An Exploratory Study on Public Sector Program Evaluation Practices and Culture in Barbados, Belize, Guyana and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Where Are We? Where Do We Need To Go?

Background: Little is known about the status of program evaluation culture and practice in the English Speaking Commonwealth Caribbean (ESCC). This study examined the extent of evaluation culture and practice in four small Caribbean nations: Barbados, Belize, Guyana, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Purpose: The objective of this study was to learn about public sector program evaluation practices and culture in these four countries. Setting: Public sector agencies in the four countries. Intervention: NA Research Design: Cross-sectional survey Data Collection and Analysis: A total of eighty-eight public sector officials participated in a cross-sectional survey study. Findings: The research highlighted that while program evaluation is being practiced in the public sector in all four countries, the extent of practice varied among the countries. One noticeable factor that affected program evaluation practices was the financial costs associated with program evaluations. This problem was particularly evident in Guyana where program evaluations were conducted primarily to satisfy funding requirements. However, despite the variation in practices, all four countries recognized that program evaluation is a valuable and important activity. Solutions proposed by the study participants to build a more vibrant public-sector program evaluation culture included making program evaluation culture a part of organizational culture, building organizational monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity, and making program evaluation a regular mandatory public sector activity.