University of Michigan Community in Grenada (1)

                                    GIEU Grenada 2010

Rough Outlines of Committee Duties

This is just a rough outline of each committee's duties. They may change and evolve along the course of this program.

Fund Raising Committee:

• Assist with grant writing
• Help establish contacts across campus in an effort to best utilize financial opportunities/resources (quality over quantity…important to research and know potential donors!)
• Frequently update a shared spreadsheet, allowing the rest of the group to know how your grant work is coming along
• Write ‘thank you’ follow-ups once grant money is received
• Help maintain organized records of fundraising efforts
• Other fund raising related work

Logistic Committee:

• Arranging air travel to Grenada and lodging
• Arranging travel within Grenada, including daily travel to meeting locations
• Knowing and working with any security issues that may come up during the trip
• Acquiring cell phones for use within Grenada
• Locating and hiring any needed tour guides
• Writing and organizing a “booklet” for each member of the course to review before the trip, detailing important customs, advisories, and basic touristy information.
• Keeping the rest of the class on track for acquiring passports and visas and necessary vaccinations. (depend on nationality)

Meeting/Contact Committee:

• Aggregate contact list from across topics; narrow contact list based on availability, time constraints and equitable distribution
• Contact all parties via email and telephone
• Assemble agenda on c-tools calendar and coordinate with the logistics committee
• Identify which meetings will require translation and work with logistics committee to arrange translator.

Documentation Committee:

• Develop plan for documentation of the trip to Grenada and meetings with stakeholders
• Ensuring that policy reports are shared with all partners, funders and in-country stakeholders
• Prepare for the final presentation
• Other outreach communication tasks
• Support faculty in class

2011 IEDP Application Q & A

Q. I am an undergraduate student, can I apply for IEDP?
A. No. IEDP currently opens to only graduate students at the University of Michigan.

Q. What is the class schedule for IEDP 2011?
A. At this moment, the schedule is not final set yet. However, in the past, IEDP always made great effort to accommodate each participant's schedule.

Q. When will this course be offered?
A. The course will be offered in 2011 winter semester in two parts. The first part is the 7-week course study in traditional class format.The second part is the 1-week field trip to Grenada during spring break. Each part has 1.5 credits.

Q. How many hours per week shall we expect this course to take?
A. The class typically meets total 3 hours a week. However, since this is a student-initiated program, participants are also expected to commit extra time to do the necessary preparation work.

Q. What kind of experience will IEDP offer?
A. Besides the exciting opportunities of studying Grenada's policy issues and meeting with the stakeholders in the country, the IEDP also offers students the great opportunity to participate the preparation of this program. Each participant is expected to work for one of the four preparation committees: fund raising committee, meeting/contact committee, logistic committee, and documentation committee, and gain highly marketable experience in these fields.

2011 IEDP Application

The 2011 IEDP application is open. The deadline will be Oct.1, Friday. Graduate students from Ford School of Public Policy and other graduate/professional schools/programs at the University of Michigan are eligible to apply.

Download Application form and instruction

Welcome our new committee members: Sara Blumenthal and Jennifer Hong!

IPSA/IEDP Information and Election Night - Sept 21 at 6PM in 1230

Are you an (aspiring) international policy wonk?

Do you want to learn more about and engage with int'l issues?

Do you like to plan/coordinate and find yourself naturally organizing events?

Are you excited for this year's IEDP country of focus, Grenada?

If any or all these are YES (or even MAYBE), have we got opportunities for you...

IPSA/IEDP Information and Election Night - Tuesday, September 21 at 6:00PM in 1230 Weill

There are 5 positions that will be filled in this election and will complement the positions already held by returning Ford School students, which include 2nd Year IEDP Co-Chair and IPSA/IEDP Treasurer.  Here are the details about the positions that are open this fall...

IPSA Co-Chair (1st Year)

The 1st Year Co-Chair oversees IPSA activities and events.  This Co-Chair also coordinates and facilitates IPSA meetings and works with the other IPSA officers and members to develop and hold activities within the Ford School and on campus. This officer acts as the primary liaison with Student Activities Committee and the Ford School on behalf of IPSA.  She/he is not automatically admitted into IEDP.

Secretary (1st Year)

The Secretary will be in charge of updating the IPSA Web site, managing the IPSA membership lists, and sending out minutes from IPSA meetings, as well as helping the Events Coordinator plan IPSA activities in Ann Arbor, with the help of the Social Committee and other IPSA members. She/he is not automatically admitted into IEDP.

Social Coordinator

The events coordinator oversees the necessary tasks to coordinate educational and social events for IPSA membership in Ann Arbor. She/he oversees the Social Committee. She/he is not automatically admitted into IEDP.

IEDP COMMITTEE MEMBERS (2)

The two IEDP committee members will work with the IEDP Co-Chair and Treasurer to organize the class and trip to Grenada. Duties may include but are not limited to: leading logistical groups to reserve hotels, plane tickets, etc.; planning in-country meetings and other activities; assisting fundraising activities; and assembling course materials/readings. Committee members should have not only demonstrated experience with such logistical activities but an enthusiasm for Grenada and/or international development. These positions are open to all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year Ford School students and would automatically be admitted into IEDP.

Election Procedures

In order to run for these positions you must submit a written platform of no more than 250 words describing why you would fulfill the expectations of the position. Please complete this platform and send them to ipsaboard@umich.edu by Monday, September 20 at 9:00am.  The platforms will be sent to the Ford School Community by 12:00pm the same day for voting consideration.  At the meeting on the 21st, each candidate will have a few moments to speak at the meeting and answer a few questions.  In order to vote, you must be present at the meeting.

You may run for more than one position if you submit a platform for each of the positions for which you wish to run. Voting will take place one position at a time and we will announce who has been elected immediately to allow others to run for a second position (but ONLY if they have already submitted a platform for each position of interest).  Here is the order the positions will be elected at the meeting: IEDP Committee Members (2), IPSA Co-Chair, IPSA Secretary and IPSA Social Coordinator.

For those who would like to know more about IPSA and/or IEDP, there will be an informal Q & A session held in the Grad Student Lounge on Monday September 20 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Life and debt - trailer

Life and Debt is a feature-length documentary which addresses the impact of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and current globalization policies on a developing country such as Jamaica. 

Learn more about this film, go to http://www.lifeanddebt.org/

Have watched this film? Share your thought and opinion with us!

The 2009 International Economic Development Program: Senegal

IPSA/IPC Panel Rediscovering the Caribbean: An overview of economic, environmental and public health policy in the region

IPSA/IPC Panel

Rediscovering the Caribbean: An overview of economic, environmental and public health policy in the region

September 14, 2010. 4:00-5:30 p.m.

Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Annenberg Auditorium. 1120 Weill Hall

Panelists:

Susan M. Collins, Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of Public Policy

Alan Deardorff, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and Department of Economics

Mark B. Padilla, School of Public Health

Susan Waltz, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

IPSA/IPC panel on “Rediscovering the Caribbean: An overview of economic, environmental, and public health policy in the region” will provide an overview of various policy issues in the Caribbean, helping us better understand this important neighboring region. The panelists will discuss the political features of the policy making environment, macroeconomic performance and policy in the Caribbean region, international trade policy and trade agreements, and ecological association between HIV risk and tourism.

Economy of Grenada

Grenada has a largely tourism-based, small, open economy. Over the past two decades, the economy has shifted from one of agriculture-dominant into that of services-dominant, with tourism serving as the leading foreign currency earning sector. The country's principal export crops are the spices nutmeg and mace (Grenada is the world’s second largest producer of nutmeg after Indonesia). Other crops for export include cocoa, citrus fruits, bananas, cloves, and cinnamon. Manufacturing industries in Grenada operate mostly on a small scale, including production of beverages and other foodstuffs, textiles, and the assembly of electronic components for export.

Economic growth picked up in the late 1990s following slow growth and domestic fiscal adjustment in early years of the decade. Despite an expansionary fiscal policy, the public debt remained moderate at around 50 percent of GDP as deficits were financed partly by privatization receipts. Since 2001, economic growth declined caused by adverse shocks such as a slowdown in the global economy and natural disasters. To deal with the shocks, fiscal policy became more expansionary while privatization receipts declined. As a result, public debt increased sharply to near 110 percent of GDP in 2003. Economic conditions worsened when Hurricane Ivan hit the country in September 2004; progress in fiscal consolidation was impeded as government revenues fell and policy priority was shifted to post-hurricane relief.

Although reconstruction has proceeded quickly with significant aid from the international community, tourism and agricultural activities remain weak and nearly offset the stimulus from the reconstruction boom. The country is still facing the difficult task of reconstruction and recovery, while public debt is unsustainable and the government faces large financing gaps. In the years ahead, reinvigorating growth will be a high priority, and continued efforts are needed to address vulnerabilities.

After experiencing GDP growth averaging nearly six percent a year in the late 1990s, economic growth declined considerably after 2001 as a result of a decline in the tourism industry following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and damages caused by several hurricanes.

The economy of Grenada was brought to a near standstill in September 2004 by Hurricane Ivan, which damaged or destroyed 90 percent of the country's buildings, including some tourist facilities. In July 2005 Hurricane Emily struck Grenada again as the country was still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Ivan. Besides the negative impacts to the tourism industry, the two devastating hurricanes destroyed or significantly damaged a large percentage of Grenada’s tree crops, which may take years to recover.

As the damage of Hurricane Ivan to the economy exceeded 200 percent of GDP, economic growth registered a negative growth of three percent in 2004, compared with a positive growth rate of 5.8 percent in 2003. Although signs of recovery have been seen in Grenada after the damage inflicted by Hurricanes Ivan and Emily, economic conditions remain difficult; GDP is projected at a growth rate of only one percent for 2005.

With the absence of sustained growth, the fiscal situation started to deteriorate after 2001 reflecting a continued expansionary policy with sharp increase in spending on social sectors, the wage bill, and goods and services. As a result, the fiscal deficit rose to 8.5 percent of GDP in 2001 from 3.2 percent in 2000. The fiscal situation remained shaky in 2002 with the deficit widening to 19.2 percent of GDP due to dampened output from Tropical Storm Lili. As the economic began to recover in 2003, the government began to take steps for fiscal consolidation, and the fiscal deficit fell to 4.8 percent of GDP. But progress in fiscal consolidation was impeded in 2004 as the government policy changed abruptly to post-hurricane relief. Meanwhile, government revenues decreased as a result of the impact of the hurricanes on the economy.

While economic growth has declined since 2001 due to adverse shocks, including slowdown in the global economy and natural disasters, fiscal policy became more expansionary when privatization receipts declined. As a result, public debt has increased sharply to over 100 percent of GDP since 2002; it remained as high as near 130 percent of GDP in 2004.

Grenada is a member of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), which manages monetary policy and issues a common currency for all the member countries. Inflation has remained low and stable within the framework of the currency board arrangement, with inflation averaging at two percent over the past 15 years.

Grenada's current account balance has remained in large deficit due to its heavy dependence on import of most consumer goods and domestic investment. Following an average deficit of around 20 percent of GDP from 1997 to 2000, the current account deficit has increased to over 30 percent of GDP since 2001 due to higher import demand combined with lower receipts from tourism and nutmeg exports. The current account deficits are financed by inflows of foreign direct investment, official grants and loans, and commercial borrowing by the private sector.

Grenada’s economy is vulnerable to external shocks considering its high dependence on tourism, exports, and imports of most of the goods that are consumed or invested domestically. It is also prone to other adverse shocks such as natural disasters.

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Ivan and Emily, the priority now for Grenada is to continue the recovery process necessary to restore the infrastructure that was devastated by the hurricanes. The international community has disbursed significant amounts of aid, including financial help under the International Monetary Fund's emergency assistance policy for natural disasters and assistance from the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank.

In the context of regional economic development, further integration into the Eastern Caribbean regional economy will help enhance Grenada’s competitiveness and increase its scale of economy in production, marketing and distribution.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Grenada