EVALUATION STUDY OF HAITI ROAD MAINTENANCE PHASE I PROGRAM

SEPRRN IS NOW PREPARED TO SOME EXTENT TO CARRY OUT ITS ASSIGNMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. THE CONTRACTOR HAS COMPLIED WITH OR IS WELL ADVANCED IN COMPLETING A NUMBER OF THE SPECIFIC TASKS LISTED ON THE 1973 SCOPE OF WORK, SPECIFICALLY PREPARATION AND PRESENTATION OF TRAINING MANUALS, ARCHITECTURAL PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES. IN OTHER AREAS WHICH ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO MEASURE, THE CONSULTANT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN LESS EFFECTIVE. CERTAIN APPARENT WEAKNESSES IN TEAM CHARACTERISTICS, PROCEDURES, AND METHODS COULD BE ALTERED TO RESULT IN GREATER EFFECTIVENESS. ALTHOUGH LIMITED MAINTENANCE IS BEING PROVIDED ON SOME SEGMENTS OF THE NATIONAL SYSTEM, MUCH OF THE WORK IS IMPROVEMENTS TO BADLY DETERIORATED SEGMENTS OF ROAD RATHER THAN THE NORMALLY ACCEPTED DEFINITION OF MAINTENANCE. THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE WORK CREWS IS EXTREMELY LIMITED. EXTERNAL ADVISORS AREINVOLVED IN AN EXTENSIVE NUMBER OF MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS. IF PROBLEMS RELATING TO WORK CREWS, EQUIPMENT AND SUPERVISION CAN BE OVERCOME, THERE IS NO APPARENT REASON WHY WORK CAPACITY COULD NOT BE INCREASED ASSUMING THE BUDGET IS ADEQUATE. CONSULTANT CORRESPONDENCE INDICATES THAT, WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, SEPRRN-CONDUCTED INSTRUCTION HAS NOT BEEN EFFECTIVE, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF POOR TRAINING DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION. WITH REGARD TO THE LABOR-EQUIPMENT MIX, A REVIEW OF SEPRRN'S MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES INDICATES THAT, UNDER THE PRESENT WORK CREW ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, A PRACTICAL RATIO IS BEING UTILIZED. THE EVALUATORS MADE 17 RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT TRAINING, PHASE II CONSULTANT SERVICES AND PROJECT ADMINISTRATION.