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World Bank Group appoints Juan Carlos Alvarez as country manager for Trinidad and Tobago

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World Bank Group appoints Juan Carlos Alvarez as country manager for Trinidad and Tobago

WASHINGTON, USA – Juan Carlos Alvarez has been appointed World Bank Group Country Manager for Trinidad and Tobago, unifying country-level leadership across the institution to enhance the institution’s development impact in support of job creation and Trinidad and Tobago’s public and private sector priorities.

Alvarez will lead World Bank Group institutions in Trinidad and Tobago, including: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). In this capacity, he will promote a more integrated agenda to mobilise financing, knowledge, and private investment.

Mostly recently, Alvarez served as World Bank Country Manager for Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe, where he led World Bank’s engagements with both countries.

Since joining the World Bank Group in 2000, Alvarez has worked as Legal Counsel across regions, including roles in Latin America and the Caribbean and South Asia, advising Country Management Units on legal, operational, and policy matters.

Alvarez holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from the Universidad Autónoma de Centro América (UACA) in Costa Rica and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Law from the Washington College of Law at American University in Washington, DC.

Security and elections: Haiti’s two most immediate and interconnected priorities

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Security and elections: Haiti’s two most immediate and interconnected priorities

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin issued the following statement at the closing of the high-level Inter-American and International delegation to Haiti:

I want to begin by thanking the government of Haiti for the arrangements made for this visit and for the open and constructive dialogue throughout our delegation. I also want to express my sincere appreciation to our Inter-American and international partners. Representatives of the OAS, CARICOM, the United Nations, the Panamerican Health Organization, the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Inter-American Defense Board, and the Inter-American Defense College joined this delegation.

I thank Secretary General Carla Barnett of the Caribbean Community for joining this important joint effort. The presence of the delegation reflects a shared and collective commitment to support Haiti at this critical moment.

We came here to listen, assess where things stand, and identify where greater urgency and stronger coordination are required. We are leaving with a better understanding of the priorities and needs of Haiti. We leave with a clear conclusion: we have to collectively speed up the work on security and elections as Haiti’s two most immediate and interconnected priorities.

Political environment

We also had a constructive meeting with prime minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and discussed frankly the progress achieved and the considerable challenges that remain. Haiti’s political and institutional actors must act in unity and remain focused on the fundamental objective: restoring constitutional and democratically elected government through a credible electoral process.

Security

On security, the members of this delegation expressed their full support for the renewal of the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) at the United Nations. But renewal of the mandate alone will not be enough. I call on OAS Member States and international partners that have pledged personnel, equipment, or financial resources to accelerate the fulfillment of those commitments.

The efforts of the GSF are essential to improving security and public safety; and to creating the conditions for a safe electoral process. Progress must be visible and measurable as soon as possible. Immediate objectives include reducing the territorial control of armed gangs, securing the main route to the international airport, ensuring sustained access to the airport and port, and restoring secure access toward the south of the country.

Our discussions with the leadership of the GSF reinforced our conviction that the Force must receive the personnel, financing, logistical support, and operational capabilities required to deliver results. We thank the GSF leadership for their efforts in this regard.

Health security

We understand the multidimensional nature of security in Haiti. In this regard, PAHO has played a key role. From controlling cholera outbreaks and supporting displaced populations to sustaining trauma care in Port-au-Prince and protecting women and children, PAHO’s technical cooperation has remained a vital pillar of Haiti’s health security throughout one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the Americas.

This visit ends with a commitment to work with the Haitian National Police (HNP) in building trauma centers to care for wounded officers. The OAS, alongside PAHO and other partners, will work towards this end.

Elections

On elections, we recognise the work being undertaken by the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), the National Identification Office (ONI), the government of Haiti, and other relevant institutions in preparation for the upcoming elections scheduled for December 13.

Our discussions with the CEP were open, wide-ranging, and constructive. At the same time, the electoral timetable requires urgent acceleration. There is a need to intensify citizen registration and identification, as well as public information, outreach, and voter mobilisation campaigns.

The integrity of the process also requires confidence in the rules governing candidacies and their consistent application. Any concerns regarding candidate eligibility or potential links to illicit activities must be addressed transparently and in accordance with Haitian law and international electoral good practice.

The OAS will maintain a continuous assessment of both the security environment and electoral preparations. These two dimensions cannot be separated.

Concrete outcomes

This visit also produced concrete results.

We welcome the formalisation of Haiti’s accession to CAF Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, in an operation facilitated by the OAS, expanding Haiti’s access to financing, technical cooperation, and development tools.

We signed a new USD 3 million cooperation agreement with the government of Japan to strengthen civil identification, including the acquisition of 350.000 biometric identification cards, expanded mobile registration services, and stronger coordination between the National Identification Office and the CEP.

We also signed a new agreement with Brazilian NGO Viva Rio, building on Canadian-supported work to strengthen social cohesion and expand opportunities for youth and women affected by violence.

The OAS will soon, in collaboration with private sector organisations, among them the Latin American Business Council (Consejo Empresarial de America Latina, CEAL), mount a delegation of business leaders to discuss investment projects in Haiti resulting in more jobs, steady income and a future for youth at risk.

These are tangible examples of what we mean when we say that the international community must move from solidarity and commitments to implementation and results.

Next steps

This mission is not the end of the process.

On August 26, I will report to the Permanent Council of the OAS on the findings of this mission and the areas where greater action is required. On September 4, I will convene the next meeting of the Group of Friends of Haiti to continue mobilising political, technical, and financial support.

Haiti is at a decisive point. The future of Haiti belongs first and foremost to the Haitian people. But the international community also has responsibilities.

Our task is clear: accelerate security support, intensify electoral preparations, fulfill the commitments already made, and ensure that our cooperation produces results that Haitians can see and experience in their daily lives.

The OAS will remain fully engaged in that effort.

St Lucia advances review of job classification and pay plan

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St Lucia advances review of job classification and pay plan

CASTRIES, ST Lucia – The Government of Saint Lucia (GOSL), via the ministry of the public service, transport, information and utilities regulation, has engaged Ernst & Young Services Limited (Jamaica) to undertake a comprehensive review of the Job Classification and Pay Plan across the Saint Lucia Public Service.

The consultancy is being implemented under the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project (CARDTP), a World Bank-funded initiative supporting Saint Lucia’s digital transformation and wider public-sector modernisation agenda.

The Review of the Job Classification and Pay Plan is intended to ensure that the government’s classification and compensation arrangements are fair, consistent, equitable and responsive to the requirements of a modern public service.

The consultancy will include the review and modernisation of job descriptions, benchmark qualifications, job-evaluation arrangements, job classifications and the pay framework. It will also establish job families, job bands and competency frameworks and give greater recognition to technical, vocational, professional and digital skills,” said the government department.

Approximately 1,000 roles are included within the scope of the assignment. The expected outcomes include clearer and more consistent job roles and descriptions, updated qualifications that reflect current and future skills requirements, a modernised and equitable classification framework, defined job families and competencies, and stronger alignment with the government’s digital-transformation and public-sector reform priorities.

The first in-country stakeholder consultation mission was conducted during the week of August 10, 2026. During the mission, the Ernst & Young team met with key stakeholders from across government ministries, departments and agencies.

The consultations form an important part of the assignment and are intended to gather the perspectives and experiences necessary to ensure that the revised framework reflects the realities and needs of the Saint Lucia Public Service.

The engagement process includes public officers, trade unions and staff associations, senior managers and other key stakeholders. Their participation and feedback will be critical to the successful completion of the exercise.

Senior minister and minister for the public service, transport, information and utilities regulations, Stephenson King, welcomed the Ernst & Young team and highlighted the importance of the consultancy to the government’s broader efforts to modernise and strengthen the Public Service.

Minister King noted that the existing Classification and Pay Plan came into effect in September 1991. A review was initiated in 2011 but could not be completed, largely because the job descriptions available at the time were not adequate to support the required job evaluations.

The minister explained that, more than three decades later, the nature of work has changed considerably. Technology has transformed the workplace, new professions have emerged, and the skills and competencies required within the public service continue to evolve.

The minister indicated that, through the consultancy, the government is seeking to comprehensively review and modernise the Classification and Pay Plan to promote greater fairness, consistency and equity and to ensure that the system reflects the requirements of a modern public service. He further noted that the exercise should contribute to greater transparency and equity in classification and compensation, clearer career pathways, improved recruitment and retention, better workforce planning and stronger opportunities for the professional development of public officers.

Minister King also emphasised the importance of the stakeholder consultations, noting that the participation and feedback of public officers, unions and staff associations, senior managers and other key stakeholders will be critical to the success of the exercise.

The minister expressed the government’s commitment to working closely with Ernst & Young, CARDTP and all stakeholders to deliver a fair, transparent, sustainable and future-focused framework that supports public officers and strengthens the effectiveness of the Saint Lucia Public Service.

CARDTP project manager, Sheralin Monrose-Gustave, highlighted the strategic importance of the consultancy within the Project’s wider digital-transformation programme.

Monrose-Gustave explained that digital transformation involves more than the introduction of new technologies and digital systems. It also requires a public-sector workforce equipped with the appropriate skills, competencies and capabilities to adopt, manage and sustain these investments.

The review is therefore particularly important as CARDTP continues to support several digital-transformation initiatives across government. It will help ensure that job descriptions, benchmark qualifications and competency frameworks appropriately recognise digital literacy, technical expertise and emerging skills required within a modern public service.

The activity also complements the Project’s wider investments in digital skills development, institutional strengthening and public-sector modernisation. Together, these interventions are intended to strengthen the capacity of public officers and enable government institutions to deliver more efficient, responsive and digitally enabled public services.

Following the stakeholder consultation and information-gathering phase, the consultancy will progress to the review of job descriptions and qualifications, the modernisation of the job-evaluation framework, the development of revised job classifications, job families and competency frameworks, and the preparation of a revised Classification and Pay Plan.

The assignment will also include capacity building and training, a communication strategy and a structured implementation roadmap to support the Government’s readiness for implementation and the long-term sustainability of the revised framework.

The government of Saint Lucia looks forward to the continued participation of public officers, unions, staff associations, senior managers and other stakeholders as this important exercise progresses.

International investment in a turbulent era

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International investment in a turbulent era
  • Global investment is rising again. But it’s becoming more concentrated, more selective and less accessible to many developing countries.

GENEVA, Switzerland – The recovery remains fragile. Growth is concentrated in a small number of economies and in capital- and technology-intensive sectors.

Governments are responding with more selective policies. Incentives increasingly target clean energy, digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and critical minerals. Screening and conditions on foreign firms are also expanding.

Investment patterns are reshaping global production. Greenfield investment in strategic sectors is rising, while investment in manufacturing outside them is declining. The shift favours economies with strong infrastructure, skilled workers, supplier networks and access to major markets.

Most developing countries can’t match the subsidy programmes of major economies. They need realistic entry points, stronger foundations and regional cooperation to compete and increase investment’s development impact.

“The policy choices made today will determine whether foreign direct investment becomes an engine of shared development or entrenches divergence.” ~ Pedro Manuel Moreno, acting secretary-general of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

  • Read: World Investment Report 2026 (Overview)

International cooperation: The search for the commons

In a more contested and uneven investment environment, international cooperation remains essential. However, it needs to focus on practical areas of shared interest. These “commons” can help preserve transparency and predictability for cross-border investment, while leaving countries space to pursue resilience, security and development objectives.

The World Investment Report 2026 calls for several key and practical international cooperation initiatives:

A global monitoring mechanism to improve timely and comparable reporting on policy measures that affect cross-border investment. Such a mechanism could strengthen transparency on trade, industrial and economic security measures that influence investment decisions. Better information would help countries anticipate policy shifts, adapt investment strategies and reduce uncertainty for investors.

Policy guidelines and principles for security-related investment measures. These could support clearer definitions of sensitive activities, transparent procedures, proportionality, confidentiality safeguards, reasonable timelines and periodic reassessment. The aim would be to make security-related measures more predictable, more targeted and less distortive.

Joint project preparation and risk-sharing platforms for productive investment in developing countries. Multilateral development banks, development finance institutions and export credit agencies could coordinate support for bankable projects in industrial infrastructure, renewable power for industry, logistics, digital connectivity, supplier upgrading and selected strategic processing activities.

Facilities for supplier upgrading and standards support to help domestic firms connect to reconfigured production networks. Regional frameworks and institutions could help firms meet certification, quality, traceability, digital and logistics requirements. This would make regional integration a more effective platform for attracting and embedding investment.

Accelerate reform of international investment agreements to safeguard essential security interests. Reform efforts should ensure that countries retain adequate policy space for legitimate and evolving security objectives, including those related to critical minerals, supply chain resilience, and emerging technologies, while minimising misuse of security exceptions and promoting sustainable investment.

Global investment partnerships to structure cooperation between home and host countries in evolving supply chains. Such partnerships would help align security-of-supply objectives with host-country development priorities, including local value addition, supplier upgrading and skills development.

To advance the commons, UNCTAD will convene discussions with all relevant stakeholders and explore concrete solutions at the 9th World Investment Forum.

Virgin Islands – India to expand financial services

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Virgin Islands – India to expand financial services

BVI / INDIA – Premier and minister of finance, Natalio D. Wheatley will lead a public-private financial services trade mission to India from 24 to 31 August 2026, aimed at attracting new business, strengthening institutional relationships and expanding the Territory’s presence in the Indian market.

Premier Wheatley will present the delegation on Wednesday.

The Virgin Islands officials will visit New Delhi, GIFT City, Mumbai and Bengaluru for regulatory discussions, industry meetings, business-to-business engagements and BVI financial services roadshows.

The mission is expected to generate qualified business leads for BVI service providers, establish relationships with Indian regulators and financial institutions, increase awareness of the BVI’s financial services offering and create opportunities for long-term partnerships.

The delegation will also promote the BVI’s expertise in corporate structuring, investment funds, private wealth, financial technology and cross-border business.

Following the mission, the government and industry partners will coordinate follow-up with prospective clients and institutions to convert the contacts made into measurable business opportunities for The Virgin Islands.

OAS – Japan signs new cooperation agreement to provide ID cards to Haitians, access to social services

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OAS – Japan signs new cooperation agreement to provide ID cards to Haitians, access to social services

WASHINGTON, USA – The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the government of Japan on Tuesday signed a new cooperation agreement at the headquarters of Haiti’s National Office of Identification (ONI) to expand access to identification services and support the Improvement of Access to Social Services in Haiti project through a USD 3 million grant from Japan.

The agreement establishes the framework for Japanese financial cooperation to be implemented by the OAS in support of Haiti’s economic and social development. It was signed by OAS secretary-general Albert R. Ramdin and ambassador of Japan to Haiti Nishiuchi Kazuhiko, in the presence of Haiti’s minister of justice and public security, Patrick Pélissier, and minister of foreign affairs and Worship, Raina Forbin, during a ceremony held at ONI headquarters in Port-au-Prince in the framework of a high-level Inter-American delegation’s visit to Haiti.

“Japan and the OAS share a simple conviction: Haiti’s long-term stability must be built from the inside by Haitians, one citizen, one identity, one vote at a time. Japan has articulated this principle consistently in its diplomatic engagement on Haiti and its support for providing Haitians with national identification cards clearly demonstrates that this vision is being translated into action. This agreement further underscores the OAS’s steadfast support for Haiti and its efforts to advance Haitian-led initiatives that promote the country’s stability and development,” said secretary-general Ramdin.

“Through this project, Japan is pleased to support Haiti’s efforts to strengthen legal identity, improve access to essential public services and enhance the operational capacity of national institutions. By working with the OAS and Haitian authorities, we aim to ensure that citizens, particularly those in remote and vulnerable communities, can obtain the identification documents they need to participate fully in society and exercise their rights,” said ambassador Nishiuchi Kazuhiko.


New cooperation agreement at the headquarters of Haiti’s National Office of Identification (ONI) to expand access to identification services and support the Improvement of Access to Social Services in Haiti

Under this new cooperation, the government of Japan will provide financial support for facility rehabilitation, equipment installation, capacity building, and operational needs. The project aims to update Haiti’s voter roll by ensuring uninterrupted citizen registration and the production and delivery of National Identification Cards. It will also reduce the backlog of citizens awaiting identification, expand mobile registration services in remote and vulnerable communities, and strengthen coordination between the ONI and the Provisional Electoral Council.

Funding will support the procurement of 350,000 blank biometric ID cards; continued deployment of ONI mobile units; public awareness campaigns on legal identity and the electoral process; improvements to joint ONI and electoral facilities; transportation assistance; and other operational needs. The initiative will strengthen institutional capacity and public-service delivery, improve electricity and internet connectivity at decentralised offices, and expand access to identification services for underserved populations across Haiti.

This new phase builds on the initiative’s first phase, launched in 2023 with a USD 8 million grant from the government of Japan. The funding enabled the registration of more than 1.07 million Haitian citizens in the national identification system, bringing the ONI database to approximately 6.55 million registered individuals. During the same period, more than 1.22 million National Identification Cards were delivered, increasing the number of Haitians with a valid national ID to approximately 5.8 million. These results have strengthened Haiti’s civil identification system, expanded access to essential public services, and laid the foundation for greater citizen participation in national life.

Japan became the first Asian country to join the OAS as a Permanent Observer in 1973, marking the beginning of a strategic partnership grounded in shared principles and a commitment to peace, democracy, and development.

Public service must facilitate investment and development, says PM Holness

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Public service must facilitate investment and development, says PM Holness

By Serena Grant

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, says the public service must increasingly position itself as a facilitator of investment and development as Jamaica competes globally for capital, technology and talent. He said the speed and quality with which government agencies process approvals and other regulatory requirements can influence Jamaica’s competitiveness as an investment destination.

Prime Minister Holness was addressing the permanent secretaries’ board retreat at Sandals Ochi Beach Resort in St Ann August 14.

“Our civil service must, therefore, increasingly see itself as a facilitator of development rather than a gatekeeper of development. That distinction is important,” the prime minister said. He emphasised that this approach does not mean lowering standards or disregarding regulations.

“It doesn’t mean we’re going to ignore regulations. It doesn’t mean we’re going to create special treatments for particular interests. Facilitation is not favouritism. Speed is not recklessness,” he stated.

The prime minister said the relationship between the public and private sectors is critical to Jamaica’s development, noting that private enterprise encompasses businesses of varying sizes.

“The public service does not exist without the private sector,” he said.

Prime Minister Holness noted that much of the investment and economic activity required for Jamaica’s continued development, will be generated by private capital.

“Government does not create development alone. Much of the investment, employment, housing, tourism development, manufacturing capacity, technology and economic activity that Jamaica needs will come from private capital,” he added. “So, our job is to work closely with private capital to make sure that we are growing the economy.”

Prime Minister Holness said Jamaica is competing with countries around the world for investment in areas such as manufacturing, logistics, tourism, data centres, energy and emerging industries. He pointed out that major investments generally require interaction with the State through planning and environmental approvals, licences, permits, land matters, utility connections or tax administration.

“The quality and speed of those interactions therefore become part of Jamaica’s comparative position as an investment destination,” he said.

The prime minister noted that international investors have several countries from which to choose and will not necessarily wait indefinitely for decisions.

“They can invest in Jamaica, but they can also invest in the Dominican Republic, in Costa Rica, in Mexico, Colombia, the United States, South Africa, Africa as a whole,” he added. “Their investment committees are considering multiple opportunities, and their capital is finite. They will not wait around for Jamaica to make decisions.”

He told the permanent secretaries that their work consequently has a direct bearing on Jamaica’s economic prospects.

“So, like it or not, the public sector or permanent secretaries, you are part of Jamaica’s economic prospects. You are an asset for our economy, if it is that we can say that Jamaica’s public bureaucracy is efficient,” the prime minister said.

Guyana’s Duck-Rice integration to boost farmers’ income, cut production costs

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Guyana’s Duck-Rice integration to boost farmers’ income, cut production costs

– Climate-smart initiative expected to transform small-scale rice farming

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, (DPI) – Guyana’s rice industry is embracing an innovative climate-smart farming model that has the potential to significantly reduce production costs, improve environmental sustainability and create an additional source of income for hundreds of rice farmers.

The rice-duck integrated farming system, being piloted by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), allows farmers to cultivate rice while simultaneously raising ducks on the same acreage, creating two marketable products from a single crop cycle.

The initiative is expected to reduce farmers’ reliance on costly herbicides, insecticides and synthetic fertilisers while improving profitability and supporting the government’s drive to modernise agriculture through sustainable production systems.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) sat down with GRDB’s Agronomist, Dr Ghansham Payman, who explained that ducks naturally perform several functions that would otherwise require expensive chemical inputs.

“The ducks work as weed control agents, and they feed on insects, snails and other pests, while their droppings return organic matter and nutrients to the soil. From our pilot project, farmers can reduce synthetic fertiliser application by 50 percent or more,” Dr Payman stated.

The pilot project, which introduced 100 ducks per acre, has already demonstrated encouraging financial returns. According to Dr Payman, farmers were able to recover the entire investment made for duck housing, fencing, ducklings and feed within a single crop.

“We had 100 percent recovery of the investment cost in one season. Moving forward, those infrastructure costs are already covered, meaning farmers stand to earn higher profits with every subsequent crop.”

Beyond lowering production costs, the integrated system offers farmers an additional income stream from duck sales while maintaining rice production on the same parcel of land.

Dr Payman said the initiative is particularly suited to small-scale farmers who live close to their fields and can effectively manage the ducks throughout the production cycle.

“If we can transition 700 to 800 farmers from cultivating only rice to a rice-duck integrated system, they will maximise the use of the same piece of land while increasing profitability. It also creates opportunities for women and young people to participate in agriculture,” he added.

FAO’s livestock specialist Dr Gayle Young said the approach has been successfully practised in several Asian countries for decades and is now being adapted to Guyana’s conditions to create a sustainable production model.

“We are also focusing on gender because this system is easier to manage. It creates opportunities for women, youth and small farmers to participate in agricultural production while lowering overall production costs,” Dr Young said.

The Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) is providing technical support to ensure farmers produce healthy, market-ready ducks while building long-term sustainability.

GLDA’s Livestock Extension Coordinator, Selwyn Anthony, explained that the agency’s role is to support farmers with duck management, identify quality breeding stock and ensure continuity of the project, so farmers eventually become self-sufficient in producing their own ducklings.

The GLDA is also exploring opportunities to develop a premium market for ducks raised under the integrated system.

“Once we establish that the meat quality is similar or even superior, we can market it as pasture-raised ducks from rice fields. That creates an additional value-added product for farmers,” GLDA’s livestock extension coordinator, Selwyn Anthony, said.

The project currently supports farmers across Guyana’s rice-growing regions with starter kits that include ducklings, feed, feeding and watering equipment, and fencing materials and is expected to expand during the next cropping season, allowing more farmers to benefit from the innovative production model.

How can governments turn data into better decisions?

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How can governments turn data into better decisions?

Highlights

  • Governments generate enormous amounts of data, but they harness only a fraction of its potential.
  • Administrative systems contain key information for improving public management.
  • Turning data into decisions can improve the implementation of public policies and contribute to more timely and effective services for people.

By Sandra Hipatia Naranjo Bautista

Governments generate enormous amounts of data every day. Every time a salary is paid, a contract is awarded, or a service is provided, their systems produce valuable information. However, much of that data is never used to improve public management.

The opportunity is immense. More than 90 percent of the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have systems for managing payroll, procurement, or public finances, and all have digital tax systems. However, most use this data primarily for day-to-day operations, not to diagnose problems or anticipate decisions.

In practice, this means that millions of public transactions (salaries, contracts, payments, appointments, and procurements) remain stored in government systems without being transformed into information for decision-making. In a recent analysis of public payroll conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in just one country, more than 30 million individual public employment records were processed between 2019 and 2024, revealing opportunities for improvement with significant fiscal impacts. The raw data already exists; the challenge is to transform it into evidence to better allocate resources, strengthen policy implementation, and respond more effectively to people’s needs.

A valuable resource that governments already have

Administrative systems were designed to support governments’ day-to-day operations. Behind every transaction lies detailed information about who made the decision, when it occurred, how much it cost, where it was carried out, and what the outcome was. Payroll databases contain information on millions of payments and personnel changes spanning years. Procurement systems record every contract, bidder, amount, and execution period. These are databases with a level of detail and coverage that few surveys can match. This data can help answer key questions for public management.

  • Why is personnel spending increasing?
  • Which institutions have the highest employee turnover?
  • Are public procurement processes being used correctly?
  • Where are the main bottlenecks that delay the implementation of a policy or the delivery of a service?
  • In which areas can government effectiveness be improved?

So why isn’t this information being used?

Experiences in different countries reveal similar challenges. Sometimes the information is scattered across different platforms that don’t communicate with one another. Other times, the data exists, but the capacity to analyze it does not. And in many cases, the biggest challenge is not technical but political: having evidence does not mean it will influence decisions.

The good news is that this is changing. More and more governments are demonstrating that it is possible to transform the data they already generate into useful information and improve public management. 

How administrative data can improve public management and public services

At the IDB, we are working with several governments in Latin America and the Caribbean to make better use of the data generated by their administrative systems. Analyzing this data helps identify where resources are concentrated, which institutions face the greatest challenges, and which processes cause delays or cost overruns. This information helps improve the internal functioning of the government and guides decisions that strengthen policy implementation and the delivery of public services.

For example, payroll data makes it possible to track millions of personnel changes over time. With this data, it is possible to determine whether spending is increasing because there are more civil servants or because salaries are rising, to identify institutions with high turnover, to anticipate waves of retirements, and even to compare the composition of the public workforce with that of other countries. In one of the countries we analysed, an analysis of this data estimated that better allocation of administrative staff in a single sector could generate savings equivalent to about 0.4 percent of GDP. In addition to reducing costs, a more strategic distribution of staff improves the efficiency of public service delivery.

Public procurement systems record millions of transactions each year. By analysing them, it is possible to detect hidden patterns in day-to-day management: processes that are unnecessarily repeated, significant price differences between similar products, a concentration of awards among certain suppliers, or the splitting of contracts to avoid more competitive procedures. In one of the countries we work with, the analysis showed that procurements made below a regulatory threshold increased 4.3-fold in just a few years and were unusually concentrated just below that limit. Without data analytics, that pattern would have remained hidden. And if a pattern remains invisible, it can hardly be corrected. Adjusting these distortions creates fiscal space for public goods and services.

Surveys of public servants complement administrative data because they help us understand not only what is happening, but also why. Together, both types of data offer a much more comprehensive view of how public organisations function. The latest survey conducted in Chile in 2023 gathered input from more than 26,000 public servants—a scale that made it possible to understand aspects that administrative records alone cannot explain. The results showed that, although 84% perceive performance as important for promotion, only 39% believe there are good opportunities for professional development within their organisation.

The next step is not more data

Governments will continue to invest in digital transformation. In the region, these systems encompass functions that account, on average, for 79 percent of public revenue and at least 40 percent of central government spending. However, having more systems does not guarantee better decisions.

The next step for most governments is to use the data they already have—on payroll, procurement, and human resources—to answer specific questions, turn that information into action, and improve the monitoring of their policies. Better internal processes are the foundation for implementing better policies and providing quality public services to citizens. Here’s a question to get you started: What decision is your institution making today without looking at data that’s already in its own systems?

For those who want to put this approach into practice, join ImplementaLAC; it offers tools and resources to help. ImplementaLAC is the IDB’s free platform for public servants in the region who want to move from idea to action. It’s a great place to start: you’ll find a workshop on how to use data to improve public management.

What’s journalism worth in disasters and emergencies? A lot, says a new UN report

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What’s journalism worth in disasters and emergencies? A lot, says a new UN report

Key points

  • A free press is critical to saving lives, mitigating the impacts of humanitarian disasters and strengthening other disaster preparedness and risk reduction
  • Research across 152 countries links greater press freedom with lower risks of conflict, repression and human rights violations
  • Trusted journalism acts as a crucial source to counter false and harmful disinformation

NEW YORK, USA,(UN News) – From COVID-19 and human rights to climate action and earthquake response, journalists doing their jobs saves lives while also acting as an antidote to harmful fake news, according to a new report from UN culture agency, UNESCO, titled The value of journalism: Global evidence on why media matters to economies, national security and crises.

Key findings highlight that beyond countering disinformation, trusted media strengthens government accountability, helps affected communities access support and pushes governments and local officials to take action.

Good reporting also leads to a more efficient and extensive response, from emergency needs to dealing with disasters.

Critical reporting also acts as a watchdog to keep the aid sector honest, leading to reform and more effective responses, according to UNESCO, which supports media literacy around the world.

Original environmental journalism can lead to better protection of natural ecosystems, the report argues.

For instance, an online magazine reporting on wastewater discharge from a landfill site in Thailand prompted authorities to step in, while investigations into illegal sand mining in Uganda led to a nationwide ban.

Here are more examples from the report:

In Burkina Faso, radio programmes about the risks of infant malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea were found to dramatically increase the rate at which caregivers took children to health centres, reducing deaths of children under five years old by an average of 7.15 percent per year and saving an estimated 2,967 children’s lives.

A campaign by journalists at the Los Angeles Times led to new building codes that made California’s largest city more earthquake-resilient

A study on the value of radio after a major earthquake found it connected family to lost ones, encouraged children to return to school and helped spread critical information about safety, hygiene, clean drinking water and shelter to prevent the outbreak of deadly disease.

An evaluation of radio content in Nigeria designed to address COVID-19 misinformation and vaccine hesitancy found that the programmes helped regular listeners identify and challenge false narratives.

Fighting fake news

False narratives, rumours and disinformation are exacerbating crises and undermining the ability of communities to prepare, respond and rebuild after a disaster and even preventing aid from reaching those in need.

False reporting can also exacerbate conflict and lead to violence against humanitarian workers, according to the report.

Disinformation has caused significant harm and damage during such health crises as COVID-19 in what the World Health Organization (WHO) described as an “infodemic.”

One study estimated that disinformation led to nearly 2.3 million cases and 66,000 hospitalisations in 2021 in the United States alone, resulting in $2 billion in extra costs of hospitalisation and 45,000 avoidable deaths.

At the same time, trusted journalism acts as a crucial source of information to counter these narratives and convey expert advice.

Spotlight on aid

News coverage can also prompt significant charitable giving from audiences, according to the report.

British journalist Michael Buerk’s famous reporting from Ethiopia in 1984 for the BBC is credited with raising more than $200 million for famine relief.

Turkish photojournalist Nilüfer Demir’s photo of the drowned child, Alan Kurdi, raised worldwide attention to the Syrian conflict in 2015, leading to a spike in donations, including a 50-fold increase in funding to some non-governmental organisations.

Journalism can also lead to major reform within the aid sector itself, as demonstrated during the #AidToo scandal, where journalists revealed abuse of power in Haiti and a culture of impunity, involving NGOs Oxfam and Save the Children.

Read the full UNESCO report here.

IDB Invest supports ITBA’s new campus development in Argentina – $45 million financing package

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IDB Invest supports ITBA’s new campus development in Argentina – $45 million financing package

WASHINGTON, USA — IDB Invest announced a $45 million financing package for the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA) to support the development of a new university campus in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The project will consolidate ITBA’s existing facilities into a modern, integrated infrastructure designed to support the institution’s continued academic growth.

The new campus will be located in the Innovation Park (Parque de la Innovación) in the Núñez neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, an environment that promotes collaboration among universities, research centers, companies, and technology ventures. The initiative will expand ITBA’s academic capacity, strengthen its offerings in engineering, technology, and applied sciences, and broaden its reach to students from different regions of the country.

“Argentina’s competitiveness depends largely on its ability to develop the talent required by the industries of the future. This new campus will not only expand that capacity, but also strengthen an ecosystem where academia, research, and the productive sector can transform knowledge into innovation and growth,” said Viviana Alva-Hart, IDB group representative in Argentina.

The project is aligned with the IDB Group Country Strategy for Argentina 2025–2028, which prioritises productive modernisation, innovation, and human capital development. By expanding access to high-quality education and fostering applied research, the operation will help address skills gaps and improve graduate employability in high-demand sectors.

The project’s total financing amounts to $45 million. IDB Invest will provide a $32.5 million financing package in  A-loans, along with the mobilisation of an additional $12.5 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s Trust Fund for the Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (TADAC Fund), administered by the IDB. This financing will help attract private capital to educational infrastructure in Argentina.

In addition to financing, IDB Invest will provide technical assistance and institutional support, including enhancements to governance practices and technical guidance for the development of the new campus.

OAS Special Mission in Guatemala welcomes initial progress in the nomination process for Comptroller General of Accounts

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OAS Special Mission in Guatemala welcomes initial progress in the nomination process for Comptroller General of Accounts

WASHINGTON, USA – The special mission of the Organisation of American States to strengthen democratic institutions in Guatemala welcomes the establishment of the nominating commission for the selection of the comptroller general of accounts for the 2026–2030 term and notes positively the commencement of its work.

The participation of all 27 members in the Commission’s first session and the adoption of key organisational decisions represent an important step in a process that is fundamental to public accountability and integrity in the country.

The mission recognises the progress made by the Commission, including the election of its secretary and alternate secretary, the designation of Rafael Landívar University as its venue, and the approval of operating rules, a timetable, a core set of interview topics, psychometric assessments, and requirements for filing objections. To build on this positive start, the Mission considers it important that the minutes of the session, the rules, the timetable, all approved instruments, and the individual voting records be published immediately and in full.

Before issuing the call for applications scheduled for August 20, the Mission considers it advisable that the candidate profile, eligibility requirements, application form, résumé guidelines, scoring table, methodology for the psychometric assessments, and interview rules be approved and made publicly available. As some of these instruments are currently expected to be finalised after applications have already begun to be received, the Mission encourages the Commission to review the timetable to ensure their prior publication and to provide applicants with at least five full business days to submit their applications. This would provide greater certainty and more equitable conditions for all applicants, particularly those residing outside the capital or needing to obtain official documentation. The call for applications should also be accompanied by nationwide outreach.

The Mission is concerned that providing reasons for votes was left to the discretion of each Commission member. The Commission should consider revisiting this rule and requiring that each vote be accompanied by a brief explanation addressing the candidate’s profile, evaluation score, integrity, interview, and any objections raised—particularly when a vote departs from the results of the technical assessment. Such explanations may be concise and incorporated into the official record, thereby strengthening the transparency and traceability of the process.

The Commission could also reconsider the requirement that objections be submitted simultaneously in hard copy and on a USB drive. Instead, both physical and electronic submission channels could be made available, with acknowledgement of receipt and appropriate safeguards for personal data.

Interviews should include a common set of questions, equal time for all applicants, and a publicly available evaluation rubric. Any additional questions should arise from the applicant’s file and should not result in unequal treatment. The purpose, methodology, weighting, and data-protection arrangements for the psychometric assessments should also be disclosed in advance, and each applicant should be given access to their results and an opportunity to seek clarification.

Other transparency safeguards remain equally important, including declarations of interest by Commission members, records of their contacts with applicants, a public repository containing all documentation related to the process, independent background checks, and recorded votes based on a comprehensive assessment of each candidate.

During its upcoming visit to the country, the Mission will seek to meet with the Nominating Commission to present these recommendations, share relevant comparative experiences, and hear the views of its members and other key stakeholders. The Mission will continue to accompany the process closely, constructively, and independently, in accordance with its mandate and the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

NSHP continues to uplift the most vulnerable in Jamaica

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NSHP continues to uplift the most vulnerable in Jamaica

By Garwin Davis

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (JIS) – The most vulnerable citizens continue to benefit from the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP). On August 14, prime minister, Andrew Holness, handed over a new three-bedroom house to Pauline Johnson in St Ann South Western. Also on hand for the presentation was member of parliament for the constituency, Zavia Mayne.

The development marks a continuing push by the administration to utilise state resources to directly improve the living conditions of citizens facing severe economic and structural hardships.

“Seeing a family step into a safe, comfortable, and permanent home is a feeling that never gets old,” prime minister Holness told the gathering. This transformation was made possible through the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP), which means it was funded by you, our taxpayers. Your hard work and contributions are directly restoring dignity, building hope, and changing lives for our most vulnerable citizens. Every home we deliver is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together for the upliftment of all Jamaicans.”

Prime Minister Holness said the NSHP has been a transparent and impactful social intervention since its inception in 2018, under the Housing, Opportunity, Production and Employment (HOPE) initiative. He noted that the programme has successfully scaled up construction across the island’s 14 parishes, systematically identifying beneficiaries who lack the financial means to improve their own circumstances.

By establishing a rigorous, merit-based selection process, the Administration has ensured fiscal transparency while aggressively tackling the island’s acute low-income housing deficiencies.

Prime Minister Holness expressed deep pride in how the programme has expanded its reach year after year to uplift local communities.

Accepting the keys, Johnson expressed deep gratitude for the State intervention, noting that the new concrete structure would finally provide her family with long-term stability and physical safety.

“I am so honoured and blessed to receive this beautiful home today. For a long time, I didn’t know how my family would find a safe place to live or how we would recover from our hardships.

Prime Minister Holness and the NSHP have brought [a lot of love and joy] into our lives, and I can finally sleep peacefully knowing we have security and a stable roof over our heads,” Johnson said.

The NSHP operates under a strict three-pronged mandate: delivering core sanitation and housing units to individuals, upgrading troubled community infrastructure, and executing comprehensive tenement upgrades.

Beyond immediate sheltering, the initiative serves as an economic stabiliser for low-income communities.

By utilising local contractors and labourers for construction, the government injects capital directly into rural and peri-urban economies, fostering skills development alongside crucial infrastructural improvement.

Call off the Iran War. Just walk away!

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Call off the Iran War. Just walk away!

By Ron Paul

After several days of increasing threats against Iran, including social media posts like “FINISH THE JOB!” and “Take the oil. No mercy!,” President Trump has over the weekend called off a planned major escalation in the Middle East. For now.

“The USA is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II,” he wrote on his social media account. “Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to,” he added.

Iran denies any communication with the US and has threatened retaliation against energy infrastructure in the region if its energy infrastructure is attacked. Such destruction could plunge the world into an economic depression.

Iranian retaliation – including against critical water desalination plants – could also depopulate US allies in the region, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and others. Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman personally called president Trump to request he not escalate against Iran.

According to various media articles, the US is running dangerously low on missiles, especially interceptor missiles such as the Patriot system. Our ability to protect our military bases in the Middle East appears to be gone.

Reportedly, president Trump was warned by his top military advisors that a ground operation against Iran would result in a high level of US casualties and would have no guarantee of success. Already the official totals are 18 US service members killed and more than 700 injured in the operation.

Over the weekend, the US military completed its evacuation of a major military base in the Kurdish region of Iraq. This follows similar evacuations of virtually every US base in the region, including the home of the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain and “safe” US bases in Jordan.

The entirety of US military power in the region appears to have been relocated to Israel.

The war which was supposed to last a couple of weeks and “pay for itself,” is entering into its sixth month and the price tag so far is above $100 billion. A war that was started to thwart an Iranian nuclear threat that according to US Intelligence didn’t exist has become a war to open a waterway – the Hormuz Strait – that was open before the war started.

Things are so bad that, according to the Washington Post, the US general in charge of the US European Command sent a message to senior Pentagon officials “saying that without another Navy destroyer he will be forced to choose defense of the United States ‘homeland’ over that of Israel.” How is defending a foreign country over our own country even a choice?

The US attack on Iran is the most unpopular major US military operation in history and is becoming more unpopular by the day. President Trump’s polling numbers have been dragged down to the low 30s by the conflict. Midterm elections are three months away.

President Trump is rapidly running out of options in his war of choice against Iran. There is no path to victory in the war. It is now only about how to manage defeat. That’s why the Constitution does not allow presidents to start wars on their own.

Get out now. Completely out. The foolish war on Iran must end!

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