The Bahamas The Bahamas GEF Country Support GEF Country Support

ProgrammeProgramme

By Ms. Rochelle NewboldBy Ms. Rochelle Newbold

BEST CommissionBEST Commission

11 October 200711 October 2007

Bahamas GEF Coordination Bahamas GEF Coordination UnitUnit• The BEST Commission serves as the The BEST Commission serves as the

Operational Focal Point for the GEF in Operational Focal Point for the GEF in the Bahamas.the Bahamas.

• Coordination Unit formed within BEST Coordination Unit formed within BEST utilizing technical officers responsible utilizing technical officers responsible for managing and implementing GEF for managing and implementing GEF supported Projectssupported Projects

• Operational Focal Point heads the Operational Focal Point heads the Coordination Unit in the person of Dr. Coordination Unit in the person of Dr. Donald Cooper Donald Cooper

Workshop on GEF Policies and Workshop on GEF Policies and ProceduresProcedures• Initial 1 day workshop held on 7Initial 1 day workshop held on 7thth November November

2006 included some 20 stakeholders from 2006 included some 20 stakeholders from both the public and private sectorboth the public and private sector

• Topics covered included Topics covered included – Introduction to the GEFIntroduction to the GEF– GEF Project PipelinesGEF Project Pipelines– The Resource Allocation FrameworkThe Resource Allocation Framework– GEF in The BahamasGEF in The Bahamas

• Workshop was very effective and feedback Workshop was very effective and feedback was positive from all stakeholders in was positive from all stakeholders in attendanceattendance

Bahamas GEF StakeholdersBahamas GEF Stakeholders• Ministry responsible Ministry responsible

for the Environmentfor the Environment• Ministry of FinanceMinistry of Finance• Ministry of Works and Ministry of Works and

TransportTransport• Ministry of Tourism & Ministry of Tourism &

AviationAviation• Bahamas National GIS Bahamas National GIS

CentreCentre• Bahamas Information Bahamas Information

ServicesServices• Data Processing UnitData Processing Unit• Ministry of Health and Ministry of Health and

Social DevelopmentSocial Development

• Government Government Corporations for Corporations for Utilities and Utilities and Antiquities, Monuments Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corp.and Museums Corp.

• Non Government Non Government Organizations including Organizations including TNC, BNT, BREEF, TNC, BNT, BREEF, ANCAT, FOE, College of ANCAT, FOE, College of the Bahamasthe Bahamas

• National Committees National Committees on Wetlands, on Wetlands, Biodiversity, Climate Biodiversity, Climate Change, Science & Change, Science & TechnologyTechnology

National Information National Information PackagesPackages• Information packages compiled at the Information packages compiled at the

National Coordinating Unit was supplied to National Coordinating Unit was supplied to stakeholders at the initial workshopstakeholders at the initial workshop

• Additional packages have been made Additional packages have been made available at the NCU (offices of the BEST available at the NCU (offices of the BEST Commission) for the general publicCommission) for the general public

• Package includes background information Package includes background information on GEF and its activities in supporting on GEF and its activities in supporting projects under the 5 key focal areasprojects under the 5 key focal areas

The GEF Information The GEF Information DatabaseDatabase

• Creation of this has been initiated Creation of this has been initiated through the provision of a GEF in the through the provision of a GEF in the Bahamas Webpage at the National Bahamas Webpage at the National Coordination Unit WebsiteCoordination Unit Website– www.best.bs/bahamas_gef.html www.best.bs/bahamas_gef.html

• This site will keep track of information This site will keep track of information on the GEF and its projects and on the GEF and its projects and activities within The Bahamasactivities within The Bahamas

CSP Knowledge Facility CSP Knowledge Facility Bahamas country pageBahamas country page

• The Bahamas has launched its GEF CSP The Bahamas has launched its GEF CSP website country page: website country page: http://www.gefcountrysupport.org/country.cfhttp://www.gefcountrysupport.org/country.cfm?countryId=25m?countryId=25

• Information made available on National Focal Information made available on National Focal Points, Projects supported by the GEF, In- Points, Projects supported by the GEF, In- country activities, National Reports, etc.country activities, National Reports, etc.

• Bahamas country page updated by the NCU Bahamas country page updated by the NCU

Linking GEF Activities with Linking GEF Activities with Development and Policy Development and Policy StrategyStrategy• Second stakeholder workshop held in Second stakeholder workshop held in

April 2007April 2007• Stakeholders provided presentation on Stakeholders provided presentation on

internal policies of organizations which internal policies of organizations which could then be linked to GEF Operational could then be linked to GEF Operational Strategies for implementation in countryStrategies for implementation in country

• BAIC, Department of Agriculture, TNC, BAIC, Department of Agriculture, TNC, BEST Commission, BNT all provided BEST Commission, BNT all provided inputinput

Finalizing Component 1Finalizing Component 1

• Meetings to foster in country coordination Meetings to foster in country coordination planned for 4planned for 4thth Quarter 2007 with all Quarter 2007 with all stakeholdersstakeholders

• NCU will make visits to stakeholder to NCU will make visits to stakeholder to fulfill a request made at second workshop fulfill a request made at second workshop on policies and strategieson policies and strategies

• Creation of a reference library of GEF Creation of a reference library of GEF information & publications to be hosted at information & publications to be hosted at the NCUthe NCU

Lessons Learnt Lessons Learnt Component 1Component 1

• Ensure involvement of broad spectrum of Ensure involvement of broad spectrum of stakeholders from beginningstakeholders from beginning

• Where possible stakeholders recommend Where possible stakeholders recommend that NCU make call on institutions to make that NCU make call on institutions to make presentationspresentations

• Ensure availability of hard copy of Ensure availability of hard copy of materials as not all persons have internet materials as not all persons have internet access access

• Getting information out through the media Getting information out through the media assisted greatly assisted greatly

Next StepsNext Steps

• Implementing Component 2 during Implementing Component 2 during 2007-20082007-2008

• Maintaining GEF project databases Maintaining GEF project databases on projects and activities at the on projects and activities at the national and regional levelsnational and regional levels

Thank YouThank You

Email: Email: bestnbs@hotmail.combestnbs@hotmail.com

For further informationFor further information