is available for workshops, conferences, strategic facilitation and strategy communications sessions, rapporteur, and other speaking engagements.

For more information visit: https://magatewildhorse.ca/speaking-engagements-workshops.

To request a speaker session or workshop please click contact us.