1. “ ” 2014 Pacific Local Government Forum – Research Roundtable Rural Service Delivery & Local Governance Project Ms Rufina Peter Project Manager, RSDLGP May 19-23, PNGIPA

2. Outline of Presentation 1.Development Challenge 2.Background 3.Objective 4.Salient Features of the Project 5.Project Components 6.Institutional Arrangements 7.Status of Project Implementation 8.Project Cycle 9.Challenges 10.Opportunities 11.Conclusion

3. Development Challenge How to government translate increase in government revenue from the oil & gas and mining industries to improvement in delivery of basic services and livelihoods for the majority of its population in rural areas. GoPNG’s current direction is to improve service delivery at the local level, consistent with priorities expressed in the Vision 2050 and the DSP 2030.

4. Background RSDLGP is designed to use a Community Driven Development (CDD) approach to improve the delivery of basic services and governance of public resources at the lowest level of government (Local Level Government). CDD approach empowers communities to take direct responsibility for development decisions that affect them The design of the Project has taken into account experiences of CDD models in-country, Asia Pacific region and internationally. Jointly funded and implemented by GoPNG, PNGSDP, World Bank, Korean Trust Fund and AusAID.

5. Objective To develop a community-driven development (CDD) model that is adopted by Government to improve access to and quality of basic services in rural communities. Help to address the low levels of access and desired development outcomes of a number of basic services through the strengthening and use of the existing political & bureaucratic structures and systems of Government at the LLG level CDD approach focuses on empowering a broad base of community members to be involved in identifying, prioritizing their needs, designing projects to meets these needs, as well as implementation and monitoring of the project needs.

6. Salient Features of the Project (i) 2 Pilot Provinces - Western and Central (ii) Method for selecting pilot wards will vary between these two provinces: ( a) Need Based Selection Method (b) Open Competition Method (iii) Procedure for the transfer of grants follows a shortened route - Community Grants Fund (CGF) at the national level to the account of the pilot wards (iv) the procedures for preparing project proposals and implementing community projects are centred on the community.

7. Project Components 1.Systems and Financing of community service delivery grants 2.Capacity Building of national and sub- national government entities, and 3.Project management

8. Systems & Financing of Community Service Delivery Grants Project - Grant of K500,000 per LLG 8-12 subprojects per LLG Average of 10 sub-projects @ K50,000 60-80% released in first tranche and upon depletion of 75% of the funds and proper acquittals of these funds final 40-20% released Special Ward Accounts will be opened with Commercial Banks where the subproject funds will be deposited Signatories to ward account will come from the ward communities (WDC & CPT members)

9. Systems & Financing of Community Service Delivery Grants  Both GoPNG (PFMA) & WB procedures and guidelines will be used to ensure compliance to existing laws including the proper use and accountability of all sub-project funds  MIS – Web based Information System (tariff platform) which will be customized to PNG requirements

10. Capacity Building Framework Focal Persons at DPLGA, PMU/PPO, Provincial & LLG Administrations ( Provincial LLG Advisors, LLG Managers, Presidents National & Provincial Orientation Trainings Members of the LLG Assembly & LLG Administration Staff Orientation for LLG Assembly LLG Manager, LLG Project Officer, District Planner, District Community Development Officers, CDWs & Community Representatives TOT Training Ward recorders of the selected wards in pilot LLGs within WP and all wards in Pilot LLGs in Central Province Intensive Community Facilitator LLG Manager, LLG Project Officer, CDW, and District Planner & Community Representatives TOT Training Ward Development Committee, Community Project Team, Community Volunteers Community Project Planning LLG Manager, LLG Project Officer, LLG Finance Officer, District Planner, District Planner, District Administrator LLG Development Committee Ward Development Committee & Community Project Team Training Support For Subproject Implementation Ward Development Committee & Community Project Team Training Support for Subproject Completion

11. Institutional Arrangement

12. Status of Project Implementation – C2  Orientation at National and Provincial Administrations & Political Heads  Orientation and Awareness among LLG Assemblies  Training of Resource Persons  Training of Community Facilitators

13. Status of Project Implementation – C2 Type of TrainingNumber of people TrainedNumber & % of Females trained Resource Persons (55)(16) Central Province3311 Western Province225 Training of Community Facilitators Central Province (57//59)(3) Cloudy Bay & Rigo Inland LLGs281 Kairuku & Tapini LLGs312 Western Province (31)(5) Kiwai & Orimomu Bituri LLGs123 Kiunga Rural & Llake Murray192 TOTAL145 (55 RPs/90 CFs)24

14. Status of Project Implementation – C1  Orientation and Awareness of the CDD Approach in Wards  Signing of Partnership Agreements between (DPLGA & Provincial Government)  Counterpart Contributions by Pilot Provinces  88 Ward Profiles and Ward Development Plans (57 CP/31 WP)  Subproject Proposals by Community Project Team

15. RSDLGP Project Cycle

16. Challenges  How long can Community Facilitators work as volunteers?  Leveraging other sources of funds (SIPs) to pick up the wards that don’t get funded under the open competition ward selection method being piloted in Central Province.  LLG administration taking on the responsibility, owning the process and providing leadership in implementation

17. Opportunities  Political Environment is Conducive  Vice Minister, Open Members (Signing of Partnership Agreements & CF trainings)  A robust system being put in place which SIP funds can use  Economic Environment  Increasing National Budgets  Community/Ward Environment  Poor accountability for public funds  Lack of basis services  Bureaucratic Environment  Whole of government approach

18. Conclusion The environment in PNG is right for community-driven development approach and it is DPLGAs hope that the RSDLGP can provide sufficient evidence for GoPNG to adopt the (CDD) model to improve access to and quality of basic services in rural communities. Help to address the low levels of access and desired development outcomes of a number of basic services through the strengthening and use of the existing political & bureaucratic structures and systems of Government at the LLG level CDD approach focuses on empowering a broad base of community members to be involved in identifying, prioritizing their needs, designing projects to meets these needs, as well as implementation and monitoring of the project needs.