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Effective Local Government in Small States

Effective Local Government in Small States. Kiribati Local Government – the Cinderella of CLGF. By Rikiaua Takeke Secretary, Ministry of Internal & Social Affairs, Kiribati. Areas of Discussion. Background Strengths and Opportunities Constraints and Challenges

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Effective Local Government in Small States

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  1. Effective Local Government in Small States Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown, Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  2. Kiribati Local Government – the Cinderella of CLGF By Rikiaua Takeke Secretary, Ministry of Internal & Social Affairs, Kiribati Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  3. Areas of Discussion • Background • Strengths and Opportunities • Constraints and Challenges • Urbanisation and Urban Councils • Partnership between the Councils, the CLGF and other partners

  4. Background • Kiribati is a sovereign state that gained independence on 12 July, 1979. • Located in the central Pacific, where the Equator intersects the International Date Line, • Population 93,500 (2005 Census) • Micronesians, living on 33 tiny atolls that add up to 811 square kilometers (313 sq.miles). • The atolls are grouped into three main groupings, the Gilbert group in the West, Phoenix group in the middle, and the Line group, in the East. • The Line group, consists of three inhabited islands including Christmas atoll, the biggest atoll in the world. Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  5. Map of Kiribati with areas that have been affected by CC and disasters.) I.D.L. Phoenix Islands Protected Area

  6. Economy • The economy revolves around fisheries, copra (oil extraction from coconuts), sea-weed cultivation, tourism and handicrafts. • Remittances from I-Kiribati working as seafarers in overseas ships contribute to the economy. • The GDP is around $60m and GDP per capita is about $600. • Unemployment is high, with government being the main employer Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  7. Councils • Local Government a legacy of the Colonial government • Up to 2006, there were 22 Councils, • 2006 - Christmas Island Council became the 23rd • Three urban councils, two on the capital Tarawa and one on Christmas Island, • 49% of the population live in the urban areas • Banaba Council has less than 1% of the population. Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  8. Cinderella of the CLGF • Very remote and isolated islands, vulnerable to climate change • Poor means of communication and irregular transport, esp. Lines • Operate with communities on subsistence economies, • Limited resources and sources of income. • Lack capacity, both institutional and human, • Poor respect by their local communities. • Urban Councils face urbanization, social ills, environmental degradation, more. Like Cinderella, they face daunting challenges from these constraints and require assistance from the fairy godmother, in this case, the government and donor partners. Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  9. Strengths and opportunities • Very stable central government, that fully supports and assists local government • Annual support grant make up, 50% (rural) and 30% (urban) • Operate under a newly upgraded Local Government Act in 2007, • Election of the Mayor by popular vote from eligible voters on the whole island, rather than the Councilors • Better leadership as a result of election of 2008 • The local communities own Councils and have a say in its policies and activities • The main link between communities and central government • Agency for funding and other assistance from donor communities. • Free from serious corruption Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  10. Tackling Urbanisation by Councils • Urbanisation an issue with Urban Councils. • Youth unemployment, • crime, • pollution, • congestion, • inadequate water supplies and • other social, economic and environmental problems • Urban Councils are the Betio Town Council (BTC), Tarawa Urban Council (TUC) and Kiritimati (Christmas) Urban Council (KUC) • BTC and TUC located on capital Tarawa with 40,000 people • KUC on Christmas Island in the Line group of islands. Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  11. The Sustainable Towns Programme • Kiribati needs partnership to deal with urbanization • NZaid provides financial and technical assistance with the Sustainable Towns Programme • Designed to address key urban challenges and meet the basic needs of people in urban areas, including:- • poor water supply, • sanitation and solid waste disposal, • overcrowding in some areas, • poor road access and limited community facilities, • providing improved basic (‘lifeline’) services in the overcrowded areas, • provide technical assistance to relevant Ministries, Urban Councils and community groups to ensure better forward planning and sustainable operations and maintenance of the infrastructure • It aims to involve more partners regionally and internationally, including the Cities Alliance Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  12. CLGF’s assistance to Kiribati Councils • Financial Management for Local Government (FMLG) Roll Out (obj: 4.2) • The Kiribati National Audit Office reports that financial capacity of the Councils, to produce final annual financial accounts - poor • Implemented with the Local Government division of MISA • To be extended to all rural councils • A similar complementary package used by the Sustainable Town Programme to upgrade urban councils in financial management capacity. Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  13. CLGF’s assistance to Kiribati Councils • Standardisation of Council Bye-Laws and Translation to Kiribati • All councils have the same rules for animals, Business, and Marine resources • All Enforcement officers are protected or secured under these laws • Improve Council Income generation • Locally Elected Leaders (LEL) Training • Aimed at all Mayors, councilors and local leaders to enable them to have an understanding of the LEL competencies; • Enhance leadership skills to bring about good governance improve the efficiency and responsiveness of urban and local authorities (councils) • Feedback by Mayors ‘relevant and beneficial’ to their work. • Scoping study visit • To allow Council Clerks and mayors expose to a different setting • To build Clerks capacities learning from their partners • Will enable Clerks to transform and reform their council systems Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  14. Other ongoing activities • UNDP - Strengthening Decentralised Local Governance, aimed at • building the capacity of the local government division in the government Ministries concerned, the councils and the rural communities, in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of small scale projects. • The main outcome - small grants for development projects by the communities, to improve their livelihood. • This is ongoing with negotiations Phase 2. Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  15. Conclusion • Local government in Kiribati is strong and well supported, despite the many challenges facing it. • Local governments face many challenges including Urbanization. • These are challenges that are beyond Kiribati at this time and therefore require effective partnership with other organizations and countries, in order to deal with them. • Many agencies such as the CLGF, UNDP, ADB as well as donor partners, such as Taiwan, NZaid, and AusAID have been working together with the Councils and government to deal with local government issues to advance Councils to become more accountable, transparent, democratic, effective and sustainable. Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

  16. Once these values are realized the Cinderella will be freed forever from the poor leadership and tyranny of the ugly sisters and the cruel step-mother. The End Commonwealth Local Government Forum Meeting, Freetown., Bahamas, 11-15 May, 2009

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