Grievance Redress Mechanism Performance Reporting

GRM Records Busiest Month to Date

Like with most GRMs, RESDP’s experienced a slow start due to lack of stakeholder awareness. However, in August, the number of grievances reported to the PIU hit a monthly high of five. All these grievances have been satisfactorily addressed.

A grievance is an expression of concern or complaint voiced by any person who feels they have been or will be negatively impacted by someone else’s activities. It often marks the beginning of a dispute. For example, a resident of Belvedere who believes that the walls of her house have cracked due to the passage of the trucks hauling the drilling equipment along the road near her home and complains to the drilling works company or the RESDP demanding that it is repaired. But a grievance can also take other forms of feedback such as a compliment, suggestion, or enquiry.

In June 2023, the Project Steering Committee of the RESDP sanctioned the operation of the project’s Grievance Redress Mechanism. “Through this mechanism, the PIU of the RESDP hopes to build and maintain a positive relationship with the project stakeholders and to minimize the impact of the project on their well-being by providing them with a mechanism for feedback on the project, more specifically, a formalized mechanism to raise complaints and concerns, register compliments, make suggestions, and raise enquires about the project,” said Grievance Coordinator, Dominic Alexander. He added, “Our GRM is free, open to all and easy to access. Grievances brought to the mechanism are handled in a fair, objective, and transparent manner. All grievances are treated confidentially and there will be no retribution for raising a grievance”.

Recently, a brochure and poster were developed to further raise awareness of the mechanism in the drilling communities. Brochures will be distributed to stakeholders by the PIU Team during their visits and the posters will be installed at strategic locations such as supermarkets, grocery shops, bars and government institutions in the drilling communities. These complement a television commercial about the GRM which is aired daily on the National Television Network informing stakeholders about the mechanism.

Of the grievances raised in August, three were concerns, one was a suggestion and the other a complaint. Due to the nature of the complaint, a meeting was held with a group of potential projects affected parties to address the issue. Thus far, the average grievance is addressed in nine working days, far less than the maximum stipulated 30-working days period.

According to the project’s CLO, Windia Jaunai, “The RESDP regards feedback as a vital instrument for the advancement of the project. By receiving such feedback through the GRM, the PIU is better equipped to identify its adverse impacts and make appropriate resolutions to improve stakeholder satisfaction, and the quality of the project. Thus, the PIU encourages stakeholders to utilize the mechanism to address their grievances with the project”.

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