Transparent governance and sound financial stewardship critical to community development: PIOJ and SDC

 KINGSTON, Jamaica April 23, 2026

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), through its Community Renewal Programme (CRP) and in strategic partnership with the Social Development Commission (SDC) is moving to roll out a series of financial training for community leaders having successfully concluded a five-part series of parish community governance conferences.

The series which started in July 2025 and ended in March 2026, aimed to strengthen participatory governance of Community Development Committees (CDCs) under the remit of the SDC. The final event was held on  March 25 in Downtown Kingston where the Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, was the keynote speaker. The other conferences were held in St James,  July9; Clarendon, July22; Westmoreland,  August13; and St Catherine,  January 21, 2026.

Operating under the theme “Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on a Mission: Reset the Vibe, Build Our Future, Reignite the Fire,” the series served as a primary vehicle to sensitise community leaders on SDC’s Participatory Governance Programme (PGP) that they should implement in order to nurture modern and sustainable activities.

Strategic Leadership and Social Capital
Dr Wayne Henry, Director General of the PIOJ, positioned the conferences as a vital component of national development. He noted that while CDCs have historically supported vulnerable groups and facilitated access to services, a strategic “reset” is necessary to address evolving social dynamics and the weakening of collective action at the community level.

“Building our future goes beyond physical development. It requires strengthening social capital by fostering collaboration and enabling communities to take an active role in shaping their own development,” Dr Henry stated. He emphasised that CDCs act as essential “connectors, facilitators, and trusted partners” within the development landscape.  “Progress from here will require intentional action from public and private partnerships and civil society. Let us move forward with clarity and purpose by restoring trust and participation through collaboration and empowerment,” he urged.

The Social Development Commission is currently engaging with nearly 270 communities in the five targeted parishes of the governance conferences, with variances in levels of expertise in management committees that supports full participatory governance. Mr Omar Frith, Executive Director of the Social Development Commission, noted, “Strengthening participatory governance not only involves equipping community leaders with the tools and skills to support inclusive development, but also requires accountable leadership and responsible stewardship of the resources entrusted to them, however small.” Acknowledging that communities must be prepared for succession and inspire future generations he said, “Leadership must also involve renewal. As we implement projects and programmes across our communities, we must also invest in developing the next generation of leaders by inspiring and mentoring our youth, rather than attributing low levels of community involvement and volunteerism to them. We must guide and prepare them to take up the mantle of community leadership and service,” he added.

Governance as a Prerequisite for Stability
The partnership with the SDC is regarded as a critical intervention for community stability. Charles Clayton, Programme Director of the PIOJ CRP, highlighted that the SDC’s Participatory Governance framework is indispensable to the renewal process.

“The absence of a democratic and inclusive governance structure is at the heart of many of the conflicts within these spaces and a major factor that militates against efforts to renew and mainstream many of these marginalised communities,” Mr Clayton noted. “It is in this context that the CRP provided support.”

SDC Director of Governance, Ms Sherine Walker, said that the series of parish governance conferences was a milestone and game changer in the efforts to have a vibrant and functional national Participatory Governance Framework being used by communities.

Technical Capacitation and Fiscal Accountability
The series consistently exceeded engagement targets, with attendance frequently surpassing the projected 120 participants per session. Charmaine Muirhead, CRP Governance Specialist, indicated that this high level of engagement underscores a readiness for the subsequent phase of the programme: technical capacitation.

“It was good to have the grand conferences, but it is now time to roll up our sleeves and work,” Mrs Muirhead remarked.

She identified that the upcoming phase involves the rollout of financial management modules developed in collaboration with HEART/NSTA Trust. These modules are specifically tailored to address fiscal gaps identified by SDC assessments of the CDCs, namely financial accountability and economic stability. Financial accountability will allow participants to establishing robust systems to build trust and equip groups with the technical proficiency required to secure external funding. Economic stability will support success in income generating projects to achieve the work plans that each CDC identifies for itself. It may be to support specific members of the community such as youth or elderly, or it may be a project for groups such as a breakfast feeding programme or a sport or social club.

The PIOJ Community Renewal Programme a strategic, multi-level intervention aimed at transforming 100 of the most vulnerable and volatile communities in Jamaica across five parishes. Established in 2011, it focuses on social and physical infrastructure to foster safety, justice, and socio-economic development in line with Vision 2030 Jamaica. 

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