Jamaica Community Empowerment and Transformation Project II (COMET II) Quarterly Report April 1, 2014 – June 30, 2014

The objectives of COMET II are to strengthen community and civil society organizations, increase citizen cooperation and accountability, strengthen juvenile justice and youth at-risk programs, and further support community-based policing practices. The project also supports improvements in the adaptive capacity of communities to prepare for the impacts of extreme weather events and to address global climate change adaptation issues. Activity implementation continued this quarter with a primary focus on sensitization of COMET II program objectives among key stakeholders. Two major highlights to support this effort in the past quarter were the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between USAID, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of National Security, and the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development on May 2, 2014. This occasion formalized the partnership of these key stakeholders through their representative agencies, the Social Development Commission (SDC), the Jamaican Constabulary Force (JCF), and the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), to work in unison to achieve their common goals as outlined in the COMET II Work Plan and the Government of Jamaica 2030 objectives. The second event, the launch of the COMET II grants program and the Global Climate Change (GCC) Sensitization Day, achieved its three main objectives: to highlight the US Government assistance for Jamaican youth in helping them obtain birth certificates, to formally announce USAID's intentions for COMET II grants activities over the next five years to the public, and to introduce USAID's effort to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in Jamaica on global climate change awareness initiatives through COMET II. However, it has become evident that a considerable amount of additional and unanticipated work needs to be done to build the working partnership between COMET II and its key strategic partner, the SDC, and its key stakeholder, PIOJ. The capacity and commitment of each of these organizations to carry out their intended roles in building resilient communities is critical to the successful implementation of COMET II. Each is currently burdened by a number of factors, including the inability to translate strategies and policies into operational performance, lack of appropriate funding to carry out their core functions, and lack of demonstrable institutional commitment at all levels of the organizations. Notwithstanding an environment of ambiguity caused mainly by partner agencies' inability to support COMET II outcomes at the expected level, COMET II is on target to achieve six of its eight year one progress indicators. While flexibility is a hallmark of COMET II management, and the necessity to respond rapidly to changing circumstances is appreciated, regular changes to the implementation approach have occurred as COMET II has been required to assume areas of responsibility that in reality belong to partners. If it becomes apparent that key partner organizations cannot meet their obligations, the COMET II implementation approach will need to be readjusted so as to keep the project's activities advancing. For example, the 'flagship' activity of developing Community Resource Centers (CRCs) through the community development committees (CDCs) is in jeopardy where land identification and acquisition, the clear responsibility of the SDC, is lagging in many places and cannot be achieved by COMET II. The response from the JCF to COMET II objectives has been exceptional. Led by the former Commissioner, the JCF has demonstrated a strong commitment to community-based policing practices and has been actively engaged in implementing COMET II objectives. In contrast, the social entrepreneurial model approach adopted by COMET II is a social engineering exercise and caution on approach needs to be taken to ensure success. The early warning signs that are emerging indicate that the aims of COMET II are ambitious and will need very careful management moving forward to ensure continuing success. The COMET II Year 2 Work Plan will be drafted and submitted for approval next quarter, reflecting any change in direction required to achieve its long-term goals. The project's management is devising ways to move forward, identifying strategies to ensure the successful implementation of COMET II's objectives.