Changing Mindsets for Innovation and Digital Transformation

The workshop was organized through a collaborative effort involving United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA); Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); Caribbean Centre for Public Administration (CARICAD) and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office for Barbados & the Eastern Caribbean (UN RCO).

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Saint Lucia, have been persistently lagging other comparable economies in the developing world on the path to sustainable development, due to compounding crises such as natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. Promoting innovation and digital transformation can potentially help to ‘build back better’ by delivering services in a more effective and inclusive way, particularly to underserved, rural, physically disconnected, and otherwise marginalized segments of society. 

However, the public sector appears to encounter a capacity challenge in delivering change and transformation, with challenges being experienced in relation to mindsets, capacity, processes, and right skillsets. ​Implementing ​effective, accountable, and inclusive governance and institutions​, and pursuing​ opportunities for innovation and digital transformation, including digital services, ​could build ​resilience ​through progressive structural changes, and ​mitigate ​geographical remoteness. 

In this regard, the  workshop aimed to foster extensive discussion on key issues, challenges, priorities, and opportunities for changing mindsets in support of innovation and digital transformation in Saint Lucia, providing sound and innovative advice to government officials and other relevant stakeholders, on the importance of changing mindsets for innovation and digital transformation for long-term institutional development and services provision.  Another key outcome was to strategize and agree on key priorities for inclusion and updating of Saint Lucia’s Digital Transformation Strategy. Thirdly, the workshop also sought to enhance capacities of the Member State to strengthen public institutions and public services delivery to support the implementation of the SDGs using the Curriculum on Governance toolkit on Changing Mindsets for SDGs Implementation.  

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Public Service, Janet Barnard, welcomed the participants and reiterated the government’s prioritization of digital connectivity which she affirmed is well-aligned with the priorities outlined in the United Nations’ 2024-25 Country Implementation Plan for Saint Lucia, which highlights digital connectivity as one of six key transition areas designed to deliver catalytic and multiplier effects across the SDGs. 

During her opening remarks, Hon. Dr. Virgina Albert Poyotte, Minister with responsibility for the Public Service noted that the government of Saint Lucia has declared 2024-25 the “Year of Infrastructure,” with particular focus on digital public infrastructure, to include e-government services and telecommunications connectivity. She informed that Saint Lucia is currently repositioning and rebranding its public service to improve service delivery. 

According to Minister Poyotte, “digital transformation of public sector is not a choice but a necessity” to ensure that services are accessible, efficient, and responsive to the needs of Saint Lucians., to enhance public service delivery and improve the lives of citizens.

Digital Transformation is becoming increasingly indispensable globally, and Saint Lucia is no exception. Policy makers must ,therefore, be open to the possibilities offered by data mining, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning which can open endless opportunities to modernize and improve service delivery. 

Saint Lucia’s Director of Public Sector Modernization, Mr. Marlon Narcisse, advocated that ‘effective digital transformation is today as critical to sustainable economic development and good governance, as health care, building infrastructure, social programmes, citizen security and education.” 

To digitally transform in a sustainable manner, he maintained “we must adopt a digital mindset and think digital by default”.

The consultations were held at the Bel Jou hotel in Castries from August 6-7. Day 1 comprised senior government officials including ministers, permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries, heads of department. Other officials including the Chief Executive Officer of the St. Judes Hospital, the Director of Partnerships at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College; the Senior Manager for Collection and Compliance at the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority; and the Communications Specialist at the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards were also in attendance. Day 2 mainly comprised information systems administrators and managers. 

Participating UN agencies included UN DESA, UN ECLAC and UNDP. This initiative is under the aegis of the “Innovation, Digital Government Transformation and Changing Mindsets in the Caribbean SIDS” project which aims to strengthen public sector national capacities for Innovation, Digital Government Transformation and Changing Mindsets in three Caribbean SIDS (The Bahamas, Guyana, and Saint Lucia).