Select Project Summary
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
An Environmental Management Project supported by CIDA and Manitoba's Environmental Management Centre provided a 12 month program of exchange between professionals working in the environment field of Manitoba and the British Virgin Islands (BVI). 
The program was designed to provide management training and information exchange for BVI’s departments of Public Health and Conservation, primarily for Manitoba to share its knowledge and experience in developing and implementing environmental management systems with representatives of the BVI. The focus was on environment / public health, environmental assessment & licensing, hazardous waste, dangerous goods, and waste disposal from landfill to incineration. The program was structured with a 3 week period of exchange for professional staff from the British Virgin Islands to visit Manitoba and experience the day to day operation of the Manitoba Department of Environment, and a one week return for Manitoba staff to visit and experience the BVI. The BVI representatives identified a special project specific to environmental issues in their country which was designed, developed and implemented with the assistance of their assigned Manitoba partners over the 12 month program.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Project activity in Trinidad and Tobago related to public sector capacity building for governance and development training programs. Funding for these training initiatives was received from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
For an 8 year period between 1999-2006, "practitioner to practitioner" training targeted to public sector capacity building for governance and social development was undertaken.
The following specific projects are noted:
- Property taxation administration training program involving some 40 property taxation administration practitioners.
- The development and implementation of a budget preparation training program for local government program managers and elected officials.
- The establishment of a project monitoring and reporting process respecting centrally provided/locally administered project funding.
- The development of financial management procedures, including budgeting and expenditure management/reporting, to improve public accountability.
- Development of a public debt management process to ensure the amount of debt being incurred is sustainable, and to ensure appropriate decision making and public accountability.
SLOVAKIA
The Slovak - Manitoba Environmental Management Systems Project was a two part project completed in June 2002. The purpose of the project was to assist the Slovak Ministry of Environment (MZP) and allied agencies to develop and operate management systems that respond to European Union (EU) environmental directives, leading to achievement of EU ascension requirements.
The project was comprised of a number of components with the Canadian and Slovak participants working together to accomplish a site specific project involving government and the private sector.
Examples of the component objectives undertaken in part two of the project, are:
- Establish water quality guidelines and objectives within a designated watershed in accordance with EU directives especially the Water Framework Directive.
- Develop integrated permits for emissions and discharges at a selected industry or industries within the subject watershed, using the principles of the Integrated Permitting and Pollution Prevention (IPPC) Directives of the EU.
- Develop integrated inspection manuals for the industry or industries selected within the watershed, utilizing the principles of IPPC.
BANGLADESH
The Bangladesh Environmental Management Project (BEMP) was a six year CIDA – funded initiative to strengthen the capacity of the Department of Environment and Forest (MOEF) of Bangladesh to enable it to carry out its legislative powers and functions.
The project was multifaceted with eight distinct project components including:
- institutional planning and development
- policy and legal reform
- local environmental initiatives
- environmental awareness
- resource information systems
- human resource development
- demonstration projects
- project management.
An EarthWISE partner provided significant input to the institutional strengthening component of BEMP and direct advisory assistance to the then Secretary (deputy minister) of the Bangladesh Ministry of Environment and Forest.