BARBADOS BRIGHT SPOTS Leadership Development in Action

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1 BARBADOS BRIGHT SPOTS Leadership Development in Action NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR SERVICE EXCELLENCE (NISE) (Source: The National Initiative for Service Excellence (NISE) is an organisation created by the Social Partners (the Trade Unions, the Private Sector and Government) for the people of Barbados. NISE is at the forefront of a nationwide effort to help Barbados consistently deliver service excellence and be recognised internationally for this. Its focus is to create an enabling environment within which Barbados will be able to attain its vision of being a developed country by Summary points: NISE was launched during an official ceremony in 2004 The organisation s vision is directly aligned to the national vision for Barbados which is to be a fully developed society that is prosperous, socially just and globally competitive by the year 2025 Its mission is to promote and facilitate the achievement of sustainable excellence with organisations and to assist individuals in developing excellence as an ethic. Its goals are: To create a national culture of service excellence To help Barbados become known worldwide for service excellence To motivate and provide the tools for all Barbadians to become involved in the achievement of service excellence NISE s strategic partners are: The Cave Hill School of Business Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. The Productivity Council The Office of Public Sector Reform The Technical and Vocational Education and Training Council 1

2 NISE is committed to working with all Barbadians in schools, the public, private and nongovernmental sectors towards the achievement of a sustainable Barbadian brand of world-class service excellence. The establishment of a National Framework for Service Excellence will institutionalise the following eight strategic pillars for sustainable service excellence driven by the national vision for world class service, strategic service leadership and increased global competitiveness: Research Leadership Innovation Training and Development Accreditation Partnership with the Office of Public Sector Reform Communication The National Service Excellence Awards 2

3 WILLIAMS INDUSTRIES (Source: Williams Industries Inc. (WII) is a diversified Caribbean corporation with headquarters situated at Cane Garden, St. Thomas in Barbados. From its headquarters WII controls thirteen wholly owned and 17 joint venture companies in Barbados, St. Lucia and other Caribbean Islands. WII also has significant investments in Jamaica. These companies do business in manufacturing, electrical engineering, supply to the construction industry, waste recycling, water desalination, well drilling, real estate development, building and equipment rental, sewage treatment, alternative energy, cellular communication and tourism. The WII Group employs over 600 people. 286 of them are shareholders. Key Success Factors WII has developed an award winning modelling system for monitoring multiple business performances. This enables management to see trends quickly and take immediate action to support the positive and correct the negative. Transparency in management and the reporting of results, profit sharing and a unique employee share ownership scheme keeps all employees informed and empowered. The foundation of WII is an unshakable commitment to credibility and integrity in business that ensures that suppliers, employees and customers are always treated with respect and fairly. No lending institution has ever had to write off any part of any loan extended to any company controlled by the WII senior management team since the first company started over 38 years ago. Management Strategy for Expansion The strategy of WII is simple. The company does not believe in reinventing the wheel. Senior management looks for new business opportunities and if one is found that is unfamiliar, WII looks for a successful international operator in that business and offers it s local management ability and knowledge to form a joint venture to take advantage of the opportunity. Once established in Barbados WII then takes the technology to other markets such as St. Lucia and Jamaica. Corporate Beliefs and Code of Conduct WII believes that the only way to ensure the success of the Company is to provide customers with the highest standard of service and products possible at competitive prices. The Company will pursue its business interests vigorously and competitively and will aim to maximize growth and profitability by every fair means at its disposal. It will not engage in the bribery of any Government or other individual to obtain business. 3

4 WII believes that the Company exists solely for the benefit of its shareholders, its employees and the communities in which it does business. WII considers the company to be a joint venture between the providers of the capital and the providers of labour and believes that the benefits derived from its existence should be shared equally between these two groups. The Company respects the right of every individual to freedom of speech and expression and to freedom of association. The Company supports and protects the environment. It will not invest in or associate with any business or group that it knows to be involved in activity that is harmful to the environment. 4

5 SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP (Source: In the early 1990s Barbados experienced rapidly declining foreign exchange reserves, a worsening balance of payments position, dramatic rises in unemployment and a high fiscal deficit. At that time the Government collaborated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and implemented a number of structural adjustment measures some of which were rejected by the Barbadian public and there were widespread protests. As a response to the crisis, it was decided that a joint collaborative approach was crucial, consisting of representation from Government, the Trade Union Movement and the Private Sector. Social dialogue then became a strategic mechanism for ensuring nation-wide problem solving and it reduced industrial unrest in the country. Bridges of trust were eventually built which created a cordial environment for consultation and engagement by the parties. Though the crisis affecting the country in the early 1990s was overcome, this tripartite structure has remained in effect to this date. All parties still endeavour to formulate a united response to the country's economic and social challenges. Three distinctive groups: Government, Employers representatives and Trade Union representatives agreed in 1993 to the establishment of a Prices and Incomes Protocol and this led to the birth of the Social Partners. The Sub-committees Currently, meetings of the full Social Partnership are held under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister. The Sub-Committee, however, comprises three Ministers of Government, one of whom shall be the Chairman, the Head of the Civil Service, the Director of Finance and Economic Affairs, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Civil Service, the Chief Personnel Officer, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, the Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister s Office, the Chief Labour Officer and an equal number of representatives of the Employers and the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados. The Sub-Committee meets at least once a month. Its role is as follows: Consultation on a range of matters drawn to the attention of the Sub-Committee of the Social Partners. Monitoring the prices of goods and services and compensation. Intervening in employment relation matters without trespassing on the traditional conciliation within the voluntary industrial relations system. Monitoring the movement within the Retail Price Index. Referring to the full Social Partnership, matters which might strengthen the Social Partnership, assist in national development and advance the social and economic progress of the country. 5

6 PROTOCOLS OF THE SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP PROTOCOL I ( ) PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PRICES AND INCOMES POLICY The Social Partnership first formalised their relationship in 1993 by signing an agreement - Protocol for the Implementation of a Prices and Income Policy This Protocol was designed mainly as a package of measures to reverse the gradual erosion of the country's competitiveness by addressing specific economic problems and their social consequences. This policy contained: A commitment to maintain an exchange rate of BDS$2 to US$1; A commitment to the expansion of the economy through competiveness; A commitment to the promotion of access to employment; and A commitment to a reduction in the incidence of social dislocation caused by high unemployment. PROTOCOL II ( ) - PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PRICES AND INCOME POLICY Protocol Two incorporated the broad objective of promoting economic stability outlined in the first agreement, but had moved from a policy of "wage freeze" to a policy of "wage restraint", in order to make Barbados' goods and services more competitive. A strong emphasis was placed on productivity through the introduction of a system of performance-related pay in the country, emphasizing the role of job evaluation and negotiated job enhancement exercises. PROTOCOL III ( ) - PROTOCOL FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP The third agreement moved beyond narrow economic concerns to address the new issues associated with globalization. It took the view that there was a need for the partners to make a deliberate effort to institutionalise the Social Partnership in the belief that this was in the long term interests of the economy. Consistent with this view, the parties emphasized the continuing need to sub-ordinate sectoral interests to the national interest and to continue to use the Social Partnership to sustain economic growth and stability. To achieve long term sustainable growth, the agreement identified eight policy objectives, three of which were additions to the objectives set out in earlier agreements. The new policy objectives included: The maintenance of a stable industrial relations climate The reduction of social disparities through increased employment; and The consolidation of social dialogue through tripartite consultation PROTOCOL IV ( ) - PROTOCOL IV OF THE SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP 6

7 Protocol IV was implemented for the period The intent of this document was to create a modern efficient economy, able to achieve sustainable economic growth. It sought to facilitate increased employment and to establish equilibrium between prices and incomes. It further sought to create a society which enjoyed a greater degree of inclusiveness in all facets; and to distribute equitably the benefits of economic growth. PROTOCOL V ( ) - PROTOCOL V OF THE SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP The timeframe identified for this protocol was initially scheduled to be between 2005 and In comparison to the preceding instrument, this document sought to expand in more detail, critical issues such as: Occupational Health and Safety Issues affecting the disabled Community Environmental matters and Disaster Preparedness The major objectives of Protocol V included: Further positioning the Barbados economy through the protection, consolidation and advancements of Barbados' economic interests in the regional, hemispheric and global economic environment Reducing social disparities through those protections which are inherent in an acknowledgement of the right to decent work Fostering national commitment to increased competitiveness through improved productivity and efficiency in the workplace. Some of the prominent developments highlighted in this protocol Were (i) the signing of the National Initiative for Service Excellence (NISE) which was launched on November 30 th, 2004, (ii) the commitment of the partners to support the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. Another prominent feature was the recommendation for the creation of a Secretariat for the Social Partners. Protocol V was extended but expired in PROTOCOL VI ( ) - PROTOCOL VI OF THE SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP On May 2 nd, 2011, the Social Partnership signed its sixth protocol at the Barbados Worker s Union May Day Celebrations. It was agreed that Protocol V was still relevant and therefore should not be totally discarded. Therefore Protocol VI was built on the foundation of Protocol V with amendments made in cases where recommendations had been implemented, events were overtaken by time or where relevance to current events was an issue. 7

8 However, Protocol VI paid special attention to the following issues which are particularly relevant to the social and economic development of the country at this time: Barbados successful emergence from the current economic crisis and the desire to become The Number One Entrepreneurial Hub in the World by attracting investment in diversified sectors and the development of new skills Human development and the management of health issues, especially chronic diseases, recognising the link between good health and human and economic development. Environmental protection and the Green Economy by strengthening the clauses in the section on the environment already subscribed to in Protocol Five and fully supporting initiatives which seek to reduce our carbon footprint. The development of a knowledge driven economy to encourage a culture of information sharing within and across all sectors. Protocol VI is expected to expire in