Documents for Norway $$ projects to be submitted within 1st quarter

-Oslo stresses that Amaila Project must adhere to partner entity policies, safeguards

The concept notes for several projects to be funded under Guyana’s forestry agreement with Norway are expected to be submitted to the Steering Committee of the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF) within the first quarter of this year.

It was expected that that two projects: the Hinterland Electrification project and the Institutional strengthening of key agencies involved in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and Guyana’s REDD+ initiatives would have been submitted last month. The Hinterland Electrification Project will see solar home systems being installed in 10,500 Amerindian households.

According to a tentative timeline stated by Guyana at the first meeting of the GRIF Steering Committee on November 25, the Amerindian Land Titling and Demarcation project was scheduled to be submitted this month while the Village Economy Development project and the Infrastructure for Development project are expected to be submitted in the first quarter of 2011. The notes for the Amaila Falls Hydro project are expected to be submitted in mid-2011.

The GRIF is the financial mechanism for the ongoing cooperation on climate change between Guyana and Norway, in which Oslo will pay up to US$250M for Guyana’s performance on limiting greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and for progress made against governance-related indicators. Guyana will invest the payments it receives, and any income earned on them, in its Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

At the meeting, chaired by Tarachand Balgobin of the Ministry of Finance, of all the proposed projects, the Amaila Falls hydro power project received the most attention. According to the Minutes of the meeting, Norway noted that there is a great deal of media focus on the Amaila Falls Hydro project, and stressed the importance of ensuring that all parts of the project adhere to Partner Entity policies, procedures and safeguards. Guyana noted that the team that has been brought in to do the environmental and social impact assessment is highly qualified and experienced, and that Guyana would be happy to discuss with Norway any issues or concerns that it may have.

Guyana, according to the Minutes, emphasised the importance of ensuring that any information shared with the media is accurate and fact based, and noted that the Government will be working closely with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to ensure transparency and to assure all stakeholders that all parties are working towards the same objectives.

Observer, Rainforest Foundation Norway (RFN) enquired whether any parts of the Amaila Falls Hydro project would be initiated before all project preparation is completed, and referred specifically to the construction of the access road. “Guyana explained that the upgrade of existing roads had begun after receiving the IDB’s positive review of key environmental and social aspects of the road work in the context of the IDB’s policies. Guyana mentioned that no work had started on the “virgin” sections of the access road”.

It was noted that the relevant documents are publicly available and can be accessed on the Environmental Protection Agency’s website.

RFN emphasised the importance of supporting the participation of all sectors in Guyana, and especially that of indigenous peoples. The NGO also noted that documents to be discussed in the Steering Committee meetings need to be shared with the observers and Partner Entities in sufficient time to allow for a full review and for civil society organisations to consult with their members.

The government has been severely criticized for its awarding of the Amaila access roads to a company, Synergy, which has not yet provided details of its track record.

In giving an update at the November 25 meeting, the IDB, one of the Partner Entities, explained that it is in the process of establishing a trust fund to receive GRIF funds. This will need to go the IDB Board for approval, and can be completed on finalisation of the Transfer Agreement with the Trustee. The IDB expected that the trust fund will be taken to the board for approval in late January or early February 2011. The IDB observed that it has received the signal from the Government of Guyana to begin working on several projects, and has begun work to develop the project concept note for the Institutional Strengthening and Hinterland Electrification projects, according to the Minutes of the meeting.

Another partner entity, the United Nations Development Programme, observed that it had received draft project profiles for the Amerindian Land Titling and Demarcation project as well as the Amerindian Village Economy Development project, which it was reviewing and further discussions with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and Project Management Office scheduled.

According to the Minutes, Guyana explained that the Project Management Office in the Office of the President plays the role of project coordinator, lending support to the planning, execution and implementation of all GRIF-funded projects and acting as a liaison between the Partner Entity, Implementing Entity, Ministry of Finance and the GRIF Steering Committee through the Secretariat.

The second Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for the middle of this month.