Learning Academy Masterclass: Achieving Organisational Breakthroughs

Ensure continuous performance improvement by knowing the trends that impact organisations and discovering the right remedies for you.

This one-day programme, a collaboration between PEMANDU Associates Learning Academy and &samhoud, will allow you to explore techniques to attain quick and effective organisational success (painkillers) and embed a culture that sustains success (vitamins).

We welcome key players who champion organisational change and transformation to join this programme to refine business strategies and achieve breakthroughs.

Date: Tuesday, 18 December 2018

Time: 9.30 am – 4.00 pm

Location: &samhoud Rooftop, The Icon Tower, Jalan Tun Razak

Fee: RM1200 per person (HRDF claimable)


This programme will cover:

  • Trends impacting organisations in Malaysia
  • Breakout sessions for the following topics: 

Painkillers
– Re-invent yourself (Game of the impossible)
– Finance and decision making
– KPIs, monitoring and problem solving

Vitamins
– Building a culture of trust
– Understanding the millennial heartset
– Living your organisational values

Seats are limited. Register here by Tuesday, 11 December 2018 to secure your seat!

Click to download the Masterclass Programme Overview.

For further enquiries, kindly email [email protected] 

Oman Fisheries - FM BW

Fishing for Gold – Diversifying and Boosting Oman’s Fisheries Sector

By Marc Fong

The Sultanate of Oman has had a long and rich history in the fisheries sector, with fishing activities taking place as far back as the birth of the Sultanate. Oman has the longest coastline amongst the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries with over 3,000km of coastline facing the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. In addition to this, Oman contributes to over 31% of produce amongst the GCC and is the only net exporter of fish in the region. Oman has a strong regional position but despite historical growth of 5% or more, the fisheries sector contributes less than 1% of GDP1  .

An analysis of the sector showed that fisheries in Oman is heavily reliant on subsistence fishermen who accounted for over 99% of production. Limitations on traditional methods and equipment, coupled with the need for additional capacity within regulatory authorities such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) to accurately define sustainable fishing levels meant that certain fish stocks were in danger of over-exploitation and potential collapse. In addition to this, with limited adoption of modern fishing technology, there is limited room for future growth.

Globally, aquaculture production is nearly on par with fish harvested from the wild but in Oman the aquaculture industry is minuscule. Similarly, fisheries processing and exports are largely limited to raw fish and primary processing with little value-add.

Despite these challenges, there remains significant room for growth in the Oman fisheries sector. Although it is the top producer in the GCC, analysis indicated that Oman is only addressing 2-3% of the total flora and fauna (biomass) in its seas. Furthermore, its long, largely undeveloped coastline with multiple coastal and water conditions are ideal for a variety of large-scale aquaculture projects. High levels of seafood-based processed products from neighbouring countries such as the UAE, which largely use produce imported from Oman, also indicate a potential to develop its downstream sector.

In 2017 MAF adopted a collaborative, result-driven approach for Oman with the introduction of the Fisheries Lab via PEMANDU Associates’ Big Fast Results (BFR) Methodology – 8 Steps of Transformation©. The lab focused on three key pillars; Catch (focused on tapping Oman’s natural biomass potential in the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean), Aquaculture (focused on developing higher-value aquaculture projects in collaboration with the private sector) and Processing & Exports (focused on downstream projects to add value to raw produce).

A bottom-up development of initiatives

Oman’s legacy with fishing meant that the sector had grown organically for centuries with minimal government intervention. However, the lack of associations or cooperatives – key features in developed nations – meant that growth was limited at an individual level with the vast majority of economic activity generated by individual fishermen using artisanal (traditional) techniques. It also meant that their issues and needs were not aggregated and channelled formally to the government, sometimes leading to interventions and initiatives that were incorrectly targeted.

The lab ensured that voices from both traditional fishermen as well as private businesses across the Sultanate were collated, and top issues prioritised. This approach was instrumental in ensuring that the government was cognisant of key pain points in the overall value chain. For example, obtaining permits to utilise land for aquaculture was often a lengthy and arduous process – in some instances taking over five years and requiring documentation from four or more ministries.

This had the effect of deterring private sector interest in the sector, while the government lacked an aggregated voice to prioritise this issue for urgent resolution. Through the extensive consultation in the labs, the private sector was able to collectively demonstrate the vast potential of unlocking private sector investment into the aquaculture sector. The lab succeeded in obtaining agreement from key ministries for a greatly simplified land use approval structure, potentially reducing time taken for approvals by up to 90%.

The development of a National Fisheries Management programme also ensured that a longer-term view was adopted within the ministry to ensure the sustainable exploitation of fish stocks. Amongst others, this programme involved better and more regular mapping of existing fish stocks to ensure that clear fishing quotas could be set to maintain and grow the industry.

Additionally, the government was also better able to prioritise its resources. By understanding where the greatest demand for services was, the government was able to focus on developing ports in three key areas in three years instead of seven ports over a course of nine years. The ports were prioritised on the basis of identifying return on investment and number of fishermen served as well as potential flow of catch.

The net effect of this, coupled with other initiatives, succeeded in unlocking over 20 projects worth approximately OMR640 million (US$1.6 billion) in investment over five years, including the world’s largest shrimp farm in Bar-al Hikmah.

Balancing multiple objectives

The true north of the lab as well as the Economic Diversification Programme was economic growth. However, recent events in Oman placed pressure on the government to create large numbers of jobs for locals. This need presented a conflict as the majority of labour in the fisheries sector came from foreign (sometimes illegal) workers. Omanis were mostly averse to taking up fishing as a job as it was labelled as ‘3D’ (dirty, dangerous and difficult) as well as being a relatively lower-income job.

Ultimately, the government faced a trade-off. Mandating Omani jobs in the sector would increase costs (due to minimum wages for Omanis), reducing the competitiveness of the sector and potentially reducing productivity (due to labour shortages). The government reached a compromise with initiatives to modernise traditional fishing vessels which would improve working conditions and form fisherman’s villages to create a better living environment for fishermen.

Further to this, initiatives to promote modern fishing techniques as well as developing traditional fishermen were introduced, paving the way for access to deeper waters and larger as well as niche fish stocks. The National Fisheries Management scheme also greatly simplified fishing permit approval processes as well as committed government funds and institutions to providing co-financing for artisanal fishermen.

These initiatives were also complemented by over 20 private sector-led projects including an initiative for the private sector to co-develop training programmes and apprenticeships with the government. This aimed to ensure that Omanis were adequately equipped with modern technology and trained to pursue larger and higher value fish stocks.

In addition to this, the government had previously banned trawling – a commonly utilised fishing method – due to environmental concerns over damage to the sea bed and marine by-catch. New proposals for mid-water trawling – a technique used in developed countries such as New Zealand, Norway and Ireland – were also rejected due to fears over public sentiment regarding the term ‘trawling’.

However, through the lab’s data-driven analysis – identification of huge untapped fish stocks that this initiative would unlock, coupled with analysis on acceptable fishing levels and usage of modern monitoring technologies that would allow the ministry to monitor impact of the new techniques, eventually convinced the minister to allow a pilot project. The private sector’s strong commitment including allowing ministry officials to sail aboard the ships and the use of electronic monitoring devices on the trawling nets themselves gave the government a level of comfort to proceed with the trial.

With these initiatives in place, Oman’s fisheries sector is poised for the next phase of growth. A traditional fishing powerhouse in the Gulf region, the country’s shift to a private sector-led growth model has brightened its future.

1Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Oman. National Centre for Statistics & Information, Oman

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels - Copy

Transformation on the Street: Setting the Economic Agenda for a New Malaysia

Malaysia’s Budget 2019 announced on 2 Nov 2018 has set the pace for the direction in which the country’s economy will be steered by its new government. The budget, which was also the first to be unveiled by the government, was generally well-received by the public for its focus on fiscal discipline as well as inclusiveness and societal well-being of the middle and lower-income groups.

However, with expectations of a slightly higher fiscal deficit of 3.7% in 2018 against an earlier projected 3.4%, as well as lower forecasted economic growth of 4.8% for the year versus between 5% and 5.5% targeted previously, the government has firmly established a New Malaysia that is more cautious than in the past. Given the prevailing global economic and industry trends, this approach may prove prudent as the country strives to remain relevant against a competitive and dynamic landscape. But, what are the essential considerations for the government to develop the economic agenda for the New Malaysia?

Nurhisham Hussein, the Employees Provident Fund Head of Economic & Capital Markets, observed at the Youth Economic Forum (YEF) 2018 recently that the economic environment has shifted considerably in recent times, with the emergence of multiple economic superpowers and greater inter-connectivity among economies. Coupled with a fast-paced landscape driven by tech disruptors, Nurhisham believes that the traditional practice of backing specific industries to achieve growth is no longer feasible. “We need to bet on making ourselves as structurally sound as possible by investing in human capital and ensuring the labour market is flexible and geographically mobile,” he said.

Aside from keeping an eye on trends, policymakers would also be wise to address vulnerabilities within the local economy. These vulnerabilities exist mainly in the form of lower government revenue from the removal of the Goods and Services Tax and the current level of fiscal debt. While Malaysia is recognised for having strong economic fundamentals, such as ease of access to capital and credit, Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, chairman of government-linked investment firm Permodalan Nasional Bhd, observed that the government is currently utilising 12% of its operating budget on servicing debt, double that of Malaysia’s peers.

Zeti, who is the former governor of the Malaysian central bank and also spoke at YEF 2018, added that monetary policy around the world sees increasing interest rates towards the normalisation of rates, as global economies are no longer in crisis. To follow suit, Malaysia must first address its level of debt and avoid excesses in expenditure. It is by achieving this normalisation of monetary policy can the country realise fiscal sustainability.

Warning that there is a “tremendous” need to jump-start the economy, she also advised that rather than cancelling infrastructure projects, the projects should be reassessed in terms of their value-add and impact to the economy, society and the environment, as well as cost against global standards.

The country’s economic conditions have also been highlighted by ratings agency Fitch Solutions. In a recent note, it cautioned of a slowing economy resulting from the government’s fiscal prudence. With the external environment remaining uncertain, the government may have limited room to stimulate growth while it seeks to reduce debt. The ratings agency also observed a greater reliance on oil revenues instead of measures to increase other revenue, which will additionally constrain efforts to lessen fiscal debt.

Meanwhile, Dr Sukhdave Singh, a director at Khazanah Nasional Bhd and also a former central banker, highlighted Industry 4.0 as a further point to contend with in establishing Malaysia’s economic trajectory. “We do not have the luxury of time. Industry 4.0 is already here changing the economic landscape and is only expected to accelerate in its intensity and impact. But we’re not ready; we need a national effort,” he warned.

Echoing Nurhisham’s earlier point that the time is past for focusing on specific industries, the government must instead create a nurturing environment for companies to become champions. This will require an intensive knowledge-based economy, a high-quality labour force, modern infrastructure, sound institutions and robust governance. These, in turn, call for deep political will and emphasis on innovation. The country is also urged to collaborate with its neighbours to compete with large economies, leveraging on ASEAN’s resources and market size.

With the New Malaysia still in its early days, the country and its economy remain in a transitional period. However, the prevailing global economy and industry trends signal that time and a balancing act in fiscal prudence are of the essence for the new government to launch a resolute economic agenda.

“We will deliver to the People of Saint Lucia!”

Saint Lucia Prime Minister Honourable Allen M. Chastanet gave an extensive and passionate presentation to the Saint Lucia Chamber of Commerce on Thursday November 15th 2018 as he addressed a packed room of members of the local business sector. The broad discussion touched on a variety of areas including infrastructure, health care, education and economic development.

The Prime Minister began by updating the Chamber on current and proposed development projects for Saint Lucia, starting from the north to the south of the island. Among the projects: the planned expansion of major hotels in the Rodney Bay and Gros Islet area, new tourism projects for the Choc area, the expansion of Saint Lucia Distillers, the construction of the Fairmont Hotel in Choiseul and the DSH Pearl of the Caribbean Project. The Prime Minister also spoke to critical public sector projects such as the redevelopment of Hewanorra International Airport, the redevelopment of Castries, rehabilitation of road infrastructure, social programmes and efforts to address the nation’s security.

Photo credit: Saint Lucia Times

“We have come to an agreement with the Taiwanese Government who have agreed to lend us 100 million US dollars to be able to do that project,” explained the Prime Minister, while also adding that the loan is being supported by the airport development charge. An additional $50 Million will be borrowed from Taiwan for major upgrades of existing roads island-wide. The Prime Minister noted that the road rehabilitation charge on gasoline will also be used to service the loan.

When it came to health care, the Prime Minister updated the business community on plans for National Health Insurance, the strengthening of the nation’s primary health care facilities and the phased opening of the OK-EU hospital. With regard to the construction of the St. Jude Hospital the Prime Minister said the designs and the engineering drawings have been completed and funding has been secured for the proposed new wing.

“We are moving as fast as we possible can to rectify that situation,” PM Chastanet said following a recap of the immense missteps which had led the nation to this point. “We know the challenges that exist at the stadium and we are working with the staff as best as we possibly can to make them as comfortable as possible, but we recognize and understand the frustration by both the people who are working there, as well as the citizens who have to depend on it. The fact is we have to do things the right way and I can assure all Saint Lucians that you will be very proud of the development. I am comfortable that once you have all the financing, you have the design completed and you have a great company doing the implementation that you should not see a repeat of what happened the last five years.

The Prime Minister also said that the Government tackling issues concerning the pace of the implementation of programmes and projects and has engaged the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU), which was set up by Malaysia, to assist Saint Lucia in that regard. PEMANDU will be focused on six key areas of Agriculture, Tourism, Infrastructure, Health, Education and Social Development.

Key indicators in the economy have been encouraging, said the Prime Minister, noting that tourism continues to show signs of growth and consumption and economic activity is on the rise.

“We have already seen that with the reduction of the Value Added Tax rate of 12.5 percent we are currently collecting slightly more money than we were collecting when we were at 15 percent,” said PM Chastanet. “So mathematically that tells you that the turnover in the economy is absolutely there.”

Also encouraging, said the Prime Minister, was growth in the Information Technology sector which has seen the creation of 2000 new jobs. He singled out the expansion of KM2 and OJO Labs. The Prime Minister also spoke about the National Apprenticeship Programme and the partnership with Monroe College which will see hundreds of Saint Lucian young people receive hands on hospitality training.

“We continue on course and I am very encouraged,” said the Prime Minister about overall development. “The amount of money that is about to start flowing into this economy and the investment that we are going to be making into the infrastructure of this country . . . there is a lot of work taking place on the ground and we are moving. What we are focused on is developing this country, improving the physical capacity, improving the human capacity and improving the bureaucratic capacity of this country.

“We have been able to attract a record amount of new investment to come into this country. We have taken our time to be responsible and ensure the EIAs are done and we follow the law and to make sure it is going to benefit every Saint Lucian,” noted PM Chastanet, who also highlighted support to local entrepreneurs through the St Lucia Development Bank, training opportunities for young people, development and reenergizing of youth programmes. “We are calm, cool, collected and focused and we will deliver to the people of Saint Lucia.”

As he closed his presentation, which included questions from the attendees, PM Chastanet explained that the plan of Building a New Saint Lucia where all can benefit is the priority.

 


Source: Saint Lucia Times

Read the original article here

Industry 4.0 Blueprint on readiness assessment finalised, says Miti

The Industry 4.0 Blueprint or Industry4WRD assessment guidelines to assess manufacturing companies’ readiness for Industry 4.0 has been finalised. It shall be implemented in the screening of 500 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) early next year.

(From left) PEMANDU Associates Executive Vice President Yong Yoon Kit, MITI investment policy and trade facilitation senior director Faizal Mohd Yusof, HLIB head of dealing, SVP & institutional business Datuk Zunaidah Idris, Hong Leong Stock Broking chief operating officer Kwek Kon Chow, and Malaysia Automotive Institute chairman Datuk Phang Ah Tong at the BURSA – HLIB Stratum focus series VII: Industry 4.0.
(Photo credit: The Star Online)

International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) investment policy and trade facilitation senior director Faizal Mohd Yusof said the Industry 4.0 readiness assessment shall provide a better understanding of the current state of SMEs, in terms of technology adoption.

“It is good to gauge the level of industrial revolution of manufacturing companies in Malaysia. The government will then be able to decide on the direction of facilitating Industry 4.0 adoption for SMEs, and see where it can intervene by allocating funding or incentives,” he said.

He was speaking at the Bursa Malaysia-Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Stratum Focus Seminar series VII themed “Industry 4.0: Humanising Machines, Disrupting Economies”.

 

The readiness assessment, which will be conducted by Malaysian Productivity Corp, is part of the Budget 2019 measures to accelerate the adoption of Industry 4.0.

A sum of RM210mil has been allocated from 2019 to 2021 to support this programme.

The guidelines of the assessment were established based on a pilot study of 22 companies.

Meanwhile, the readiness assessment guidelines for the manufacturing-related services sector is being prepared and targeted for implementation in the second quarter of 2019.

According to PEMANDU Associates Executive Vice President Yong Yoon Kit, Malaysian manufacturing companies that have adopted Industry 4.0 practices were found to perform 26% better than their peers that did not have a digital strategy.

“However, Malaysia’s manufacturing sector is still averaging at Industry 2.5, which lies between the utilisation of electricity and automation in mass production,” said Yong.

Industry 4.0 entails the convergence of physical systems and IT, assisted with dynamic data processing.

Under Budget 2019, the government has allocated some RM5bil to help businesses adopt Industry 4.0 practices.

This entails an allocation of RM2bil under the Business Loan Guarantee Scheme (SJPP) as well as a RM3bil Industry Digitalisation Transformation Fund.

The government provides guarantees of up to 70% under the SJPP to incentivise SMEs to invest in automation and modernisation.

As for the Industry Digitalisation Transformation Fund, there is a subsidised interest rate of 2% under Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd to accelerate the adoption of smart technology such as automation, robotics and artificial intelligence.

 

By Toh Kar Inn
Source: The Star Online

Read the original article here

Government of Saint Lucia calls for projects under the key result areas of tourism and agriculture

Honourable Guy Joseph, Minister for Economic Development, Housing, Urban Renewal, Transport and Civil Aviation launched Saint Lucia’s Social and Economic Labs.

The lab methodology is a new approach which the government is undertaking to develop and deliver on the Medium Term Development Strategy (MTDS) for 2019-2022, with the aim to achieve an inclusive and sustainable Saint Lucia by 2022. This project is supported by the Caribbean Development Bank through a Technical Assistance Loan to the Government of Saint Lucia.

The process began in April 2018, when Saint Lucia’s Cabinet and senior officials from the public service, together with representatives from the private sector, prioritised six (6) Key Results Areas (KRAs) to focus on. The six KRAs comprise three (3) Economic KRAs, which are Tourism, Agriculture and Infrastructure, and three (3) Social KRAs, which are Healthcare, Education and Crime. Collectively, these sectors represent some of the most important areas that impact the lives of every Saint Lucian.

The Department of Economic Development, Transport and Civil Aviation is the lead sponsor for the labs, and the Government of Saint Lucia is fully committed to the labs.

Phase 1 of this process is the lab phase, which will take place from 19 November to 14 December. During this phase, the labs will identify issues and opportunities, prioritise solutions and develop detailed implementation plans for execution over the next four years. The labs will involve participation of all key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, and the output of the labs will be detailed implementation programmes as well as budget requirements to run the projects and initiatives identified, in order to achieve the aims of the Medium Term Development Strategy (MTDS) 2019-2022.

After the completion of Phase 1, i.e. the lab phase, Phase 2 will commence in January 2019 and will involve the establishment of a Delivery Unit within the Government of Saint Lucia. This unit’s role will be to oversee, coordinate and drive implementation of the plans developed within the labs leading delivery of the prioritized goals across all six KRAs. Ultimately, the Delivery Unit’s mandate will be to manage performance and drive accountability as well as to support implementing ministries and agencies in delivering concrete results that improve the lives of our citizens.

To assist in successful delivery of this new methodology, the Government will be working closely with two leading international consultancies, which are Delivery Associates and PEMANDU Associates. These two firms have worked with Governments around the world to improve their effectiveness at delivering real, measurable outcomes for their citizens. The Government of Saint Lucia is excited to partner with them over the next 15 months.

As part of the labs, the Government of Saint Lucia is putting out a call for projects under the Economic Key Results Areas of Tourism and Agriculture.

The project areas under the Tourism KRA are international hotel brands interested in investing in Saint Lucia, cruise operators looking to make Saint Lucia a home port, Health and Wellness Tourism, Village Tourism and Eco Tourism.

The project areas under the Agriculture KRA are production of foods as a means of import substitution, food processing projects, production of high value, high yield crops that encourage crop diversification and production of staple crops.

 

By Government Information Service
Source: Saint Lucia News Online

 

Read the original article here