KINGSTON, Jamaica — A total of 68 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have commenced implementation of the Records Information Management (RIM) Programme, to date, with 12 off boarded to initiate electronic records management systems in their entities.

The programme seeks to strengthen the capacity of the public service to appropriately store, secure, preserve, access and share official Government of Jamaica (GOJ) records.

It is in support of the RIM policy, which provides a framework for the standardised management of official records and information to, among other things, enhance service delivery and enable sound decision-making, which is key to attaining national development goals.

As such, it aims to ensure that all activities and decisions of government are fully and accurately documented, managed and monitored in accordance with the regulatory framework and the principles of records creation, maintenance, use and disposal.

Addressing the recent RIM Month launch and off boarding ceremony at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Kingston,  Senior Archivist at the Jamaica Archives and Records Department (JARD), Racquel Strachan-Innerarity, noted that the RIM policy has three overarching outcomes.

Outcome one is aimed at providing efficient and effective service delivery that is accessible to all citizens of Jamaica, sharing data across MDAs and allowing for ease of doing business and attracting investment.

Policy outcome two looks at increasing transparency and accountability through the creation, processing, maintenance, use and disposition of records in conformity of local policies and standards and international best practices; and policy outcome number three is focused on the preservation of Jamaica’s national and cultural identity to have an informed citizenry and to attain the national development goals.

“For these outcomes to be realised each MDA of government must participate in the implementation of the RIM policy, which begins with the expression of interest letter from each entity,” the JARD senior archivist noted.

This is followed by the signing of a project charter, establishing a records information management committee, undertaking a records survey, and developing the records and information management policy and procedures manual.

Other activities under the programme include the preparation of a classification scheme in line with the GOJ’s scheme; appraising of records and developing a retention schedule; undertaking a decongestion exercise; reclassifying the records; destroying records that have surpassed their retention period; and implementing the electronic records management system.

The RIM programme is a component of the integrated information and communications technology ethos of the Public Sector Transformation and Modernisation Programme (PSTMP), which aims to establish an efficient and effective public sector to drive service delivery and ease of doing business.

— JIS