PRESENTATION BY SCARLETTE GILLINGS, CD MANAGING DIRECTOR JAMAICA SOCIAL INVESTMENT FUND SECOND REGULAR MEETING OF THE INTER AMERICAN COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT October 2007

JAMAICA SOCIAL INVESTMNT FUND Established in 1996 under the National Poverty Eradication Programme Government of Jamaica’s strategy to reduce poverty Now operates from the Office of the Prime Minister

POVERTY IN JAMAICA Influenced by the implementation of the NPEP and the establishment of the JSIF Declined by 10.6% 27.5% in 1995 to 16.9% in 2004 Rural-urban migration

INNER CITY BASIC SERVICES PROJECT (ICBSP) Funded by the World Bank – US$32.8 M Implemented by the JSIF Started in 2006 Focus on inner city development; emphaiss on crime and violence prevention

ICBSP PUBLIC SAFETY Zinc fence removal Street lighting and electricity Physical infrastructure improvement Access to financial services

RENEWED APPROACAH Two-pronged  underserved communities & depressed households Greater community participation

PUENTE IN THE CARIBBEAN Official launch of transfer programme in May in Kingston, Jamaica Response to calls by REDLAC for greater cooperation and sharing of best practices Requests renewed at REDLAC Annual Conference in Trinidad & Tobago, 2006 Pilot countries – St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica

PUENTE IN JAMAICA Possibility of linking with ICBSP family support services Access to: Life skills programmes Good parenting programmes Family mediation services Gender-based, sexual and domestic violence Drug abuse and alcoholism prevention and rehabilitation Reproductive health Early childhood development

PUENTE IN JAMAICA Synergies with existing Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education Points of convergence  focus on family/household intervention Firm commitment to transfer programme

MIL GRACIAS A: Organization of American States – Department of Social Development and Employment El Fondo de Solidaridad e Inversión Social Canadian International Development Agency