Here is part 4 of SOS Jatta's budget speech. The rest will follow later. Have a good day, Gassa. PROGRAMME BASED BUDGETING FOR EFFICIENT RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND USE WITH A POVERTY REDUCTION DIMENSION VIII. POVERTY REDUCTION THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT Mr Speaker, The essence of an existing and up-to-date infrastructure for trade, industrial expansion and growth – the fundamental basis of our Vision, cannot be overemphasised. It is for this, that we labour to expand our infrastructure base as well as maintain and upgrade the existing facilities. i. Energy Government continues to restructure the energy sector with the objective of providing efficient, reliable and affordable energy services to the population. A draft national energy policy has recently been developed and is currently being reviewed by government. This is intended to drive programme formulation in the sector to attract investment and improve service provision. Last year we lamented the situation of our energy sector – specifically the supply of electricity, which was characterised by intermittent and insufficient supply. The total available generating capacity at Kotu Power Station was 23 MW. Today, the Station has a generating capacity of 41 MW, following an Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contract agreement with a consortium of firms. In this respect, the August Assembly should be informed that the increase in power output is due to the addition of three new generators, the acquisition of which was facilitated by HE the President. The increased generating capacity has engendered the need for network expansion and rehabilitation in order to make power available to its consumers. To this end, the Government will embark on a major project to strengthen the transmission and distribution systems during the course of 2002. This project will ensure reliability of supply to existing customers while expanding the transmission and distribution network. In the last budget speech, we reported on plans to embark on a rural electrification programme. The project consists of 6 new power stations situated at Barra, Kerewan, Farafenni, Kaur, Bansang and Basse. These will serve as the basis for the development of a national grid. A full-scale implementation of this most important project will begin in 2002. As programmed by 2003/2004, 46 rural towns and villages will have access to electricity on a 24-hour basis. The Government continues to place emphasis on alternative and renewable sources of energy. The electrification of the rural areas is not confined to conventional electricity only. Government is studying a proposal for the installation of 5000 solar home systems from Spanish Company. Consumption of fuel wood with its negative impact on the environment has always been a concern to Government. As a consequence, a multi-dimensional approach is being developed in consultation with national, regional, bilateral and multilateral agencies to address the issue of domestic and alternative energy supply. ii. Civil Works Mr Speaker, Sir, In pursuit of the laudable objectives embodied in Vision 2020, the Government has been relentless in its efforts to initiate and adopt far-reaching policies in the Transport, Communication and Information sectors. For the road sub-sector, the required steps have been taken to ensure the setting up of the Highway Maintenance Authority in early 2002 that will ensure the availability of sufficient and reliable sources of funds for efficient road maintenance. The Government accords high priority to the Transport sector since the development of this sector enhances economic growth, social progress and poverty reduction. The period over the last 12 months has witnessed considerable progress in the road sub sector where emphasis is mainly on the rehabilitation, extension and maintenance of existing road infrastructure. The Essau to Kerewan road and the Kerewan Bridge have now been completed whilst the Kombo Coastal roads Project is soon to be completed. The studies for the rehabilitation of the Farafenni to Laminkoto road have also been completed and funding has been secured from the Kuwaiti Fund. The reconstruction of the Sere-kunda Mandinaba road is now fully underway. The project as you may know, will upgrade 12km of the section between Westfield and Banjul International Airport to a dual carriageway and a single carriageway from there to Mandinaba. Currently arrangements are at an advanced stage for the construction of the Mandinaba to Soma road to keep the stretch usable. The reconstruction of the Badala Parkway incorporating streetlights has already commenced to mitigate the high volume of traffic in sere-kunda originating from Banjul and heading towards the airport and beyond. The road will be extended from the Shell Station on Kairaba Avenue to intersect the Banjul Serrekunda Highway at Stink Corner. As we foster decentralization of development, the Basse to Fatoto and Basse to Yorobawol roads have been regravelled and the bush track from Fatoto to Koina, raised to a gravel standard. The Bridge linking Basse to the Ferry crossing over to Wuli have also been reconstructed through EU Funding. iii. Transportation Mr Speaker, Our drive to provide a nationwide and uninterrupted transport service through the GPTC was seriously constrained by such developments, as the increase in the price of fuel (in March) and the cost of spare parts due to escalating foreign exchange rates. The above were exacerbated further by poor road conditions particularly on the provincial routes. Notwithstanding the above constraints, the GPTC continues to execute its mandate based on the commercial expediency of routes. The recent opening of the new Kombo Coastal road provides new opportunities for the corporation to penetrate into the Kombos. The corporation has already re-introduced the Banjul/Kartong service with effect from 8th July 2001. Since last year, government negotiated four Bilateral Air Transport Agreements, three of which: - with the United States of America, Namibia, and Burkina Fasso, were concluded and signed. This has led to a milestone development witnessed through the commencement of direct weekly flight services to Baltimore and Washington D.C in the United States in May of this year. This was facilitated by a joint operation agreement between Gambia International Airlines (GIA) and Ghana Airways. Government has also, in the last 12 months ratified various important air law protocols and conventions that seek to strengthen our local air transport industry and bring it in conformity with global trends. Expanding and upgrading facilities at Banjul International Airport has entered its second phase following successful completion of the New Passenger Terminal and Control Tower Project. Next year, the works to commence at the airport include a dual carriage airport access road, expansion of the parking apron and rehabilitation of the runway. The first lot of these works is expected to complete in the next eight months. On the sea transport front, the Gambia Ports Authority has implemented a series of modernisation projects including the construction of a passenger terminal with an area of 292.9 sq meters, for improving both the capacity and service delivery medium of the authority. Funded jointly by the Gambia government and ADB, this passenger terminal facility includes offices and waiting facilities for passengers as well as a luggage holding area and bus-parking bay. On River transport, we experienced a setback following the declaration of the sea unworthiness of the two ferries the Niumi and Banjul, leaving Barra as the only vessel plying the Banjul-Barra waterway. Government was however swift to react to this predicament and has now successfully put in place the funds to acquire a new ferry which is currently in dry dock under construction. Insha Allah by April 2002 a new ferry will be delivered to the Gambia people. Meanwhile Government has directed GPA to take over Ferry Services from the GPTC with effect from 1st July 2001 under a caretaker management. iv. Telecommunication Mr Speaker, Sir, In order to keep abreast with the dynamic telecommunications environment, the much talked about GSM network was launched under a subsidiary company – Gamcel during the course of this year. The project cost over D100m and is expected to provide modern mobile telephone service to over 30,000 subscribers. Other areas of investment and achievements in 2001 include the construction of the TV building, cable and network expansion project to substantially reduce the waiting list in both urban and rural areas for enhanced subscriber connections. International circuit was increased from 480 to 660 to boost international connectivity and the new TDMA system established that provides access to basic telephone service for every village or town Internet connectivity has been given a boost by the increase in the Internet gateway bandwidth from 512 kilobits to 1-mega bits per second. Plans are underway to establish another mega bit to serve both as a supplement and a backup to the first one. An Internet awareness campaign was also embarked upon to increase the benefits of this medium to our people. There are also plans to lay a fibre cable from Fatoto to Farafenni, next year, for increased country coverage. v. Postal Services Mr Speaker, In our continued drive to improve and expand the range of services, the Post Office recently concluded and launched Western Union Money Transfer Service in partnership with the Continent Bank. This development is in line with government’s objective of fostering closer partnership with the private sector in the provision of essential services to the public. The service is accessible at Banjul, Soma and SereKunda Post Offices. Other postal outlets will soon join the network. The government is now in the final phase of transforming the Post Office to an autonomous entity and plans are underway to introduce a Courier Service Unit at the GPO. This will be dedicated to responding to time sensitive mails of the public and thenceforth, the Postal Service will assume a new business posture, in line with its commercial orientation and in readiness to providing quality service to its larger customer base. vi. Maintenance Service Agency (MSA) The MSA has embarked on a diversification programme aimed at widening its product mix and customer base. The Company now produces steel doors, windows, burglar proofing, and also collects and sells scrap metals for export. There are plans for the company to embark on the sale of spare parts and lubricants, agricultural implements in partnership with Internal Private Investors. The Company also operates a Motoring School, which is providing first class lessons in driving aimed at reducing the incidence of road Traffic accidents. In the 2002 financial Year, MSA Co, Limited intends to intensify its diversification programme in an attempt to improve on its profitability and customer services delivery. IX. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES i. Forestry Mr Speaker, Government continues to vigorously pursue the 10-year Forest Policy goal through both Community and Private sector participation. This is to ensure that 30% of the total land area is put under forest cover and 75% managed. To achieve this goal the Department of Forestry last year launched the 10-year National Forestry Action Plan as base for sustainable forest management, monitoring and investment. In a bid to optimise benefits from our forests, eco-tourism is now being rigorously promoted. The successful case of Tumani Tenda as an eco-tourist resort has encouraged the replication of small-scale-community based tourism enterprises all over the country. With the support of the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union, the area of forest under management continues to increase. The Central River Division Forestry Project has just entered its second phase with about DM 8 million provided by GTZ and Kfw. Interim arrangements were made with the European Union through the Support to Decentralised Rural Development (SDRD) Programme to provide financial support to forestry activities in the Upper River Division. The Gambian-German Forestry Project has entered its last phase during which it will focus on helping the implementation of forestry in Western and Lower River Divisions. The Community Forestry Concept is still being pursued with a great deal of commitment. Over 50,000 hectares of natural forest is under one form of community management or the other. Additional forest management options are being piloted to increase the participation of the general public in the management of the forest resources. Prominent among these is the Joint Forest Park Management with the neighbouring communities. This approach is being given special priority within the context of the Central River Division Forestry Project. Ultimately, it is intended that all the 66 forest parks in the country will be managed through this approach. ii. Parks and Wildlife Management Mr. Speaker, Cabinet has recently discussed and approved the first ever-comprehensive policy and legislation on biodiversity and wildlife for The Gambia. This new policy and legislation will ensure conformity with our international obligations in the area of the environment as well as guarantee and protect the rights of local resource users. It further seeks to retain a portion of the revenue generated for community development initiatives and for eventual reinvestment into the park system for the improvement of infrastructure and services. An MOU was signed in June 2001 with the Republic of Senegal regarding the trans-boundary Management of Niumi National Park and Saloum Delta Biosphere Reserve as an ecological entity for the benefit of our two countries. iii. Water Resources Mr Speaker, The Department of Water Resources continues to observe and provide early warning information on extreme Meteorological and Hydrological events, assess the Climate System to enhance management of our national water resources, to protect the environment and sensitise the general public on hygienic practices. The third phase of the Saudi Sahel Programme (SSP III), which started in October of 2000 has made substantial progress in the provision of 90 water points for 40, 000 people over a 22 months period. Since December 1999, a new phase of the EDF Village Water Supply (EDF-VWS) Project is being implemented as sub-component of the EDF financed SDRD programme. By the end of the programme in 2003, the project intends to complete thirty new solar powered village water supply systems and upgrade some twenty to twenty-five existing ones. The initial budget of the project is 3.8 million Euro equivalent to about fifty million dalasis. The project will also be supported by a second phase of the Regional Solar Programme (RSPII), also funded by the EDF, with a provisional budget allocation to the Gambia of 1.9 million Euro or about twenty-five million Dalasis. Also, concrete-lined wells fitted with hand pumps are constructed through Divisional EDF Programme under the SDRD; these are concentrated in the North Bank, Western and Upper River Division with a targeted 60,000 rural inhabitants to benefit. iv. National Environment Agency (NEA) Mr Speaker, Government is still committed to seeing that our natural resources and the environment are managed properly for the benefit of both our generation and generations to come. We shall continue to build on the successes registered from the implementation of the first phase of the Gambia Environment Action Plan (GEAP). In this connection, the National Environment Management Council has recently adopted the second phase of the GEAP (2001- 2004) as the next blue print for the sustainable utilisation of our natural resources and the environment. Government has accepted that sectoral approaches to the management and planning of natural resource utilisation, along coastal areas can no longer be sustainable. Consequently, it is within this framework that the GEAP has advocated the promotion of adaptable and flexible process of integrated coastal and marine areas management. The erosion of our coast is a matter of serious concern for its economic, social and cultural impacts, which are mostly negative. The results of the ADB- financed coastal studies conducted by a Dutch firm Haskoning have been submitted to Government. Among findings of the study is the need to site infrastructure and facilities at safe distances from the shoreline. We therefore urge all investors to abide by the relevant environmental laws and regulation in their investment ventures. X. GOVERNANCE ISSUES Mr, Speaker, The Gambia’s increasing attention to issues of governance is an important part of our efforts to promote equitable and sustainable development. We are cognisant of the fact that good governance is an essential complement to sound economic policies. As defined by the World Bank: "Good governance is the manner in which the social and economic resources of civil society are managed". Governance is vital for economic development and certainly government has not turned a blind eye to good governance, accountability and transparency, as evident in the establishment of the office of the Ombudsman, the IEC, coupled with mutual settlement with West Coast Air inherited from the previous government, and the settlement with Alimenta.. However, there is still some room for improvement. As one commentator puts it: "There is a time in the life of every problem when it is big enough to see, yet small enough to solve" (Mike Leavitt). Therefore, the role of our development partners, donor community, civic society and NGOs, is crucial and highly desirable to creating a conducive environment. We cannot do it all alone, that’s why we need the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders in societal development. Mr, Speaker Sir, 174. In keeping with Government’s declared objective of bringing justice closer to the majority of Gambians, the Department of State for Justice and the Judiciary this year established and inaugurated the Divisional High Court in Brikama. I am pleased to inform this august body that plans are well advanced for the construction of a High Court and residences for Judges in both Brikama and Basse. 175. This will, in addition to taking justice to the doorsteps of our people save much needed human and financial resources on the part of the majority of Gambians who have hitherto had to travel long distances and spend valuable resources to gain access to justice in Banjul, particularly during the rainy season. The benefits to accrue both to Government and the people in terms of poverty alleviation are immeasurable. Mindful of the growing need for revenue generation to match the increasing need for public expenditure, Government has embarked on a re-structuring of the Registrar General’s Department into a semi-autonomous business-oriented organisation as opposed to its present service-oriented activities. The functions of the Registrar General’s Department include the registration of business, Deeds, Titles and Agreements among others. Presently, the services provided for businesses and individuals are grossly under-valued and therefore subsidized from Government revenue. Therefore, the service of a consultant has been requested to revamp and restructure the Registrar General’s Department into a semi-autonomous and revenue-generating Department. The revenue to be generated in the future will no doubt be substantial. In the pursuit and in preparation for decentralisation, we embarked on a series of activities, through the Poverty Alleviation and Capacity Building Programme including the identification of properties in growth centres of Local Government Areas. The identification process will facilitate a valuation exercise of rates to be properly assessed, with a standard national framework in order to enhance the finance resource generated by the Municipalities and Local Government Administrations. The process is now complete and a total of above nineteen thousand properties have been identified in Banjul City Council and the various local councils across the country. i. Civil Service Reform Through the Personnel Management Office (PMO) we strive to develop and sustain a well-trained and highly professional civil service that is efficient, productive and responsive to national goals and objectives. This we are pursuing through the divisions of Personnel Management, Management Service, Human Resource Development, National Records Services (NRS), and the Human Resources Information Systems Units. The ADB funded Capacity Building Project in this vein complements the efforts of EMCBP and CBEMP towards an efficient civil service. On the development of human resources, we have tried to train as many civil service staff as possible from the centralize vote; and supplement this with multi-sectoral and bilateral donor agencies principally the Commonwealth Fund and Technical Cooperation (CFTC) in the receipt and dissemination of training awards. We intend in the coming year to develop a Training Policy for the Civil Service and commence English Language and Office Practice courses for Secretaries on an annual basis. _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>