Enhancing Access through Stakeholder Engagement in Suriname's Energy Sector
EBS, Suriname's state-owned electricity generation and distribution company, is strengthening its project management with a structured method for stakeholder participation. The Caribbean Development Bank funded Suriname Power Project (Electricity System Upgrade and Expansion) is being used as a pilot for this purpose. The project focuses on capacity building to improve the stakeholder engagement process within the power sector.
Stakeholder Engagement in the energy sector is still mostly done on an ad hoc basis or often enough dependent on external institutions or persons. The internal capacity of EBS in the area of stakeholder engagement is limited which creates a gap when such a project comes to an end.
This project is intended to contribute to a more consistent approach to stakeholder engagement through the application of good practice principles. The intention is not only to strengthen the mechanism for CBD projects, but by training relevant EBS staff also to strengthen capacity so that stakeholder engagement plans become a regular part of EBS project management.
The Centre for International Development and Training at the University of England at Wolverhampton was selected after public tender to provide support and technical assistance to this project.
The project team, led by Ms. Faye Graanoogst and Jerry Aseja from EBS, has organized several trainings and workshops with EBS project managers and technical specialists in the past months in which stakeholder engagement around the Suriname Power Project was always central as an example. Besides concrete plans for stakeholder engagement, a framework document was developed that outlines the framework for broader application of stakeholder engagement in EBS projects.
The policy framework is based on the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) public participation spectrum. The IAP2 spectrum is considered " best practice" and describes the five levels of public participation, from informing to empowering, and the type of communication appropriate for each. Based on this, EBS has formulated principles that we strive to achieve in building open, respectful and inclusive working relationships with stakeholders and clients. By doing so, we as EBS aim to better respond to expectations, anticipate social developments around energy, and manage risks.
In addition, a handbook was developed for a consistent and structural approach to stakeholder engagement in the project management of EBS. In the development of both the policy framework and the handbook, formal and informal consultations took place through workshops, (online) interviews and personal consultations between EBS, internal stakeholders, the new regulator, various government agencies, and external stakeholders or their representatives.