Participation and Poverty
RARY
United States Agency for International DevelopmentCooperative Agreement No.
687-A-OO-96-00138-00
Six Months Report
March 1 to July 31, 1999
Submitted by:
Pact1901 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 501Washington, D.C. 20006
Project Title:
Country:
Lead Institution:
CooperativeAgreement Dated:
PACD:
U.S.A.J.D. CooperativeAgreement Number:
Participation and Poverty (RARY)
Republic of Madagascar
PactWashington, D.C.
July 1,1996
June 30, 1999
687-A-00-96-00138-00
'J
Table of Contents
List of acronyms
I. Period Overview ,. 1
II. Results for the period March to July 1999 3
II.A Result 1: Increased Openness of Decision Makers to theParticipation of Civil Society in Governance 3
ILA. 1 Intermediate result one: Decision makers have a morecomplete perception of the role of decentralizedinstitutions 3
11.A.2 Intermediate result two: Decision makers implementa policy on information and communications 7
LA.3 Intermediate result three: Mechanisms for exchangeamong the Executive, the Council and citizens existand are being used , 10
II.B Result 2: A Qualitative and Quantitative Expansion of Civil Societyin terms of Broader Participation, Greater Representativity and IncreasedCapacity................. 13
II.C Result 3: A Social and Political Environment more Conducive to CitizenParticipation in the Formulation and Implementation of Policies, Rulesand Procedures and Resource Allocation Decisions Affecting the poor ...15
III. Meeting of Targets for June 1999 .16
IV. Project Management................ 18
V. Work Plan for March to December 1999 .19
list of Acronyms
AGETIPA
AUDEFI
ASF
BPTU
CES
CPCC
CS
CSO
CT
GTZ
IREDEC
KFW
MEM
MMDF
oacc
PAIQ
UAPH
TAFA
Association for infrastructure construction and rehabilitation
Associations Unies pour Ie Developpement de Fianarantsoa
Action Sans Frontieres
Bureau Permanent pour les Transports Urbains
Engineering firm hired by KFW to carry out the waterworks rehabilitationproject
Comite Permanent pour les Communications Communales
Communications Service
Civil Society Organization
Comite Technique
German technical aid agency
Institut de Recherche et d'Application des Methodes de DeveloppementCommunautaire
German Financing Organism linked to German development aid
Ministry of Energy and Mines
Mpitatitra Miara-Dia ny Fianarantsoa
Organe d'Orientation et de Conception des Communications Communales
Projet d'Appui aux Initiatives de Quartier
Union des Association des Personnes Handicapees
(Malagasy for "Dialogue") Mahajanga NGO associated with Rary andspecialized in participatory methods
d
I. Period Overview
The period March to July has confirmed the impact of the project on the communities ofMahajanga and Fianarantsoa.
The development of a strong and legitimate leadership within Herimiray and the role ofthe federation in negotiating with city authorities the privatization of water distribution inMahajanga has fundamentally changed the rapport between citizens and communalauthorities.
The latter now recognize the political weight of the now 3D-association strong federation.Herimiray has become a front-and-center partner for the commune, and is poised topromote citizen's rights and interests into the future. The federation's plan to tackle thecomplex issue of municipal land tenure is an indication that things in Mahajanga arechanging. Until now, city and government authorities were free to dispose of communallands with little effective independent supervision. Citizens were limited in informationand recourse in the face of flagrant cases of illegitimate attribution of communal lands.That may change.
Political authorities recognize that they must now deal more openly with citizens, and thatthe way to do it is not through administrative measures but rather with communicationsand dialogue. The communal framework for public management is gradually changing toa more transparent one, a framework in which it will be more difficult for decision makersto keep citizens in the dark and deal with public interests and issues with a logic of privateinterests.
That framework now includes two journalist associations, set to defend journalists andjournalism, and aware of the urgent need to develop competence among journalists. Italso includes for each city an operational communications service, recognized by theCouncil and Executive as a nonpartisan tool to promote understanding and participation.
The other side of the communications medal, a policy defining the rights of citizens onpublic information and binding city authorities, has been slower to develop. It is,however, well on its way in Fianarantsoa, and should be adopted during the next Councilsession.
In Fianarantsoa, most actions by city officials now go through a process ofcommunications and debate. This new imperative is coming from the officials themselves,without Pact intervention. "Communication" as a way of managing in a democratic statehas been embodied by a fully operational and recognized communications service, as wellas by the new attitude of city officials and council members. Should they forget, transportoperators, young doctors and other groups created with Rary guidance are there to remindthem of certain key principles.
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Citizens have responded by paying their taxes. Recovery rates on property taxes for 1977(issued in January 1999) are double what they were for the same period in 1996. Thedemonstrations and political agitation of 1997 has been replaced by a new civicawareness on the part of citizens. Communication and sensitization are now doneindependently of Pact through the city's new Communications Service.
The Rary project is now entering a final phase of intervention. Among the majorchallenges of the coming period will be the communal elections of November. They willconstitute a test for the new public management style initiated by the project and i'spartners. And a test for civil society in its ability to become involved in the public arenawithout falling into the trap of political affiliations.
The project's nascent civil society partners, meanwhile, will manage their first subsidizedproject, gaining experience of money and people management, an essential component oftheir existence. Journalists will launch their press center, a project that will bring them intoclose contact with civil society organizations and with issues relating to access to andcirculation of information. We are confident that the experience will enable them to takesteps forward in information literacy, ultimately contributing to a new, more openenvironment developing in Mahajanga and Fianarantsoa.
Throughout this period, Pact will provide training and mentoring on strategic informationmanagement, advocacy, and project management. Pact will also continue its work witheach city to insure a more open and productive budgetary session in October, and toprovide essential technical training to the newly instated Communications services.
The Rary project has been investing continually to prepare the replication of models andtools. The new nomenclature by function, abandoned by central government but retainedby Fianarantsoa and Mahajanga, could become a model for all interested communes in2000; technical coordinators from PAIQ and the Urban Project have developedcollaboratve projects with Pact on other cities; the Rary team has begun to provide inputto USAID's Miray program on governance issues; increased exchange between Pact andIredec is developing into a close and durable partnership, and two ministries now requestPact involvement on transport and water management. Pact will persue theseopportunities thoughout the final six months of the project.
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II. Results for the period March to July 1999
II.A Result 1: Increased Openness of Decision Makers to the Participation ofCivil Society in Governance
II.A.1 Intermediate result One: Decision makers have a more completeperception of the role of decentralized institutions.
Council - Executive relations
Council executive relations in Fianarantsoa have continued to improve, following asecond round of workshops in February. The adoption by city council of the AGETIPApublic infrastructure investment program, as well as the proposed campaign on 1997 and1998 property taxes confirmed the development of a more constructive relationship.There now exists a shared vision between Council and Executive on the necessity to leavebehind them at the end of their mandate a positive report of advancement. Councilmembers are sensitive to the fact that they will always be citizens of Fianarantsoa, wetherthey are reelected to the Councilor not. This represents a marked change from the spiritthat prevailed when the project began work with the Council in 1998.
In Mahajanga, relations are not as straightforward. The Mayor has given the Council thepower to attribute municipal land, a responsibility reserved for the Executive. Councilmembers have allegedly been attributing public land to themselves or their families. Pacthas chosen not to intervene at this time because civil society is not quite strong enough tobattle with the city as yet. The Herimiray federation, though, is gaining in strength and willcertainly tackle the issue in 2000. Furthermore, certain Influent members of the Councilwill likely be challengers to the Mayor in the coming elections. Although relationsbetween the Council and Executive remain cordial, these two factors willi dominate thedynamics of the Council until the November election.
New Nomenclature
The current city budget for 1999, adopted in December and translated into the newnomenclature in early February, revealing assets and liabilities, and many other aspects ofcity finances, was the object of Council training sessions in March, in both Fianarantsoaand Mahajanga.
Pact and Iredec trained members of the finance commission as well as some Councilmembers on budget analysis, enabling the commission to present a political analysis of thebudget to City Council. Training on municipal budget analysis was also given to civilsociety groups and to both journalist associations.
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Rary expected to guide the Council and Executive through a rocky budget debate as thegreat majority of Council members are not fully aware of the financial realities of the City.Pact believes that increased awareness of the financial realities of the commune couldhave a positive impact on political discourse during the next election. It is a tacticalobjective of the Rary project.
In Mahajanga, the April additional budgetary session resulted in surprisingly little reactionfrom Council members on the realities brought forth by the new nomenclature. Further,the members of the finance commission applied their training only partly, and did notmake a presentation to the Council on the new budget. This is due in great part to therather weak composition of the commission, composed of people who are not in the habitof taking the front stage. Lack of leadership among the commission thus resulted in thefailure of the commission to present to Council.
In Fianarantsoa, the Executive did not communicate the new nomenclature to Council.Training had to be conducted on the basis of the Mahajanga budget. This was due to thesensitive nature of the content in the light of the commune's disastrous financial situation.The city has been under investigation by the General State Inspection Service (Inspectiongenerale de l'Etat) for several months, resulting in the suspension of the Financial ServicesChief. The investigation is still ongoing and may implicate the mayor. Under theseconditions, advancement of the financial transparency agenda is difficult.
The lack of reaction to this state of affairs by the Fianarantsoa City Council - who did notformally request the budget from the Executive - seems to result from political calculations.In Fianarantsoa, the new nomenclature presented a disastrous financial reality, mainly dueto mismanagement by the executive and to irresponsible decisions on fiscal policy by theCouncil. Council members, considering a possible election at end 99, chose not to pressthe issue of non submittal with the executive, fearing popular sanctions that could affecttheir chances in November.
Pact judges that this result, which falls under expectations, is nonetheless one step in theright direction. The concepts of the public nature of the city budget and of the linksbetween budget and city program are seeping in, and Pact expects better results in theregular budgetary session, likely to be held in October.
In Fianarantsoa, Council has stated it will demand that the City submit its YR2000 budgetusing the new nomenclature and in respect of the 1O-day delay called for by law. InMahajanga, the finance commission has been invested by capable and determined councilmembers who are also probable competitors to the Mayor for the November election. Pactwill reedit its budget training to both finance commissions in October.
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Pact expects to sign agreements with both cities on the YR2000 budget process in August,under which the Executive would submit the budget under the new nomenclature and inrespect of the 1a-day legal delay. Both cities were equipped and trained to hold a doubleaccounting system, in order to be able to file a budget report in both formats at year end.Pact will equip both cities and State Treasuries in August with basic used computerequipment to enable them to manage the new budget nomenclature electronically.
Pact has commissioned Iredec to produce special manuals that facilitate the reading andanalysis of the city budget by citizens and groups. The manuals will be distributed to thepress and to civil society in September. The city's Communications Service will make thenew YR2000 budget and the guide readily available to citizens.
Pact learned in late July that Central government has dramatically changed the newnomenclature that the Ministry of Decentralization and the Workd Bank has developedand with which Pact has been associated over the last year. The new proposal, reputed tohave been officially adopted by the Ministry of Finance, is a complete departure from whathas been developed. It does no allow any measure of the transparency and legibility of theprevious nomenclature project, and details the budget by type of expenditure ("nature")rather than by function.
Fianarantsoa and Mahajanga have nonetheless decided to maintain a model by function asa permanent part of the municipal budget process, in order to pursue its policy of openmanagement. Both cities could become a testing ground for the development of a morerefined and simplified model that could prove usefull to other cities and projects.Decentralization, The Urban Project, World Bank PADGI, The UNDP's governanceproject and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation could become associeted with the endeavorand apply the nomenclature as an open and participatory management tool for theirpartners.
Municipal reform
For what seems to be largely political reasons, there is insufficient will in both the CityCouncil and Executive of Fianarantsoa to carry out a policy of reform. Pact does not expectany reform between now and the end of the present term. Municipal reform, however,could become an issue in the election. Fianarantsoa has seen the number of its personnelincrease dramatically over the last three years, while salaries went up 60% on average.
In Mahajanga, the urgency of significant reform is not felt as strongly, and is not expectedto happen during this mandate. Mahajanga is recognized by central authorities as having a"good management."
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Public Hearings Mechanism (MAP)
Council commissions have received training on public hearings in March and April.Although the process has been well received, and well understood, obstacles remainbefore regular use of the mechanism by the Council can be established. Availableresources and capacity to manage information, hesitation and fear of not being able tomanage the process, and the willpower of commission members are all factors that standin the way of public hearings.
Use of the process of public hearings in the future will depend on the will and motivationof individual Council members. In Fianarantsoa, the permanent staff of the Council, aswell as many council members are enthusiastic about the process. The same is less true inMahajanga.
Delays in applying the cost-recovery water policy in Mahajanga and the coming electionsof November may signify that neither Mahajanga or Fianarantsoa will have experiencedpublic hearings. The principle and method, however, have been acquired. It is expectedthat public hearings could take place in YR2000 on transport or infrastructure inFianarantsoa, and on potable water policy in Mahajanga.
City Development Plan (Projet de Ville)
Pact has proposed to the Urban Project a program to increase the legitimacy andcredibility of the Projet de Ville of both Fianarantsoa and Mahajanga by developingmechanisms to incorporate the realities at the grass roots into the process and to promoteconstructive political debate around major development choices. The Projet Urbain hasprovided technical assistance to all six major cities in developing a long-term plan of thecity's development, translated into concrete 5 year plans. As it stands today, the Projet deVille is a technical exercise that includes major roads and infrastructure and excludes therealities, sometimes difficult, which prevail in many neighborhoods due to poor sanitationand lack of infrastructure. The Projet de Ville is not the product of a political consensusbetween the various interests at stake.
Working with neighborhood-level state officials - previously mobilized on property taxesthe project calls for inventories to be made of all public infrastructure, services and livingconditions. This information would then be compiled into a city map with the help ofPact's Information Support Systems (ISS) department, giving clear spacial representations ofthe realities in each neighborhood. The maps would be posted in each neighborhoodoffice along with the city budget, and neighborhood officials would be trained to read andinterpret both map and budget. The Rary project would provide assistance in ensuring anopen, constructive and participatory process for community debate previous to theadoption of a finalized Projet de Ville by City Council.
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The project is viewed by Fianarantsoa, by Pact and by the Projet Urbain as a major steptoward a more open process for Communes and viewed by Pact as a valuable precedentfor the introduction of governance issues within large sectoral projects working ondecentralization. It was proposed to the Urban Project in March, but has been caught upin the snag on the ten-city project proposal at the level of the French Mission Chief.Although we are now too close to the elections to start such a project, Pact will pursue theissue in September with the Mission Chief in the event that it could be carried out by Pactor by the French next year.
II.A.2 Intermediate result two: Decision makers implement a policy oninformation and communication.
Communications Service
The Fianarantsoa Communications Service has been operational since March. It isaccepted by the Executive Office and by technical services, as well as by the City Council.The Service has gained wide acceptance by all concerned and has become an integral partof operations for the Executive.
The Communications Service has been active in many ways and is proving to be ancatalyst for the durable introduction of a more open system for communal management.Since March, the service has held several meetings with neighborhood representatives andhas and an impact on internal communications flow. It has proven useful to city officials inpreparing their public interventions, increasing credibility by added preparedness. TheService has also contributed to a successful municipal campaign on 1997 property taxes,as well as assisting authorities on other issues of concern to the population.
City officials have used the Service in a logic of dialogue on issues of public health, publicmarkets, infrastructure rehabilitation and more. The Service has also been instrumental ininsuring that correct administrative information accompany municipal decision making, afirst in Fianarantsoa and probably for most if not all Communes.
The City has kept last year's successful theme "Better Public Services Through Taxes" andhas used the theme around several small infrastructure and maintenance projects initiatedin the last several months. The Service has been functioning independently of Pact sinceMay.
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The net results so far of the work of the Communications Service have been a definite,concrete involvement of city authorities in dialogue and information, renewed attention tothe legal and administrative aspects of communal decision making and a more positiveattitude towards the city.
In Mahajanga, texts on the Communications Service and the Organe d'Orientation desCommunications Communales (OOCC) were adopted in March. In June the person hiredas Chef de Service Communication in April was reassigned by the Mayor to another postafter three months in the position. Pact agreed with the Mayor that the person did notmeet the expected requirements.
A new candidate was selected in June, and has been assigned to the position of ChefService. Technical support and training will resume in early August and will run for aperiod of 2.5 months. The mayor has committed in writing to keep the new person in theposition of Chef Service for at least one year, and the candidate has committed to remainwith the City for one year.
Pact will supply the Communications Service of both cities with computer and basiccommunications equipment in early August. Terms of the agreement explicitly prohibit theuse of any communications resource of the commune for private or partisan ends pendingimmediate withdraw of support and equipment. Pact will maintain close supervision of theservice throughout the electoral period to ensure that the Service's credibility ismaintained.
Also in Mahajanga, Pact will strongly encourage and will facilitate coordination betweenthe Service and donor-funded projects. Some donors have indicated that they would bewilling to channel some of their IEC spending through a functional and efficient municipalcommunications service. Local NGO "TAFA" will work closely with the Service inexecuting a sensitization campaign financed by the CES (engineering firm responsible forthe German-funded waterworks rehabilitation project).
This development is deemed of paramount importance for the development of thecommunal institution. When the Rary project began operations in 1997, citizens couldvisually observe that their streets were repaired by "AGETIPA," their refuse taken away by"Cooperation Franc;aise," their health taken care of by "GTZ" and their youth centersbrought to them by a region in France. The commune was virtually absent, and notinvolved in any of the communication and sensitization campaigns that concerncommunal prerogatives and are managed independently by various projects.
In order for a municipal administration to become a central part of the city environment, itmust be closely associated, and more often than not, manage its own communicationswith its citizens on issues of communal concern. Pact will work closely with donorfinanced projects and the Communications Service to facilitate this channeling of IECresponsibility to the municipal communications apparatus.
Training will continue in Fianarantsoa, on an intermittent basis, to complete theprofessional development of staff.
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Communal Newsletter
Two issues of the Mahajanga communal newsletter have been published since February.Notable contents include a publication of parts of the current city budget under theheading "Right to Information." Pact, through its support in equipment and training, hasbeen closely supporting the city's efforts to launch the newsletter.
Donor-funded projects have developed interest in the newsletter and have informallycommitted to provide support. Pact hopes this support will materialize in September.
Communications policy
The development of communications policy by the Fianarantsoa Permanent Committee onCommunal Communications (CPCC) has run into a certain number of snags. Certainmembers of the CPCC still do not recognize the usefulness of access to information policy,and are causing significant delay in the work of the committee.
Legal and administrative considerations to the development of this policy has also comeinto play, and are being tackled by the Pact technical team. Pact expects these problems tobe overcome during the month of August, and is still confident that a policy will beadopted at the next Council session in October.
In Mahajanga, the Orientation Committee on Communal Communications (OOCC) iscomposed of too many members to be effective. The decision to include, amongst others,representatives from all religious denominations present in Mahajanga, was taken by theTechnical Committee despite Pact's technical advice. This will make the mobilization ofthe OOCC difficult at best, and Pact does not expect the adoption of a policy before theend of this mandate in November. Nonetheless, Pact will work towards the setting up ofthe OOCC before the end of September, after which Pact will stop all actions in view ofthe elections period. Pact feels that a functional OOCC would be an important asset forthe period following the elections, at which time a policy could be eventually drafted.
Delay in the creation of the OOCC also came from a certain "hesitation" on the part of theMayor in assigning members of his staff to the committee and putting the nomination onthe Council's agenda. This issue was addressed during a meeting between the Mayor,USAID Director Karen Poe and Pact CEO designate Sarah Newhall in late April. TheMayor committed verbally at that meeting to pushing the process forward. Nominationsfrom the executive have not come until now. In July, Pact's Mahajanga Field Officerreviewed the case with the Mayor and has set a date for a first meeting to be held.
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II.A.3 Intermediate result three: Mechanisms for exchange among theExecutive, the Council and citizens exist and are being used.
Water Issue
The 17 Mahajanga grass-roots associations involved in the issue (now 3D-strong andgouped under Herimiray) have reached agreement with city officials and technicians onmost technical aspects of the issue. They are seeking training support in water fountainmanagement, and will manage water distribution in several neighborhoods. Pact isnegotiating with Paiq so that training given to neighborhood associations inneighborhoods where Paiq is working can be extended to all of Herimiray.
In March and April, technicians from Jirama, the City and the MEM (Ministry of Energy andMines) consulted extensively, on their own initiative, with citizens at the grass roots inidentifying locations for 50 new fountains to be built under the German KFW project.
In numerous meetings with technicians, Herimiray has developed its own InfoBase, andan understanding of the technical and economic aspects of the water issue that enables thefederation to be intensely involved in all decision making mechanisms.
The Steering Committee created by the Commune with guidance from Pact has beeninstrumental in advancing the water issue. The Committee, composed of city officials,central government officials, projects and representatives from Herimiray, has metregularly over the past nine months. Committee meetings have proved to be fertileground for straight on negotiations between Herimiray and other actors such as theJirama (public Water Company) and the Commune. Pact believes the SteeringCommittee will be a durable feature of the present administration and an example forthe future.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) has hired a private firm to develop theregulatory framework for the national Water Code. Rary has been actively lobbying theMEM to include consultations in Mahajanga as part of the development process for theframework. Efforts so far have not been successful.
The MEM has sought written proposals from Pact, but has not committed toprogramming trips to Mahajanga in the process. It would seem that the process is onlypartly under the control of Ministry technicians, and that the international firm washired following proposals from donors associated with the Ministry.
The cost recovery policy is being delayed until September, due to inaction from theExecutive. The City has decided to proceed in steps, applying the policy first to newand rehabilitated fountains, and in a second step to all public water fountains. Pactexpects that the remaining issues, such as access to water for the poorest, will rise againonce the policy is applied to all water fountains. Considering the latest developmentsand the coming elections, this is not expected to happen until 2000.
A written complaint to the Prime Minister by KFW (German financing institution) onthe Mahajanga delays has prompted Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) officials to
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programs a visit to Mahajanga. They will work with Pact's Field Officer to understandthe development of the issue and the role of civil society in coming to a negotiatedsettlement between citizens and decision makers. Pact hopes that this will have animpact on the officials as to the importance of a field visit to Mahajanga in the processof developing a regulatory framework for water.
Other issues
Land Tenure
Herimiray participated in the National Workshop on Land Tenure in April, giving thefederation essential information and perspective on the global issue of land tenure inMadagascar. The result has been to bring the issue to the forefront of Herimiraypriorities. The issue of access to communal lands was identified as one of the priorityissues at the grass roots by neighborhood associations in 1998.
Herimiray has since been gathering information on this issue, and is determined toundertake actions towards the end of insuring equal and open access to land owned bythe commune. This in itself could prove to be a small scale revolution in the waybusiness is done in Mahajanga.
Pact has been bringing training and support to Herimiray in the production of theirown InfoBase on local land tenure, based on the brief InfoBase produced by theproject last year. The November elections will push back any advocacy actions untilnext year.
Property taxes
Continued Pact support on the issue of property taxes in Mahajanga resulted in thehiring, certification and mobilization of recovery agents to recover the 40% of taxesdue to the city by large scale owners and public entities. This process took severalmonths, but resulted in the deployment of several agents, who have recovered ...
All informal actions undertaken by Pact to resolve the issue of the Fianarantsoa Statetreasurer, unwilling to sign papers allowing the city to take legal measures againstfaulty taxpayers, have failed. The recovery rate stands, for the 1996 tax year, at 80%,which is a significant and positive recovery rate. Unfortunately, the wealthiest ofowners will not be paying taxes for that year, while the city, for various reasons, is inthe mists of a major financial crisis.
Results on the 1997 property tax in Fianarantsoa are encouraging. After six months therecovery rate is at 48.06%, double the figure for the same period on 1996 taxes. Thecampaign for 1997 taxes was carried out by the new Communication Service, whichmade use of radio and other means to inform citizens. There was no movement againsttaxes, a marked departure from two years ago, when angry demonstrations were stagedand the issue became heavily politicized. Now, taxpayers can be seen in municipaloffice buildings asking for bills they claim they have not yet received. The City's
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investment in dialogue and open process is thus proving to be profitable over themedium term.
Access to a "better life"
This was the third priority identified by Mahajanga neighborhood associations, nowgrouped within Herimiray. This issue is not well defined, and difficult to grasp. It refersto such things as employment, training opportunities, micro-finance. Considering theheavy work load of Herimiray and the fuzzy definition, the project has chosen not toinvest in the production of an InfoBase.
Transport
Fianarantsoa transport operators, grouped under MMDF, threatened to launch a strikeearly in the year after the city allegedly abused of the city vehicle impound. Underadvice from Pact, MMDF consulted with regional transport authorities and establishedthat the city was acting in violation of current regulations. The federation drafted aseries of proposals to resolve the situation and submitted them to the authorities inApril. The mayor personally committed himself to negotiate with MMDF at that time.There has been no action by the Mayor since.
The mayor seems unwilling to deal with the issue before the coming elections. Ratherthan negotiate with MMDF, the Mayor has stopped all police control on traffic inorder to avoid any opposition movement by transport operators that could impactnegatively on the election. Unfortunately, this does not solve the issue. Suspension ofall traffic control is also a step backward from what had been a constructivecollaborative effort between MMDF and the city police to curb transport infractions.Many transport operators are still respecting the agreement to respect passenger loadlimits and designated routes. Unfortunately, those who do not respect the agreementare no longer intercepted by city police.
Although MMDF is determined to press the issue, it has decided to strengthen itsposition first. It will do so through a public awareness campaign financed through Rarygrants.
Minibus operators meanwhile plan to increase tariffs and have called on MMDF toagree to the hike. The later pointed the operators in the right direction, to the properauthorities.
The Ministry of Transport, through its Cabinet Director, has solicited Pact to providesupport and council on running a series of provincial workshops on the newtransportation framework. Unfortunately, the request came one week prior to the firstworkshop, leaving little room to work. Project staff attended the workshop inFianarantsoa, with MMDF participation. Transport officals were impressed and pleasedto see such dynamism and local involvement on transport issues, and said it would be
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paramount to develop such formulas in other provinces. A meeting will be held inTana in early August to explore further opportunities for collaboration.
II.BResult two: A Qualitative and Quantitative Expansion of Civil Society in terms ofBroader Participation, Greater Representativity and Increased Capacity
The Herimiray (Strong Together) federation has registered its statutes, elected itsmembers and developed an action plan, which was adopted by a general assembly of17 founding associations and 13 new associations in May. The Federation is now 30associations strong and is acknowledged by the mayor as a political force to bereckoned with. Herimiray is integrated in the municipal decision making apparatus.
Herimiray recently turned down proposals to run a micro-credit program, judging itwas premature for the organization, and not appropriate for its agenda at this time. Arare sign of maturity for such a young organization!
Herimiray leadership met with Karen Poe of USAID, Sarah Newhall, CEO designateand Traer Sunley, Vice President Communications of Pact worldwide in Mahajanga inApril, during a visit of Sarah, Traer and Bill Polidoro of Pact worldwide to Madagascar.In May, Herimiray participated in Environment Day celebrations, intervening on thetheme of urban environments. Pact brought support to Herimiray in its preparations.
Miaramivoy has launched an aggressive campaign on the coming of the autonomousProvince in Fianarantsoa, investing ongoing debates and organizing its own "Journeede la Province Autonome" in June. Miaramivoy is now recognized as a credible playeron the subject of Fianarantsoa's political future. It is fair to say that Miaramivoy hasbrought significant new ideas to the debate, capturing the attention of regional as wellas national political authorities. Miaramivoy's interventions on decentralization and onthe principles that should guide the new provincial autonomy filled a significant voidin political debate.
Rary Advocacy grants program
All of the project's partners, as well as the Transparency International Chapter inAntananarivo, have submitted proposals to the Advocacy Grants Program, launched inlate June. Funds are expected to be transferred in early August to nine participants.
The grants program is expected to constitute an important step in the development ofeach organization. All partners are nascent organizations. This grants programconstitutes their first trial period at managing funds and activities. Pact recognizesadvocacy as a long process requiring a solid foundation on the part of civil societyorganizations. The grants program, running from August to end October, is seen as asignificant first step by CSOs in the development of their ability to defend a commoncause. As such, the impact of the grants program on each of the participating
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organizations is viewed as much more significant than the impact of their initialadvocacy actions on the Mahajanga or Fianarantsoa environments.
Projects submitted are as follows:
Miaramivoy: Sensitization of regional and provincial actors on the significanceof provincial autonomy.
FMMF (Association of Young Independent Doctors) Development of an earlywarning system for epidemiological disease in neighborhoods. This project willthrow the association in the center of communal health management.
AUDEFI (Federation of Youth Associations of Fianarantsoa) Develop a basis foraction and advocacy for Fianarantsoa Youth.
MMDF (Federation of Fianarantsoa Transport Operators) Sensitization campaignfor member operators and users on the principles of public transport as an issueof public interest.
UAPH (Association for the Advancement of Disabled People) Development ofemployment alternatives for disabled people, in order to provide an economicbase from which to advocate for better conditions and increased integrationinto the mainstream.
Herimiray (Federation of 30 Mahajanga Neighborhood Associations) Structuraldevelopment of the federation, enabling it to be an effective information andmobilization link for citizens of all neighborhoods.
Tatao (Fianarantsoa Association of Journalists) Launching of a press center,serving as a base for the association, a place to hold training sessions, aninformation service, and a place open to associations in general, providingaccess to computers and printers as well as information.
AjM (association of Mahajanga journalists) Launching of a press center,publication of a pilot newsletter project.
Pact has developed training modules on strategic information use as well as onadvocacy in june and july. Staff also received training of trainers on projectmanagement. Training of grantees on these modules will begin in early August. Projectstaff will develop custom mentoring programs for all grantees in early August.
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Il.e Result 3: A Social and Political Environment more conducive toCitizen Participation in the Formulation and Implementation ofPolicies, Rules and Procedures and Resource Allocation DecisionsAffecting the Poor.
Journalism
Fianarantsoa and Mahajanga journalists have successfully launched associations, bothwith the idea of concentrating activities within a "Press Center" which will serve as arendezvous for journalists, as well as a training and production center, open to civilsociety organizations.
Pact provided organizational development services to Tatao as well as AjM. Tatao alsobenefited from the mentoring of a senior journalist from early 1999 to the end of june.This mentoring will be pursued on a part-time basis from September to November tocomplete training and accompany journalists during the establishment of the presscenter.
Tatao has begun to lobby donors in the capital to secure financing for the press centerbeyond end 1999, supported by Pact. Donors have demonstrated interest and haverequested more detailed plans from Tatao. The association has identified buildingspace in which to install the press center. As part of its grant project, Tatao willprovide other CSOs with basic computer services. This activity could provide an idealbase for Miray and its local CSO resource center program, as well as provide afinancing source for the Press Center.
In Mahajanga, journalists have formed AJM, the association of Mahajanga journalists,with Pact mentoring and support. Pact has hired a full time journalist in May toaccompany the AjM in the development of a press center and to provide training andmentoring for members of AjM. A first training session was conducted in May, asecond in june.
The journalists have divided up into commissions to develop knowledge andinformation sources on various topics such as economics and the environment.Knowledge exchange within AjM is an important part of the development of theassociation and of journalists. Traditionally, information is not shared amongjournalists. During the visit of the Premier to Mahajanga in july, journalists pressed thePremier for action on the case of the two journalists who were severely beaten upearly this year and asked for greater access to information from government agencies.
In May the AJM celebrated the International Free Press Day Uournee de la Liberte de laPresse) by staging a debate with guests from Revue de l'Ocean Indien (Indian Oceanregional magazine) and the Magistrature (public attorneys). Pact assisted with technicaladvice and by covering the travel costs of invited journalist Noro Razafimandimby.
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Also, in May, the AJM participated in Environment Day. Pact assisted the journalists intheir preparations.
The mentor will be active in Mahajanga until October. Considering the needs ofMahajanga journalists, his contract may be extended until the end of 1999.
Donors and Projects
Pact's D&G department has been called upon by Pact to examine the governanceissues of the USAID Miray program for environment. Under this request, Pact D&Gstaff have applied a vision developed largely under Rary to certain Miray issues, andconducted two brief exploratory missions to Fort-Dauphin. Results are contained in areport submitted to Patrick Brenny in July.
The Rary project participated in the MITABE seminar in Toamasina in May, allowingfor informal exchange between project staff and mayors, ministry officials and staff ofthe Cooperation Fran~aise. The new MITABE president is Mahajanga Mayor ClaudePages and the secretary general is Zena"lde LeChat, Mayor of Ambalavao, well knownto project staff.
Pact has been holding discussions with both the new Paiq coordinator Andre Shusterand Urban Project coordinator Nicolas Widmer on the overall framework forcollaboration between the Rary project and the Cooperation's decentralizationprogram. A meeting will be held in September with the French Mission Chief to see ifan overall agreement can be reached. The project developed by the Rary project andNicolas Widmer has been in limbo since March at the level of the Chef de Mission.This late in the year, an overall agreement will not have much impact on immediateproject activities, but will open the way for closer collaboration in the future.
Meeting of Targets for June 1999
Output 1
Targets for FY99 (June) Results Comments
New budget nomenclature is Budget nomenclature adopted, As stated above, commissionadopted, both Finance both finance commissions members do not have the habit norcommissions are functional, trained, both functional, no all the means available to stageone other commission is public hearings staged public hearings, and no majorfunctional in each city. decision that would require a public
hearing has gone to Council. Theprinciple of public hearings has beenaccepted and welcomed.
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.'Fianarantsoa Communications Fianarantsoa Communications Fianarantsoa CommunicationsService has received full Service operational, trained and Service is already having an impacttraining and support. equiped, Mahajanga Service on city life.Mahajanga : recruitment is operational and equiped.complete.
The Mahajanga aacc is Texts adopted in March 1999, As stated above, inaction fromfunctional. but aacc not functional Mahajanga Mayor and difficulties in
adopted texts render the exercisedifficult.
Policy adopted in Fianarantsoa Policy will be adopted inand Mahajanga. Fianarantsoa in September
Policy will not be developed inMahajanga this term
Fianarantsoa has followed Fianarantsoa has not initiated This result depended on the will ofthrough with municipal reform. reform the Mayor to reform, which did notBoth cities have applied Both cities have maintained materialize.lessons learned from team team management on propertymanagement. taxes but have not spread it to
other activities
Mahajanga has involved Associations involved on equalassociations in developing footing on the water issuemunicipal policy on water Fianarantsoa has consultedmanagement. merchants on new marketFianarantsoa has consulted regulations and clothinggroups on two new issues. merchants on their transfer toFianarantsoa has continued to another site, as well asmeet with transport operators. homeowners affected by new
road plansThe Mayor has stoppedmeetings with transportoperators for political reasonslinked to the coming election
Output two
Targets for FY99 (June) Results Comments
Seven csas have completed Initial organizationalRary's institutional development complete for sixdevelopment program, and out of seven partners:have identified common Transport operators, Herimiray,interests, problems and issues. Miaramivoy, Audefi, UAPH,
Young Doctors Ass. ,Mahajanga and FianarantsoaJournalists complete.Mahajanga Journalist Ass. Inprogress
Seven csas and csa All seven have accessed newcoalitions have accessed informationsignificant new information onissues of concern.
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• Four C50s or C50 coalitions Transport operators,will have taken action on an Miaramivoy and Herimirayissue. have taken action (3 out of 4)
Output 3
Targets for FY99 (June) Results Comments
journalists are capable of Both journal ist associations are journalists need further training inanalysis. launching a press center order to develop sufficient analyticaljournalists have developed a AJM will launch a journal skillsviable project for a press center under the grants programand have launched it. Journalists from FianarantsoaJournalists regularly publish a have established relations withjournal that serves as a learning nat. level organizations,tool. Mahajanga will do the same injournalists have formed into an Augustassociation and have relationswith national level pressorgan izations
The CoRary has formalized into Miaramivoy is recognized anda distinct organization, has solicited as a credible actor onlaunched actions and is provincial autonomy.recognized
Project Management
week in march
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.' I
Work Plan for March to December 1999
City Council and Executive
New relationship framework
Results: New Relationships Framework between Council and Executive is laid out
Pact will monitor relations between the Executive and the Council to assessimprovements in collaboration and constructive relationship throughout theyear. A Charter of Good Relations will be developed prior to the autumnCouncil session. The Charter would contain the principles of constructiveworking relations identified in 1998, viewed in the light of the last year of thecurrent mandate. Pact will hold a workshop to that end in September.
New Budget nomenclature
Results: both cities have adopted the new budget nomenclature and have workedwith it in 1999 and in the YR2000 budget process; the YR2000 budget process
In February, Pact will provide technical support to the Executive in transcodingthe 1999 budget into the new nomenclature for adoption by City Council in theApril budgetary session. In March, April and June, Pact will provide trainingand equipment to City staff in order to keep a dual accounting system for theexisting legal nomenclature and the new. In March, Pact will also give trainingto each Finance Commission on budget analysis, in order for each commissionto be able to present a political or program analysis of the budget to Council. InSeptember, Pact will provide added support to the Executive in managing abudget process with a functional budget nomenclature. In October, Pact willgive technical support to each Finance Commission on analysis of the YR2000budget.
Results: A Public hearings mechanism is adopted
In March, Pact will provide training to both Councils on public hearings. Pactwill mentor Commissions of each Council should significant City programs orprojects require a public hearing.
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.' .
Communications and Information
Communications Service
Results:FNR service is a catalyst for improved relations between Commune and citizens;MJN : service is functional, credible and accepted.
From January to June in Fianarantsoa, and from April to September inMahajanga, Pact will provide part-time support to the new Service incommunications training, setting up the department and introducing thecommunications function into the institutional environment. Texts for theService in Mahajanga are to be adopted in March.
Communications Policy
Pact will provide part-time technical support to the Fianarantsoa CPCC from January toJune in order for the Committee to draft policy to be presented to the Council in its Fallsession (October). Following the creation of the aacc in January, Project staff inMahajanga will work with the executive and Council from February onward in settingup the committee: holding public meetings with all concerned groups and organizingelections for each position from among members of the concerned community. Startingin Mayor June, once the committee is functional, Pact will provide technical supportin developing policy. This policy should be submitted to council for the fall session(October).
Neighborhood Information System
Pact will develop a program in March with the Urban Project on the development of aneighborhood based municipal information system that will allow information oninfrastructure, services and living conditions to be included in the development anddecision making process for each city's Projet de Ville.
Ten Cities Program
In March, Pact will finalize with the Urban Project a joint program to add agovernance component to the project's actions on ten cities on property taxes. Under
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" . this program, Pact will hold individual workshops in all ten cities in July and August,and train Communications Agents in September.
Issues
Water Privatization
Results:Application of the water policy has been done in full partnership with civil society
Pact will continue support to the neighborhood associations in establishing aformal federation through June, as well as guide them in the development oftheir relationship with the Commune through the Water Issue. Pact will supplythe federation with training on strategic information use in July and in advocacyin September. Pact will seek ways to associate the Ministry if Energy and Mineswith the Mahajanga case. In March, Pact will provide training to theInfrastructure Commission and to the City Council on Public hearings.Throughout the period, Pact will provide counseling of the city executive, asneeded, on the management of the issue.
Transport
Results: Transport operators are wholly involved in local transport issues
Pact will provide mentoring to the new transport federation MMDF on the issueof urban traffic management in Fianarantsoa and the issue of the alleged abusiveuse of the City vehicle impound throughout the period. Pact will supply MMDFwith training on strategic information use in July and in advocacy in September.
land Tenure
Results: Herimiray grasps the issue and is poised to launch actions to advocate forgreater transparence and better management of land tenure in the City.
Pact will facilitate participation of the neighborhood associations federationHerimiray to the National Workshop on Land Tenure in April. Pact will supplyHerimiray with training on strategic information use in July and in advocacy inSeptember.
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Civil Society development
From March to May, Pact will complete the initial organizational cycle of allpartners. In June and July, assistance will be provided in developing a projectfor funding under Rary Grants. Pact will provide support in project identificationand development in June and July, and training in project management inAugust. Mentoring plans will be developed for each grantee fro the period ofthe grant agreement.
Grants Program
Pact will develop the program in March and April, and launch the grantsprogram in May. Closing date for proposals will be end May, and funds areexpected to be disbursed in July. Grant period will run to end October.
Journalism and the press
Pact will continue to provide a senior journalist as mentor to Tatao inFianarantsoa until June. Mentoring will resume under the grants program withpart-time mentoring and training in journalism until November. In Mahajanga,mentoring and training in journalism will begin in May on a full-time basis andcontinue until November, becoming part-time around September or October.
Elections and Transition
In September, Pact will hold a special workshop with its partners to draw on theexperience of the two years and identify the key principles and mechanisms thecommunity wishes to retain and bring into the future, namely into the nextelectoral mandate. Efforts will be made to present the achievements, namely theCommunications Service, to political groups, and to solicit commitments tomaintain the Service and its staff for the next mandate.
Pact will seek to link up with local CNOE offices in July and August to facilitatethe development of CNOE programming for the electoral period.
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