Former Assemblyman Mr. Joel Jack was the Deputy Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly(THA) with responsibility for Finance and the Economy. He was appointed Secretary of Finance andEnterprise Development in the THA in 2013. Prior to this, he was also the Programme Coordinator inthe Financial Literacy Secretariat, and the Director of Enterprise Development.
Under his leadership, the Division of Finance initiated the adoption of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), and the modernisation of the Assembly’s financial architecture with the introduction of the Integrated Financial Management Information System, as well as theAutomated Clearing House System (ACH) payment system. He also championed the Assembly’s Alternative Financing Modality, which resulted in the Assembly, for the first time in its history,accessing funding on the local capital market of approximately TT$165M. He also championed the Assembly’s Public Private Partnership modality and the Development of the Tobago Infrastructure Investment Strategy.
The Division of Finance also encompassed responsibility for Enterprise Development, and during that time, he ensured that entrepreneurs and small business owners not only acquired the finances required to open and expand their operations but also ensured they received the training and financial education needed to successfully manage, operate and scale their businesses. Under his direction, the Division implemented a suite of initiatives focused on providing training and financialsupport targeting females, the elderly, the physically challenged and young entrepreneurs as well as programmes positively impacting the fishing, agricultural, technology and micro-enterprise sectors. During his tenure, he also introduced the Tobago Export Readiness Programme.
Mr. Jack was also responsible for the Assembly’s Draft Medium Term Planning Framework, which isguiding and advancing the island’s socio-economic development for the period 2019-2024. He also advanced Tobago’s Intelligent Island Mandate through a Joint Venture with TSTT to construct a Tier III Data Centre and the completion of a comprehensive study.A past student of Signal Hill Secondary School, he has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting from St. George’s University, Grenada. Mr. Jack also holds a Certificate in Cost Management Accounting and is an MBA student at Warwick University, UK. Afather of two, he believes in continuous learning and the kaizen approach to doing things and is committed to the development of Tobago and continues to serve the people of Tobago with fervour and excellence.
