INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: ISDSA3425 Public Disclosure Copy Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 23-Apr-2013 Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 22-Mar-2013, 23-Apr-2013 I. BASIC INFORMATION 1. Basic Project Data Country: Antigua and Barbuda Project ID: P126791 Project Name: Public and Social Sector Transformation Project (PSST) (P126791) Task Team Gaston Mariano Blanco Leader: Estimated 26-Mar-2013 Estimated 30-May-2013 Appraisal Date: Board Date: Managing Unit: LCSHS-DPT Lending Specific Investment Loan Instrument: Sector(s): General public administration sector (45%), Other social services (55%) Theme(s): Administrative and civil service reform (45%), Improving labor markets (20%), Poverty strategy, analysis and monitoring (12%), Socia l safety nets (23%) Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) or OP No 8.00 (Rapid Response to Crises and Emergencies)? Financing (In USD Million) Public Disclosure Copy Total Project Cost: 10.00 Total Bank Financing: 10.00 Total Cofinancing: Financing Gap: 0.00 Financing Source Amount Borrower 0.00 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 10.00 Total 10.00 Environmental B - Partial Assessment Category: Is this a No Repeater project? 2. Project Objectives The objective of the Project is to assist the Borrower in: (i) strengthening its capacity in managing public policies and the public service; (ii) improving the efficiency of social protection spending through an integrated monitoring and targeting system; and (iii) improving the income and employability of the vulnerable population through temporary employment and training programs. Page 1 of 8 3. Project Description The five components are closely linked in the sense that Components 1 and 2 will provide technical assistance to strengthen public sector management through creating systems for strategic policy Public Disclosure Copy management and a single and effectively managed public service. Closely linked to the Component 1, Component 3 aims to create conditions for an integrated social protection system through the enhancement of the MOHSTCA’s capacity to design, implement and monitor social policies and interventions. Component 4 will support the implementation of employment programs and services to increase income and employability of vulnerable population. Component 5 covers project management. Component 1. Building effective institutions for strategic management of government policies (US $1.06 million IBRD). The objective of this component is to enhance Government’s capacity to improve the quality of decision-making and aligning policy decisions with GOAB’s strategic planning documents. This will contribute to the NEST objective of better targeting public resources through strengthened budget formulation, monitoring and reporting. Better prioritization and coordination of government policies, as well as an ability to clearly articulate expected results and link public expenditure planning with the policy framework is at the heart of government’s resource management. The Project will support introducing foundations of a strategic policy and resources management through: (i) developing policy analysis and coordination capacity in the Government’s Office of the Cabinet; (ii) introducing enhanced procedures for development in GOAB ministries, coordination, review and approval of policy and legislative proposals; and (iii) developing skills for preparation of policy submissions in line with the evolving policy management framework. This component is linked with Component 3 which also seeks to improve management of policy implementation at the sector level with stronger role of the MOHSTCA in design, coordination and oversight of policy implementation. Component 2. Human Resource Management Modernization (US$2.31 million IBRD). The objective of this Component is to achieve by the end of the Project an integrated public service Public Disclosure Copy employment regime underpinned by the revised Public Service Act and Regulations, an effective public service management system, a comprehensive public service personnel information system that is aligned with the payroll, effective human resource procedures that support enhanced performance, and optimized staffing across the Government. This component will focus on two related aspects, supported through two subcomponents. Subcomponent 2.1 will help create a single and regularized public service through integration of non-established employees into a single public service. This important reform will include: (i) developing a single public service register; establishing a single public service position structure; (ii) revising the remuneration system to be applied to the single service; (iii) developing and delivery of training program to support the integration; and (iv)conducting a change management program. To make the single service reform sustainable, significant transformation of the public service management should be implemented to address the incentives present in the administration for creating public employment outside the regular public service. Subcomponent 2.2 will support systemic legal and organizational changes in the public service management, including: (i) modernizing central human resource management and oversight function; decentralizing selected appointment-related procedures; (ii) introducing performance evaluation of public servants; and (iii) strengthening human resource management capacity in MDAs. Component 2 will provide consolidated public employment records for the Civil Service Management module, implemented by the Government as part of the Free Balance system upgrade, which would maintain reliable and transparent records of the government workforce for better management of the public service. Page 2 of 8 Component 3. Improve the efficiency of social protection spending (US$1.21 million IBRD). The primary objective of this component is to create conditions for an integrated social protection system Public Disclosure Copy through the enhancement of the MOHSTCA’s capacity to design, implement and monitor social policies and interventions by: (i) creating a unified targeting system and a single registry for beneficiaries; (ii) improving MOHSTCA leading and coordinating capacity. Under (i) the Project will support the Government to launch the National Beneficiaries Management Information System (NBMIS), to create a single beneficiaries database for social protection programs, and a unified targeting mechanism across a wide range of social protection programs . This instrument will improve the efficiency and efficacy of public spending on social protection programs by recertifying existing beneficiaries and identifying eligible new ones using the NBMIS through a census of potential beneficiaries and the development of a PMT targeting instrument. Under (ii) this project will finance technical assistance, surveys, training and materials to enhance MOHSTCA’s capacity to develop effective institutional arrangements for coordination and policy making, foster greater governance and transparency in the social sectors and perform process evaluation of existing program to feedback the policy decision. Component 4. Support ALMPs (US$4.10 million IBRD).The primary objective of this component is to increase the income and employability of low-income unemployed population between the ages of 17 to 50 years old affected by economic crisis. The current New Work Experience Program will be gradually replaced by two complementary programs: a Temporary Employment Program (TEP), and a Training Program (TP).The TEP will provide income support to the less experienced, low-income, unemployed through temporary employment plus a life-skills training program, while the TP will provide re-training and competence certification to the more experienced among the low-income unemployed population. This approach will allow the Labor Department to provide employment programs tailored to the employment needs of different groups of the vulnerable populations. The approach will also give the Department flexibility in tailoring employment programs to economic conditions. For example, the TEP can be expanded in times of crisis and contracted during better economic conditions; while in contrast, the TP can be expanded during better economic conditions Public Disclosure Copy and scaled down in times of crisis. In terms of process, all TEP beneficiaries will have to comply with workfare activities in the form of refurbishment or small new infrastructure, productive activities, maintenance, and community services. The implementation of both programs, financed by the Project, will benefit roughly1000 low-income unemployed people in the first three years of the Project. To improve the efficiency in service delivery, the Project will also support the installation of the One Stop Job Centre in a central location within the capital St. John’s. The Center will be responsible for interviewing job seekers; providing job counseling registration to TP and TEP; providing intermediation services; and making referrals to the competence certification system. Additionally, the Project will support the operation of the certification of competences in the country through the financing of technical assistance for better definition of operational procedures and training of competences assessors. Finally, the Project will support the implementation of a tracking survey for beneficiaries and the control group to assess the placement rate and the income level resulting from the TEP intervention. Component 5. Project Management (US$1.14 million IBRD).This component will support the creation and operation of a Project Management Unit (PMU) under the Ministry of Finance. The Project would provide financing to hire a project coordinator, a financial management specialist, a procurement specialist, an HRM specialist and a communication specialist. Under the Project these staff would receive appropriate technology, training, equipment and other required logistical support Page 3 of 8 for their jobs. This component would also finance the required annual financial audits and two process evaluations during project implementation. 4. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard Public Disclosure Copy analysis (if known) Antigua and Barbuda - The Project will be implemented country-wide. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Jose Vicente Zevallos (LCSSO) Michael J. Darr (LCSEN) 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/ Yes The planned works and services that the project BP 4.01 will finance will focus on relatively small sub- projects of community interest (please see below for examples). An Environmental Management Framework (EMF) was prepared by the GOAB. It provides guidance on classifying and evaluating proposed employment activities, using a typology that also will be part of the OM for sub-project screening, design, approval, implementation, and closing. The EMF describes negative environmental impacts that different types of sub- projects could cause and guides on respective management measures to prevent, mitigate or compensate them. Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No The project will not finance activities that would affect natural habitats as defined in OP 4.04. Public Disclosure Copy Forests OP/BP 4.36 No The project will not finance activities that would affect forests or communities that depend on their services. Pest Management OP 4.09 No The project will not finance activities that would involve purchase or use of pesticides or other agricultural chemicals. Physical Cultural Resources OP/ No The project will not finance activities that would BP 4.11 affect physical cultural resources as defined in the introduction of OP 4.11. The EMF will be revised to include guidance for appropriate action to be taken in case any chance finds would occur during project implementation. Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No The project will not finance activities that would affect indigenous people groups. Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP No The Borrower shall not carry out any Project 4.12 activities that would result in Resettlement. The Borrower, through MNSL, shall ensure that: (a) any land to be acquired, as part of Project Page 4 of 8 implementation, is acquired on an informed consent for voluntary donation or a willing buyer and willing seller basis, all in a manner Public Disclosure Copy acceptable to the Bank, including in accordance with the provisions in theEMF; and (b) prior to such acquisition of land, furnish evidence acceptable to the Bank that the requirements set out in sub-paragraph (a) have been satisfied. Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No The project will not finance any type of dams or activities that would depend on existing dams. Projects on International No The project will not finance activities that would Waterways OP/BP 7.50 affect international waterways. Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No There are no disputed areas within the project 7.60 area. II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the Restructured project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: The project is classified as Category B given the small-scale, temporary, and reversible impacts that could result from construction sub-projects carried-out primarily with manual labor by up to 15 workers. In order to comply with the OP 4.01, an EMF was prepared by the end of February 2013 and disclosed in-country in March 2013. The EMF includes a description of the project’s eligible activities and includes a negative list on those activities that, because of their nature or potential Public Disclosure Copy impacts, will not be supported as reflected in the safeguards table above. In addition, the EMF describes the relevant legal and institutional framework as well as the institutional arrangements for project implementation and its environmental management. The Environment Division (ED) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment (MALHE) will be responsible to manage the environmental issues. The Labour Department Technical Unit (LDTU), responsible of the implementation of the workfare component of the project, will coordinate the participation of the ED during the sub-projects’ cycle. The project will support staffing increases of LDTU, for which TORs will include environmental expertise to ensure effective screening and EMP implementation. The sub-projects’ cycle, in regard to environmental and social management, evolves as follows: 1. Orientation and support to Local Organizations (LOs) (for the project, LOs are NGOs or Statutory Bodies ) by the technical coordinator of the project and a representative of the Environmental Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment for proposal preparation, including environmental and social screening checklist and proposed mitigation measures. At this stage, any potential involuntary resettlement would be reviewed and screened out. 2. Sub-project proposal review and approval includes technical, institutional, environmental and financial viability. 3. Project implementation phase: LDTU will visit each sub-project at least twice during its Page 5 of 8 execution. The LDTU, in coordination with the ED, will review the technical aspects of the sub- project and environmental issues through a compliance checklist. Relevant environmental information obtained during the project cycle of sub-projects will be included in the monitoring Public Disclosure Copy and evaluation system of the project, and would inform the feasibility to implementing the project in other areas of the country. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area: The program is not expected to have any potential large scale issues or irreversible impacts as no major works are contemplated. Typical works anticipated will relate to improvements to existing infrastructure on a small scale. Screening processes to evaluate and management measures to implement sub-projects to assure the proper application of safeguard considerations are detailed in the EMF and will be included in the OM as described above. Positive potential impacts can be expected from the presentation and selection of environmental sub-projects aimed at promoting conservation and sustainable use of natural resources and improving environmental conditions of the population. 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts. To avoid or minimize potential adverse impacts of sub-projects, the chosen strategy is to restrict the scope of proposals to be presented in competitive selection processes. Besides simplifying evaluation, this will also imply diminishing potential negative environmental impacts, since complex-to-evaluate sub-projects have been excluded through the negative list. 4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described. Five basic measures comprise the borrower’s strategy to address the safeguards policies: (a) the preparation of an EMF that will be reviewed before appraisal and revised as needed; (b) providing an oversight and consultation role by the Environmental Division of the Government as chief technical body to manage the environmental issues; (c) the provision of induction courses for Public Disclosure Copy Local Organizations in charge of sub-projects implementation to train them in the process of sub- project proposal presentation to ensure inclusion of adequate environmental and health and safety measures and/or equipment; (d) training for teams of workers in regard to environmental management and health and safety; and (e) a detailed OM that includes guidelines based on the EMF to be followed during the project cycle. The induction course for LOs will provide a detailed training to present proposals. The induction course will be provided by the technical coordinator of the project and a representative of the Environmental Division. The course will provide an overview of the institutional and legal framework that regulates the activities to be undertaken in the sub-projects as reported in the EMF, which will guide the evaluation of the proposals. In the case of presentation of proposals with potential adverse impacts, they will be highlighted and special attention will be paid to the complementary pieces of information to be attached to the presentation, such as suggested mitigation measures by the implementing institution. The principal aspects taken into account within the EMF are: A. Sub-projects eligibility criteria: Given the characteristics of the program, with regard to the profile of the beneficiaries and the objectives of contribution to the improvement of their income and employability, the sub-projects should meet the following guidelines: 1. Be of community interest. Page 6 of 8 2. Generate public benefits. 3. Be fully executed in six (6) months. 4. Components and activities should be adequate to ensure assignment of no more than Public Disclosure Copy fifteen (15) and no less than ten (10) beneficiary workers. 5. Be of low complexity, that is they (i) should not require specialized structural designs; (ii) should not require other specialized studies e.g. seismology, etc.; and (iii) should not require sophisticated mechanisms for implementation, in which beneficiaries cannot participate. 6. Projects whose construction and/or development involves the intensive use of unskilled labor. The sub-project typologies defined and their scope or accepted maximum dimensions are presented in the EMF and OM. This has been done to ensure that only projects with low negative impacts will be supported. B. Local Legal Framework: In Antigua and Barbuda, the existing legislative framework consists of several pieces of legislation governing various aspects of the environment. Most are intended to address the country’s environmental problems and meet commitments to the Multi- Lateral Environmental Agreements. Institutional arrangements are such that in several key areas of natural resource usage, the legislation is designed to give power to agencies that are the major resource users to regulate themselves. The legislation does not provide any criteria e.g. sustainability or environmental protection, by which the resources should be exploited. The compendium of legislation can be found in Appendix A of the EMF. The EMF was disclosed within the country on March 22, 2013 as well as in InfoShop on March 22, 2013, and any revised version of it will be equally disclosed during project implementation as necessary. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. The main stakeholders are the non-profit seeking Local Organizations such as NGOs and Statutory Bodies responsible for presenting sub-project proposals to develop community-oriented Public Disclosure Copy works or services. The LOs in particular will be key stakeholders for which the above mentioned induction courses will be designed for. This will ensure that local conditions, potential nuisances, and other environmental and social impacts will be communicated effectively and considered in sub-project design and environmental management plans. The induction course plus the public availability of the EMF are also mechanisms to make the safeguard policies readily available for stakeholders. B. Disclosure Requirements Environmental Assessment/Audit/Management Plan/Other Date of receipt by the Bank 20-Mar-2013 Date of submission to InfoShop 22-Mar-2013 For category A projects, date of distributing the Executive Summary of the EA to the Executive Directors "In country" Disclosure Antigua and Barbuda 22-Mar-2013 Comments: If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Physical Cultural Resources policies, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/ Audit/or EMP. Page 7 of 8 If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why: C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level Public Disclosure Copy OP/BP/GP 4.01 - Environment Assessment Are the cost and the accountabilities for the EMP incorporated Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] in the credit/loan? The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] World Bank's Infoshop? Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] place in a form and language that are understandable and accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs? All Safeguard Policies Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] responsibilities been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] in the project cost? Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] include the monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] with the borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? Public Disclosure Copy III. APPROVALS Task Team Leader: Gaston Mariano Blanco Approved By Sector Manager: Name: Janet K. Entwistle (SM) Date: 23-Apr-2013 Page 8 of 8