Canadian-Caribbean Cooperation Fund

The goal of the Canadian-Caribbean Cooperation Fund (CCF) is to advance public sector reform and to contribute to improving the environment for business development in the Caribbean. The purposes are: (1) to strengthen public sector entities for the effective and efficient delivery of services and (2) to address bottlenecks to private sector development and business investment. Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is the organisation responsible for managing the CCF on behalf of CIDA. PWGSC has established a network of local fund coordinators currently based in Guyana Antigua and Jamaica who have been contracted to serve local needs facilitate the application process and monitor local CCF initiatives. The CCF provides technical assistance in response to initiatives proposed by local government ministries regional organisations business associations or institutions such as universities. These initiatives aim primarily to increase local governments capacities to formulate effective policies to deliver efficient services and to enhance the climate for business development. The CCF has supported more than 50 Caribbean initiatives including: development of a regional spectrum management policy framework for telecommunications harmonization; legislative drafting training in Guyana and Jamaica; a regional freedom of information workshop; debt restructuring assistance to Dominica Antigua and Belize; and E-governance training in Jamaica.