Roadtown, Tortola - The Department of Human Resources Employee Relations Unit in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance will host the first in a series of Personal Finance Management Workshops for public servants in September.

The workshop, which targets both junior and senior level public servants, will be held at the Public Service Training Centre on September 15 and 17 beginning at 9:00 a.m.  The main objective of the workshop is to educate employees on various financial planning techniques that would help prepare them for a sound economic future, including proper retirement planning.

The Director of Human Resources Mr. David Archer told the Department of Information and Public Relations that, “Providing a workshop such as this during these tough economic times is a meaningful way to demonstrate to our employees that we care about their overall being.”

Employee Relations Manager, Ms. Clearlie Brown said that one of the main roles of the Employee Relations Unit is to look after the overall well being of public servants. Based on the global economic downturn, we cannot sit back idly and let employees make uninformed financial decisions.  We believe that by taking a proactive approach to educating officers in the utilisation of their resources, including benefits received as employees of the Virgin Islands Government that will help them in making better financial decisions.”

“We want as many public servants as possible to take part in these ongoing workshops until we are satisfied that our employees have been well informed regarding better money management,” Ms. Brown added.

During the sessions participants will learn to be better stewards of their personal finances; utilise the benefits of the Government’s remuneration system; create a budget and effectively manage it; be a better administrator of their credit and debit transactions; protect their savings from the eventualities of life; educate themselves regarding the basics of insurance purchase; be smarter investors and take advantage of professional and personal development opportunities.

Mr. David Archer, Ms. Clearlie Brown, and Ms. Lisa Donovan from the Department of Human Resources, Ms. Jenifer O’Neal and Ms. Shaina Smith from the Ministry of Finance are the facilitators of different aspects of the workshop.

Mr. Archer, Ms. Donovan and Mr. Hodge will also appear on the GIS Public Eye programme on Tuesday, September 1.  The public is encouraged to tune in to ZBVI Radio 780 AM at 7:00 p.m. to learn more about the workshop and to ask questions.

Public servants are encouraged to register for the workshop by telephoning Ms. Joycelyn Walters at 468-3701 ext. 4905.

The Employee Relations Unit remains dedicated to serve as a channel for the resolution of employee’s work and other related problems by providing pertinent intervention, effective resources and the promotion of self-development and overall wellness.