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Belize Municipal Development Project BELIZE MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Public Disclosure Authorized SOCIAL ASSESSMENT FINAL REPORT Public Disclosure Authorized Submitted to: Social Investment Fund Contact Person: Mr. Daniel Cano Constitution Drive Belmopan City Public Disclosure Authorized Prepared by: Mr. Evan Dakers Consultant 19th February, 2010 Public Disclosure Authorized Table of contents Abbreviations Table of contents Executive Summary 1.0 Background 7 2.0 Objectives of the Social Assessment 9 3.0 Methodology for the Social Assessment 10 4.0 Summary of Diagnostic of the Municipalities 15 5.0 Institutional Framework for Social Development in Belize 39 6.0 Potential Social Impacts of the MDP 45 7.0 Strategy to Achieve Social Development Outcomes 50 8.0 Recommendations for Project Design & Alternatives 69 9.0 Institutional Arrangements 72 10.0 Monitoring and Evaluation Framework 75 11.0 Budgetary needs for Monitoring and Evaluation 83 Activities 12.0 Conclusion 84 Bibliography 86 Annexes 88 2 Abbreviations CEO Chief Executive Officer GOB Government of Belize IADB Inter-American Development Bank LGMC Local Government Monitoring Council MDG Millennium Development Goals MED Ministry of Economic Development MHD Ministry of Human Development and Transformation MLGRD Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development MOA Ministry of Agriculture NEMO National Emergency Management Organization NGO Non Governmental Organization SIF Social Investment Fund SWOT Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats TA Technical Assistance TOR Terms of Reference UNDP United Nation Development Program UNICEF United Nations Children Emergency Fund WG Working Group 3 Executive Summary After a break of about five years, the Government of Belize and the World Bank are once again collaborating on another Roads and Municipal Drainage Project as a follow-up to a previous World Bank project of a similar nature which closed in 2004. The present project has taken the findings into account of the Project Performance Assessment Report which is an evaluation of the first project that was carried out by an Independent Evaluation Group in 2008. The overall objective of this consultancy is to carry out a Social Assessment to determine the specific social issues and impacts of the Municipal Development Project (MDP) on affected populations within the seven beneficiary municipalities. The assessment will be used to design mitigation plans to improve the quality of life of the residents, as well as to develop a strategy for their participation in project implementation. The Consultancy was organized into four deliverables, an Inception Report, Social Screening Report, Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework and a Final Report. The Inception Report outlined the methodology used for the assessment which followed three steps: (a) Data Collection. Relevant data was collected using a number of techniques including: literature and audit reviews; one-on-one sessions with key informants, focus-group discussions, public consultations, and the use of survey questionnaires and other types of survey instruments. A special feature of this process was the formation of inter-sectoral groups in each of the seven municipalities called “Working Groups” so as to broaden the range of participants in the public consultations and not limit them to only mayors and their councilors. Some of the preliminary conclusions that came out of the consultations were: • Potentially affected peoples have been awaiting the drainage project to be continued. • Although people are skeptical about the investment project, there is an element of hope in the municipalities given the approach of People Participation. • There is a general interest/ curiosity on the possibility of how people can effectively influence the decision-making process. • There is the risk that high expectations term of employment opportunities. • There is a weak media environment. and 4 • NGO’s are not sufficiently mobilized for involvement in the MDP. (b) Data Analysis. The analysis of the data was done using techniques such as a matrix to process the data gathered from the field visits and literature reviews, and tables which were generated from the data collected from the different questionnaires. (c) Report Writing. The report writing process is guided by the terms of reference of the project, along with input from the Technical Advisor from the World Bank specializing in matters pertaining to social assessments. The Social Screening Report dealt with the diagnostics of the municipalities and provided a descriptive account of the socio-cultural, institutional, historical and political context of the MDP for each municipality. This report included a summary of these findings as well as the initial findings of the SWOT analysis, a listing of the projects presented by the municipalities and their ratings, and feedback from all stakeholders in relation to key social issues that should be considered for the success of the MDP. The legislative and regulatory section of the report gives an overview of all national legislation and regulations pertinent to the MDP, as well as the broader policy and reform context within which the project is implemented. Particular attention is given to recent reform efforts spearheaded by the Ministry of Local Government and Cabinet’s approval of a National Policy on Local Governance which will have a major impact on the laws and regulations relevant to municipal governance and the implementation of the MDP. This Final Report further analyses the findings of the Social Screening Report and results in the development of a strategy to achieve social development outcomes inclusive of mitigation measures. The emphasis in this section of the report is to focus on the potential social impacts of the MDP on the local populations in the municipalities. In addition, this section of the report is to provide guidance to project management and other stakeholders on how to integrate social development issues into the various phases of the project cycle. This section also includes recommendations related to the development of a consultation process for Indigenous Groups which is culturally appropriate. The details of the strategy to include indigenous peoples are in the report accompanying Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework Report. 5 The purpose of the section which deals with institutional arrangements is to propose a model for the establishment of an institutional framework. The overall responsibility of this framework is to coordinate the implementation and evaluation process for municipal projects and programs inclusive of the MDP. The main elements of the recommended model were adapted from existing institutional mechanisms within the National Policy of Local Governance which was recently given official approval by the government of Belize. These mechanisms are the Mayors’ Association, and the Local Government Monitoring Council (LGMC). The final section of the report deals with the presentation of a monitoring and evaluation framework, to include outputs, inputs, monitoring indicators, assumptions for the MDP and associated budgetary operational costs. 6 1.0 Background Through the Social Investment Fund (SIF), the Government of Belize (GOB) has applied for financing from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), for the Belize Municipal Development Project. The proposed Municipal Development Project is intended to build upon the municipal drainage component of the Roads and Municipal Drainage project, which was completed in 2004. The Roads and Municipal Drainage Project, which cost US$13 million, was financed by the World Bank. The proposed Municipal Development Project would have the following four main components: Component 1: Small-scale Municipal Infrastructure Investments: This component, for which the major part of the loan would be made available, would include primarily investments related to drainage and traffic management (roads and road architecture, but also signage). It will also include social infrastructure/facilities, public spaces, parks, tourism enhancements, bridges (smaller, municipal type), markets, and street lighting, which will indirectly improve the environment and the quality of life in the selected towns. Component 2: Capacity Building for Town Councils: This component would help to strengthen the capacity of Town Councils to govern more effectively. Included in this component would be activities to (i) improve the revenue collection an land administration systems of town councils (ii) improve environmental and social management compliance with national law (iii) increase town council accountability (iv) increase citizen participation - via public council hearings, public budget discussions, use of citizen scorecards, participatory planning, and community counterpart contributions, among others) (v) improve financial management, traffic management and (vi) to improve town planning activities, such as, disaster risk reduction and mitigation activities. Component 3: Technical assistance to Central Government in Municipal Management: This component would contribute to the strengthening of relationship between the central government and the town councils, in order to ultimately improve the prioritization and implementation of infrastructure investments and service delivery. It would include activities such as developing a formula for (i) transfers from the Central Government to Town Councils (ii) strengthening the land ownership registration system (by increasing the number of human and physical
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