(AP3F020-CB009) Capacity building assistance to the Ministry of Infrastructure
COUNTRY:
Cook Islands
TA AMOUNT:
$125,000
TYPE OF ASSISTANCE:
Capacity Building
PROJECT STATUS:
Closed
Beneficiaries
The beneficiaries are

1. Ministry of Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI)
2. Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) management and staff
3. Other government offices and stakeholders of infrastructure development
Background

ICI is tasked, in the absence of local government or municipal structures on the main island of Rarotonga, to deliver key local services there, including public roads management, construction and maintenance of public roads, as well as reticulated water and solid waste management (including collection and disposal).

Throughout the Cook Islands (i.e. for both Rarotonga and the Outer Islands, also known as Pa Enua), ICI is responsible for hydrological and ground water monitoring as well as building control and electrical inspection but, for resourcing reasons, building and electrical compliance activities are concentrated on Rarotonga.

ICI provides technical and material support to the 10 Pa Enua Island Governments including road sealing, water reticulation, collection and storage; maintenance and parts procurement for machinery and plant, including diesel generators; and procurement of plant and machinery. Project delivery services include road sealing, construction of machinery shelters and cyclone shelters, and cyclone recovery as required.

Key Activities

The major components of the proposed activity are the following:

  • Preparation of CIIC’s PPP Policy for SOEs;

  • Training of ICI and CIIC staff and other relevant government officials;

  • Review of ICI’s medium-term contracting/outsourcing requirements;

  • Review of the existing regulatory framework and contracting/procurement arrangements, and formulation of recommendations on amendments needed to both facilitate the development of PPP solutions and optimize the management of ICI’s and CIIC’s infrastructure assets;

  • Assistance in organizing presentations to local and regional private sector infrastructure stakeholders both individually and through membership organizations regarding ICI’s PPP development plans to increase private sector understanding of PPPs and gauge their level of private sector support and engagement; and

  • Identification of a pipeline of potential infrastructure PPP (capital and/or operational) projects.

Expected Outcomes

PPP solutions readily available for the delivery, management and maintenance of infrastructure assets under ICI’s and CIIC’s operational/regulatory responsibility