WASHINGTON, DC — Dr Nicola Virgill-Rolle of The Bahamas has been elected Vice Chair of the Organization of American States (OAS) Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Affairs (CAAP) of the Permanent Council, a key role in the OAS, particularly during a time of severe economic stress on the multilateral body.
In her capacity as vice chair of the CAAP, Dr Rolle is also serving as Chair of the Working Group to Prepare the Draft Resolution on the Program-Budget for 2011.
This year a Special Session of the General Assembly will be held by September 30 to approve the program budget of the OAS.
The budget is presented in the form of a resolution containing the allocations of the regular fund to the various departments (Secretariats) and organs within the OAS. The regular fund budget amounts to $85.4 million. The resolution also contains a number of other issues related of a financial and budgetary nature.
In her role as Chair of the working group, Dr Rolle was responsible first for drafting the resolution, and is now leading Member States through the negotiations of the resolution, with a view to achieving consensus so that the resolution can be elevated to the Preparatory Committee and eventually to the General Assembly of the OAS for final agreement by the highest authorities of the Member States.
The goal of this year’s resolution, in addition to presenting the budgetary allocations, is to reinforce accountability and reporting by the OAS General Secretariat to the Member States.
Dr Rolle on Tuesday chaired the first meeting of the Working Group, where she presented the draft document.
About the CAAP
The CAAP is a permanent committee of the Permanent Council, and is responsible among other things for recommending to the Permanent Council any programs within the Council’s purview that may serve the General Secretariat as a basis for preparing the proposed program-budget of the Organization.
The CAAP is also tasked with examining the proposed program-budget that the General Secretariat transmits to it in consultation with the Permanent Council, and submitting to the Council such observations as it may deem pertinent.
In addition, the CAAP is asked to study any other subjects the Permanent Council may entrust to it in relation to the programs, budget, administration, and financial aspects of the operations of the General Secretariat, and to evaluate – based on strict criteria – the overall effectiveness of the Organization’s programs, projects, and activities.
Furthermore, the CAAP may make any recommendations it deems appropriate and submit them to the Permanent Council for consideration and subsequent referral to the Preparatory Committee, so that they may be considered by the General Assembly in conjunction with the proposed program-budget.
Khyle Quincy Parker
Embassy of The Bahamas
