The Recovery and Development Agency on 31 March, 2021 launched its Grievance Redress System (GRS) to ensure projects are completed in an efficient and effective manner with community and stakeholder feedback playing a prominent role.

Members of the public such as individuals, groups, organisations and communities can now lodge a grievance or a complaint regarding work of the RDA involving its staff, externally hired consultants and contractors. 

Director of Programme Strategy at the RDA Mr. Neil Smith said, “Today, the RDA officially launches the GRS system.  The RDA firmly believes this level of engagement with the public is essential and lessons learnt will be incorporated in future projects and thus improve the overall planning and management of projects”.

The GRS will ensure public projects are completed in an efficient and effective manner with community and stakeholder feedback playing a prominent role.  This approach enables opinions, grievances and complaints to be raised and addressed throughout the project life cycle. 

The internal but independent review and decision-making process is the hallmark of the system.  Complainants can be assured that any grievance made will be thoroughly reviewed and additional information will be sought from various relevant sources including additional discourse with the complainant. 

The decision will be based on possibly rectifying any differences or discrepancies between what happened and what should have happened taking into consideration any cost, quality and time implications for the project and the interests of other stakeholders. 

Central to the launch is the GRS E-Handbook, which is easy to follow and provides guidance on how the GRS system works including how to lodge a complaint or grievance, an explanation of the decision making process and possible outcomes, identification of the persons involved in the process and their roles, timelines and the appeals process. 

The RDA is dedicated to a timely review and decision-making process and complainants will be provided with a unique complaint number, to be used when following up with the RDA, and a decision within 30 days from receipt of the grievance. 

The GRS also includes an appeals process.  Persons who are not in agreement or satisfied with a decision can submit a case for appeal within 15 days of receiving the initial decision. 

The GRS is a requirement under the RDA Act 2018 where Section 5(1)(s) states, “The functions of the Agency shall be to establish public grievance redress systems through online and offline options.”

Further information on the GRS system, including the e-Handbook and the complaint form is available on the RDA’s website at https://bvirecovery.vg/old/oldgrs/.  For additional information contact the RDA’s Community Liaison Officer at email: patlian.johnson@bvirecovery.vg or mobile: 345-3383.

The Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) is committed to transparency and accountability and a participatory approach to project delivery.