Using 1970 as an index year, the well-being of human beings has improved across the world and yet the gap between developed and less developed countries, if anything, seems to have increased. Kofi Anan, the former Secretary General of the United Nations, defined a developed country as “….one that allows all its citizens to enjoy a free and healthy life in a safe environment….”

 

The UN, World Bank and the IMF along with many institutions of global reach have collectively defined a set of Millennium Goals to be achieved between 2015 and 2020; however progress towards a number of these goals has been limited, indeed the task of improving the lives of 100 million slum dwellers has not been addressed at all.

 

At Remus we believe there are no “One Size Fits All” type programmes or initiatives that deliver tangible and sustainable outcomes. Our focus is on bespoke “Tailor Made” programmes designed in conjunction with our National Government clients, who after all, know better than any foreign institution what is needed to improve the lives of their citizens.

 

The single most important task in shaping a sustainable development programme is its design. The understanding of the cultural, religious and sometimes tribal realities in certain geographies and their subsequent incorporation at the programme design phase is fundamental to success. At Remus we encourage the beneficiaries of our programmes to be involved directly in their deployment. The “ownership” and “sponsorship” critical success factors are addressed at the outset as indeed are the practical ways of harvesting the benefits.

 

A sustainable approach to development is one which takes account of economic, social and environmental factors to produce projects and programmes which will have results which are not dependent on finite resources. Something which is sustainable will not use more natural resources than the local environment can supply; more financial resources than the local community and markets can sustain; and will have the necessary support from the community, government and other stakeholders to carry on indefinitely. Remus develops financial and operational models which adhere to these criteria enabling the National Government client to sustain a given development programme into the future without the need for International funding and aid, which may carry economic and political obligations which are unacceptable.

 

National programmes conducted on a holistic basis have far reaching implications not only in the sector concerned, such as healthcare for example, but also on the legal and regulatory frameworks National Governments adopt to ensure governance and transparency. As such the risks and their consequent mitigation need to be identified early in the design phase of any programme. Remus’s team of analysts identifies areas of risk and their potential impact on project delivery. In so doing, and where possible, keys steps are built into the project design to mitigate these risks should they occur.

 

Remus is a profit making corporation and as such is very disciplined in its management of costs and timely delivery of projects. We operate to the highest ethical standards in our dealings with government entities in so doing protecting our reputation and that of our government based clientele. Remus offers innovative technology and processes, some of which are patented, and is able to provide cost effective solutions with a focus on “Value for Money” and “Long Term Sustainability”. The transparency and integrity Remus deploys with all financial transactions is a testament to the value associated to long term partnerships with National Governments.

 

Post deployment, Remus will provide relevant technical and operational resources to run the facilities for the term of the contract period or until the National Government is able to operate the facilities with its own staff. Often, as is the case of healthcare facilities, which require successful operational activity for at least six months to acquire International Accreditation, Remus provides a valuable resource is this interim period, whilst, at the same time, building management and operational capacity within the relevant government organisation. The professional development of local nationals is extremely important and must be an integral part of any programme if they are to succeed. Remus provides this aspect of project capability to ensure continuity and maintenance of recognised International Standards. This will lead to bespoke programmes run in conjunction with educational institutions, colleges and universities locally.

 

A key feature of Remus’s Development Programmes is our “In-House” professional training and development activities which we activate very early in the process with a view to empowering local citizens to participate not ONLY in the running of facilities BUT also to help design and shape those facilities, which they will ultimately own and manage in the future. This is key part of the "Sustainable” nature of our programmes which we take extremely seriously. Ultimately this approach creates local jobs for local nationals to provide a service to their fellow countrymen. Continuous learning is one of the core principles that Remus embraces, both as an organisation and as a Partner. As such our “In-House” professional training programmes are developed further every year to ensure they remain relevant to developments in the sector concerned.

 

Certainly the most sensitive part of any development programme, the ultimate goal is achieved when local nationals manage and operate local facilities and services for their fellow citizens. In reality, with Remus, this approach begins on day 1 of any programme and progresses gradually with the replacement of foreign skilled labour by professionally trained and qualified local nationals, such that at this stage in the contract period we are at 85% completion. Remus will have helped acquire accreditation, ensured internationally recognised procedures and processes have been imbedded, and the relevant financial and operational models are functioning on a sustainable basis. The engagement and support of all key stakeholders is consequently obtained with no dependency on external agencies or foreign institutions.

The transition to a fully owned and operated National Service has to be managed with care and significant preparation and as such we feel this is a journey which we will take with our Partners. At Remus we feel the key to a successful transition and thus making it seamless is suitable forward planning and preparation. The timeframe is less relevant than the precision of execution and so by definition we avoid placing “Hard & Fast” deadlines into Partnership arrangements to provide a degree of flexibility for both parties.

 

At Remus we also consider “Post Transition Advisory Services”, should they be required, whereby our Partners may freely access Remus expertise for a period of 12 months post the transition to a fully nationalised programme. Again this is about providing assurance and support where and when needed to ensure the programme is sustainable.