AUDIT REPORT OF REGIONAL OFFICE FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN PROGRAMS HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT

AUDIT BASED ON DOCUMTS & INTERVIEWS. CIVIL SERVICE TRNG IN THE US WAS PROVIDED FOR 31 GOVT OF BELIZE (GOB) EMPLOYEES,SOME OF WHOM AS A RESULT RECEIVED HIGHER PAYING POSITIONS. UNDER THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM,TRNG FOR ADULTS & DROP-OUTS FROM 14-16 IN THE AREAS OF CARPENTRY,ELECTRICITY,MASONRY,PLUMBING & AUTO MECHANICS WAS PROVIDED. AID ALSO FUNDED TUITION ASSISTANCE,ON-THE-JOB CONSTRUCTN MATERIALS,PARTICIPANT TRNG IN THE US & CONTRACT TECHNICAL ADVISORY SERVICES. UNDER THE INVESTMT PROMOTN PROGRAM,AID ASSISTED GOB DEVELOPMENT OF AN INSTIT STRUCTURE TO EXPAND PRIVATE,FOREIGN & DOMESTIC INVESTMT. THOMAS H MINER & ASSOC,INC & INVESTMT DEVEL CONSULTING FIRM ESTABLISHED A LONG-TERM PLAN TO PROMOTE SELECTED INVESTMT PROJECTS, WHICH RESULTED IN PRE-INVESTMT SURVEYS IN LIVESTOCK,MECHANIZED FIELD CROP INDUSTRIES,CARIBBEAN MARKET POTENTIAL, AND OFFSHORE INDUSTRY POSSIBILITIES. AN INVESTMT PROMOTN CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED, AND AN ANALYSIS WAS MADE OF THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE AND INVESTMENT POTENTIALS. PROJECT PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED & SELECTED PRE-INVESTMT STUDIES HAVE BEEN MADE. REGIONAL OFFICE OF CENTRAL AM & PANAMA (ROCAP) & GOB HAVE ACCEPTED SERVICES OF CONTRACTOR & VOLUNTEERS FOR INTERNTL TECH ASSIST (VITA). TRNG QUALITY OF DIRECTORS & TEACHERS HAS IMPROVED,AND,THROUGH VITA WORKERS,HAVE RECEIVED TRNG TO INCREASE EARNING CAPACITIES. ALTHOUGH MUCH WAS ACHIEVED,PROJ OBJECTIVES WERE NOT FULLFILLED SINCE GOB LACKED IMPLEMENTATN PLANS & FOLLOW-UP TRNG PROCEDURES. MANY TRNG PARTICIPANTS REMAINED UNEMPLOYED & THUS UNABLE TO REPAY LOANS. FEW US TRAINEES ACTUALLY UTILIZED THEIR TRNG. CONSTRUCTN WAS NOT COMPLETED. FURTHER,ROCAP-FUNDED TRNG WAS TERMINATED WITH NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE ANTICIPATED. RECOMMENDATNS ARE THAT: 1)GOB PROVIDE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO CARRY-ON PROJ; 2)ROCAP PREPARE A PROJ APPRAISAL REPORT; 3)GOB REPORT THE DEGREE TO WHICH PARTICIPANTS ARE RETURNING TO POSITNS FOR WHICH THEY WERE TRAINED; AND 4)GOB PROVIDE A LIST OF PROJECT EXPENDITURES.