The Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

Secretariat has developed and launched a CARICOM Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting System (CARMES) which is a web portal platform, for the three implementing partners – Member States, Regional Institutions and the CARICOM Secretariat – to monitor and report on the implementation of the Community Strategic Plan. The Community Strategic Plan is built on eight Integrated Strategic Pillars under which interventions are undertaken towards achieving Regional Public Goods and Outputs that lead to realising the Outcomes of the Community.

These Pillars are:

• Building Economic Resilience
• Building Social Resilience
• Building Technological Resilience
• Building Environmental Resilience
• Strengthening the CARICOM
• Identity and Spirit of Community
• Strengthening Community Governance
• Coordinated Foreign and External Economic Affairs
• Research and Development and Innovation

To monitor progress being made towards achieving these Pillars, CARMES comprises a Performance Measurement Framework (PMF) which has been developed for the Community Strategic Plan.

As the Community Strategic Plan is informed by  national priorities and aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals, CARMES contains several indicators which Member States are already reporting on, including some Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators, hence reducing duplication of efforts.

The operationalisation of CARMES is part of the Implementation of Phase II of the CARICOM RBM System which includes the development and implementation of a RBM Policy by all implementing partners, towards fostering a results-oriented Community. This follows the mandates from the two highest decision-making bodies of the Community, namely, Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM and the Community Council of Ministers, that Member States, Regional Institutions, Organs and Bodies expedite the full adoption of RBM. In this regard, CARMES provides a facility whereby Implementing Partners can report directly on progress made on the implementation of the Community Strategic Plan, which will assist with ensuring timely interventions where challenges exist to avert implementation delays.

The implementation of an RBM Policy will engender improvements in programme and project planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting while also supporting transparency and accountability in all implementing partners. This result will go a long way in ensuring evidenced-informed and sustainable decision-making across the Community.

Prior to its full operationalisation, a successful pilot was conducted with a sample of Member States and Regional Institutions, and extensive training was provided to all implementing partners. The ongoing Phase II of the CARICOM RBM System deliberately includes a significant capacity building component, during which time implementing partners will continue to receive further training in relation to RBM and the use of CARMES which has the facility to generate periodic progress reports, which will inform the development of the Community’s annual results-focused Annual Report.

As the Community finalises the Community Strategic Plan 2020-2030, the adoption of RBM and intensification of monitoring, evaluation and reporting by all implementing partners have become even more critical with the socio-economic and other impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the region.