Page 26 - JSIF Magazine Approved-v2-web4

Refl ectionScarletteGillings'
BuildEachCommunity…ItwillBuildtheNation
Scarlette Gillings, CD, JP
JSIF Managing Director, 1996-2015.
When Scarlette Gillings speaks, her passion for grassroots
development oozes from every sentence she articulates, and
it is not passion alone, she has, over the decades, put that
into practise, rewards of which are far reaching and evident.
Development, according to her, is a ground up phenomenon,
and not sky down.
“The key to national development is to strengthen rural
development, it is and should be the highest priority,” Gillings
says. “I am a rural development expert, and I strongly believe in community tourism, things that are most aligned to JSIF,”
getting communities involved is critical for the success in any
aspect of development. Gillings was asked to take charge of
the Jamaica Social Investment Fund, when it was launched in
November 1996; she led the agency for 18 years, taking JSIF
from ‘crayons to pursuits’. “I have no regrets,” she says. “They
were 18 fulfilling years doing what I love and am passionate
about; working with some of the brightest and most energetic
young people in almost every Jamaican community and sharing
and collaborating with Community Based Organizations and
26
NGO’s.” In 18 years, she guided more than 1,600 infrastructure
projects, worth nearly US$200 million, in 544 communities
across Jamaica. This stellar achievement, speaks volumes
and her accomplishments have been acknowledged and
recognised in various forums.
An editorial published in The Gleaner summed Gilling’s
contribution to Jamaica’s social landscape. “It says something
about Scarlette Gillings,” the editorial said. “..That, nearly two
decades later, the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF)
still remains such a critical institution for infrastructure
development in so many communities.” JSIF’s growth from
strength to strength has been powered by her vigour, which
Gillings says she derives from being cognisant to the realities of
the terra ferma, which have brought about the desired results.
According to this veteran social development specialist, the
key, and critically her legacy at JSIF have been to put systems
for project implementation in place, acquiring international
certifications and integrating the organisation with the
communities. “We have systems in place,” she said. “These
ensure that there is seamless flow of information, timely
implementation of projects and broader scope to attract
investments and funds.” It is these achievements, she is
immensely proud of.
“There is no other agency in Jamaica that can turn out small
scale projects in a speedy manner,” Gillings said. “I have worked
hard to get projects off the ground, zero in on agriculture and
she said. “It (JSIF) will never move from that.” A key attribute
to these successes, was bringing best practises on board.
During her tenure, JSIF was awarded the prestigious ISO 1400
certification.
“This is an achievement that stood out,” recalls Gillings. “When
this (ISO certification) was brought to by attention, I latched
on to it.” She added that it was imperative that the institution
adhered and conformed to international standards. “We need to
see how things are done internationally,” she said. “I delegated