Mid-Term review of the BAM implementation in the Windward Islands of the Caribbean (2015)

The evaluation  involved extensive field work in each of the three affected islands – Dominica, St Lucia and St Vincent. Its purpose is to

1. evaluate progress of the programme
2. recommend, if needed, changes or adjustments
3. provide orientations and recommendations that would contribute to guide the allocation of the remaining funds

The MTR of the BAM programme is set during the latter stages of the D+3 in each of the islands programmes, which limits the extent of the review to provide meaningful recommendations that can be implemented during the remaining BAM Programme. Since disbursement is running behind schedule, there  is an opportunity to recover some of the arrears in execution during the remaining period and conduct course corrections were feasible. The BAM programme is a broad-based and ambitious programme, which has been replicated into three similar programmes in each of the specified islands with minor differences according to priorities and stated strategies of each.

The BAM is characterised by a large number of interventions of relatively small size, which require the same level of management time to process as much larger interventions, straining implementing capacity all along the project management chain and constraining outputs and impact. A key finding of evaluations of preceding EU banana support programmes was, that the BAM funds should be complementary to and in support of such activities, whether Government sponsored or otherwise, instead of stand-alone as in the past. They should essentially be used to strengthen the capacity for developing sustainable programmes where local institutions, be they public or private sector or civil society organisations, take the lead and provide significant counterpart funding as a prior condition for complementary contributions from the EU. After nearly two years’ implementation this still appears not to be happening.