Under the Technical Assistance Programme of the project, the Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Energy (DIPT) through the RESDP provides educational, training and employment opportunities for women in the energy sector.
During project implementation, project affected parties (PAPs) will develop legitimate grievances that they would like addressed in a timely manner.
A grievance is an expression of concern or complaint voiced by any person who feels they have been or will be negatively impacted by someone else’s activities. It often marks the beginning of a dispute. For example, a resident of Belvedere who believes that the walls of her house have cracked due to the passage of the trucks hauling the drilling equipment along the road near her home and complains to the drilling works company or the RESDP demanding that it is repaired. But a grievance can also take the form of other forms of feedback such as a compliment, suggestion, or enquiry.
Under World Bank-funded projects, a grievance redress mechanism (GRM) is a requirement for receiving and facilitating resolution of grievances of PAPs, in a timely manner. It is a mechanism, or set of procedures and processes, to be used as a means of addressing and resolving grievances related to project implementation. It should be open to all project level grievances - complaints, concerns, compliments, suggestions, and requests for information.
A PAP reporting a grievance is referred to as a complainant or grievant.
The RESDP’s GRM has been operationalized since June 2023. As per World Bank guidelines, it includes:
In the context of the RESDP, from its planning to implementation, grievances could arise from the following:
PAPS may also submit grievances directly to the Work Bank through its Grievance Redress Service (GRS) in the following ways:
• Completing the online Complaints Form on the World Bank’s website at www.worldbank.org/grs
• Writing and addressing email to grievances@worldbank.org
• Writing and addressing letter to:
• The World Bank
Grievance Redress Service (GRS)
MSN MC 10-1018
1818 H St NW
Washington, DC 20433, USA
This level will receive, record and investigate grievances that are reported directly to the Contractor by the complainant, if possible, the Contractor shall resolve the grievances raised. Contractors will designate a person to receive, record and investigate grievances. If the Contractor is unable to resolve the grievance, they are obliged to escalate it to Tier 2.
Contractors will submit the records including solved and unsolved grievances to the PIU weekly.
This level will handle grievances escalated from Tier 1 or reported directly to the PIU. This level comprises of the CLO and the SDSO.
Community Liaison Officer/Gender Based Violence Coordinator (CLO/GBVC)
The CLO will conduct stakeholder outreach during project implementation, act as the key point of contact to bring project grievances from construction workers, local residents and community members to the PIU and GRC; support the SDSO in the implementation and administration of the GRM; direct contractors through the Exploration Management Company to make any appropriate change to their work; and confirm that the recommendations of the PIU and GRC are implemented and report monthly on the performance of the GRM.
As the project’s Gender Based Violence Coordinator, the CLO will receive, review, investigate, and keep track of sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment grievances.
Social Development and Safeguards Officer/Grievance Coordinator (SDSO/GC)
The SDSO will be the project’s Grievance Coordinator. The SDSO/GC will be responsible for implementing and leading the GRM. The SDSO/GC will work together with the CLO to develop and publicize the grievance management procedures; receive, review, investigate, and keep track of grievances; adjudicate grievances; and monitor and evaluate fulfillment of agreements achieved through the grievance redress mechanism and prepare semi-annual progress reports on grievances received to the World Bank
The GRC will be responsible for receiving and resolving all grievances raised by the PAPs escalated from Tier 2 by the PIU or the PAP.
A six (6) member GRC was established in 2023 by the project’s Steering Committee and sanctioned by the Permanent Secretary – Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Transport (PS-DIPT). The member organisations and representatives are as follows:
The GRC will meet as necessary. The PS-DIPT will coordinate the meetings of the committee.
To address a grievance efficiently, effectively and in a timely manner, a Grievance Redress Management Process has been developed. This process relates to the receiving, assessing, and resolving of grievances. When concerns, compliments, suggestions and enquiries are received they will be acknowledged, responded to and closed out. However, when complaints are reported to the GRM, they shall be addressed by the PIU in accordance with the process outlined:
The PIU or contractor assigns a reference case number, seeks additional information (if necessary) and determines admissibility. If the contractor determines that the complaint cannot be resolved at the level of the contractor or thinks it is inadmissible, it is escalated to the PIU.
The PIU or contractor will acknowledge receipt in writing within two (2) workings days, after receipt of the complaint. The letter of acknowledgement will indicate the course of action to be pursued with timelines. A brochure explaining the process including the appeals process and a flowchart will be attached to the acknowledgment letter.
Depending on the complexity of the issue, the PIU and/or contractor staff and/or support personnel from other agencies, and you, if you are available, investigate the complaint, within an additional 3 working days (3-5 working days of receipt).
After the investigation, the PIU or contractor proposes a resolution or accepts your proposed resolution within an additional 5 working days (6-10 working days of receipt).
If you agree with the PIU’s proposed resolution or your proposed resolution is accepted, you sign a Grievance Resolution Acceptance Form and the PIU, contractor and support personnel from other agencies implement the activities of the resolution within an additional 10 working days (11-20 working days).
(Note that some matters may require the coordination of agencies outside the control of the RESDP and may require more time. In such an event, an update will be provided by the PIU to you every 5 working days).
If after the investigation, your case is assessed as inadmissible, it is closed. However, if it cannot be handled at the level of the PIU, the PIU will escalate it to the level of the GRC.
If you do not agree with the proposed resolution of the PIU, with your permission the PIU will escalate your complaint to the project’s GRC, or you can appeal yourself by completing and emailing the project’s Grievance Appeal Form to resdppiu@govt.lc.
The GRC investigates, convenes and through the PIU proposes a resolution to you within 5 working days of its receipt of your complaint.
If you agree with the GRC’s proposed resolution, you sign a Grievance Resolution Acceptance Form and the PIU, contractor and support personnel from other agencies implement the activities of the resolution within an additional 10 working days.
The PIU will track and evaluate the progress of implementation of all resolutions and update the project’s grievance tracking system. Should the implementation of the resolution's activities take more than 10 working days, the PIU gives you an update and informs you about further action before the completion of the 10 working days and regularly thereafter.
The PIU shall analyze once weekly each complaint, including yours, and see how operational processes could be modified to prevent the grievance from recurring.
On completion of the activities of the resolution, the PIU or contractor closes the complaint, and you sign the project’s Close Out and Release Form and rate your satisfaction with the GRM process and outcome within 30 days of your complaint’s receipt.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, all complaints shall be resolved and closed within 30 working days, however, complaints which are escalated to the GRC may take as many as 40 working days.
If you still do not agree with the outcome of the resolution you may:
During the project’s lifecycle and while maintaining the confidentiality of complainants, the RESDP will provide regular updates on the performance of the GRM in publicly accessible locations such as the project’s website, Instagram, Facebook pages and newsletter; project offices, and at community meetings. The PIU will also report to the public on any changes to its actions or policies so that similar experiences are less likely to recur.
For further information on the GRM and how it works, stakeholders can contact the PIU through the contact details below.
Project Implementation Unit
Renewable Energy Sector Development Project
Energy and Public Utilities Division
Sir Stanislaus James Building, Waterfront
Castries
Windia Jaunai
Community Liaison Officer
Project Implementation Unit
Renewable Energy Sector Development Project
Sir Stanislaus James Building, Waterfront
Castries
