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The Autonomy Awards ceremony took place on May 27, in Surabaya attended by Minister of Home Affairs Mardiyanto. Three regions that were the stars of the evening were the districts of Lamongan and Sidoarjo, and the city of Surabaya, which received major awards in economy, local political performance, and public services, respectively.

 

New categories in this year’s awards were innovation in community-based sanitation, and the region with an outstanding profile for DPRD performance. These two categories were awarded to Lumajang district for its innovative program, and to Blitar district DPRD for its performance innovations in legislation and representation.

 

The award for DPRD performance was introduced because it was seen as a good time to encourage improvements, considering the changes in DPRD membership this year, as well as a reference for the following DPRD.  

 

This year the districts of Bojonegoro and Gresik, which had never previously won, received awards for innovations in public accountability hemodialysis services for the poor, respectively. In general, the awards were based not only on innovations, but also on public surveys and conditions on the ground.

 

 

LGSP’s collaboration with the government of Kediri which started in 2005 has now ended. On June 4, an LGSP closing workshop was held in Kediri attended by the deputy mayor. The Kediri city secretary, Bambang BH, said that the collaboration with LGSP had produced many inputs. “The most prominent achievement is the local decree on transparency and participation, regional budgeting, and SME empowerment,” said Bambang.

 

The objectives of the collaboration between Kediri and LGSP, which is set out in MoU 050/457/419.61 dated May 15 2005, include the developing of good practices that have been initiated or are still in progress, and formulating follow-up action to be used for inputs in future programs.

 

The closing workshop was attended by around 30 members of the local executive, local councilors, and CSOs that are often involved in LGSP training. In her speech, LGSP chief of party, Judith Edstrom, hoped that what had achieved together could be continued. The deputy mayor also thank LGSP for its assistance.

 

 

The USAID-LGSP program in East Java has ended, marked by a closing workshop in June 29. During the event, participants were entertained by Kartolo and friends, and communication expert, Suko Widodo. LGSP has worked in East Java since 2005, providing technical assistance in the form of trainings and capacity building for local partners.

Trainings for the local government provided by LGSP include participative planning, finance and budgeting, also public service. While the DPRD received trainings that enable them to provide valuable inputs for the government. In addition, NGOs, public forums, and CSOs received trainings on how to actively participate in providing inputs for government policies.

 

Regional has been implemented but often the right to manage regions according to local conditions is not fully implemented because local governments continue to face difficulties implementing good governance. This was brought up during an interactive dialogue held by LGSP in Surabaya on June 29.

 

The theme of the talkshow was assessing regional autonomy and good governance in East Java: innovations and breakthroughs for enhancing regional development. Speakers included First Assistant of Batu government, Marjadi, Executive Director of Jawa Pos Institute of Pro-Otonomi (JPIP), Rohman Budijanto, Kediri City Secretary, Bambang Basuki, East Java economy expert, Suko Widodo, and LGSP local economy specialist, Risfan Munir.

 

Although LGSP work has ended and no longer provide technical assistance, it is expected that good governance practices continue to be implemented. Suko Widodo said that the government needs the media as collaborator and not as a provocateur. Therefore, the media must become the local government’s partner and be involved in developing planning. Rohman Budijanto said that regional autonomy provides opportunities for regions to develop according to their potential.

 

Rohman added that JPIP has given autonomy awards since eight years ago by including a good governance category. To improve the quality of good governance in the regions, each year JPIP adds a category for assessment.

 

 

Innovations by district and city governments have been used in the assessments for the autonomy awards. The innovations were accompanied by public surveys and data collection. The monitoring undertaken by FIPO in 23 regions from December 2008 to March 2009 reviewed 164 innovative programs.

 

The programs were categorized into nine indicators, showing that local governments implement innovative programs that have both short and long-term effects. Several indicators show improving trends, such as the indicators on empowerment, education, health, public participation, and public accountability.

 

Fundamental changes in the relations between national and regional governments since 2001 now face a major challenge. Minister of Home Affairs Decree No. 13 of 2006 on guidelines for regional financial management has been seen as an attempt revive centralized government. Regions are faced with uncertainty on the future of decentralization, particularly for the innovations that they have implemented since regional autonomy. But these innovations are part of an effort to oppose the negative campaign against decentralization.

 

 

The Local Governance Support Program held its closing workshop in South Sulawesi on June 25. “What is unique about LGSP is that its program is designed to support the three pillars of governance (regional government, DPRD, and CSOs, including the media) working together to improve government performance in delivering quality public services,” said LGSP regional coordinator Sambas.

 

The closing event was attended by head of South Sulawesi regional planning board, Tan Malaka. In South Sulawesi, LGSP implemented programs in Parepare, Pinrang, Takalar, Palopo, Pangkep, Enrekang, Jeneponto, and Gowa.

 

After two years, LGSP’s technical assistance to the local government of Fakfak to improve good governance will end soon. On June 5, a closing workshop was held at the Fakfak local government office.

 

The workshop was attended by the deputy mayor, Said Hindom, local government leaders, including heads of sectoral departments, and head of the local planning board, Ali Baham Temongmere. LGSP regional coordinator Friggia F. Marien said that before LGSP’s assistance ends, LGSP needs to see the achievements resulting from its assistance and facilitation over two years. A final assessment had been done, similar to othe initial assessment carried out before the program begin two years ago, to assess progress towards good governance.

The deputy head of Fakfak opened the workshop and said that the event was intended to review achievements of LGSP’s technical assistance. He added that the local government was ready to continue implementing what they had received during the past two years.

Sorong city’s deputy mayor, H. Baesara Wael, attended USAID-LGSP’s closing workshop in Samusiret. The event was also attended by all sectoral departments in Sorong. The collaboration between the Sorong government and LGSP lasted two years and aimed to achieve good, clean governance.

Head of Sorong regional planning board, Yohanis Nauw, said that collaboration in the form of technical assistance had improved the capacity of the executive and legislative bodies, as well as CSOs. This workshop was intended to evaluate the collaboration. It was hoped that activities would not be limited to planning and budgeting programs, but would also include implementation.

“In addition to strengthening planning and budgeting, programs in public participation are also needed,” said Yohanis Nauw. The Sorong government is optimistic that they will be able to implement the planning and budgeting forms provided by LGSP. However, that depends on the executive and legislative. “We are optimist that the technical assistance can help improve performance and that the method can be implemented by the Sorong government,” added Yohanis Nauw.

 

Head of Sorong regional planning board, Yahanis Nauw, said during LGSP’s closing workshop that collaboration between the Sorong government and LGSP had ended. Nauw expected that the training given by LGSP could now be applied by the government, particularly in local planning and budgeting.

 

After two years of collaboration, LGSP ended its working contract with the Sorong city government in June 2009. This was marked by a closing workshop. LGSP West Papua regional coordinator, Friggia F. Marien said in her speech that LGSP’s objective during the collaboration was to provide technical assistance on good participative and accountable governance. LGSP had helped to improve relations between the executive, legislative, and CSOs.

 

Engkus Ruswana from LGSP hoped that the collaboration could promote the motivation and capital to implement a good government system. Two years was a short time, but of applying the good governance methods introduced by LGSP was expected to continue into the future.

 

Sorong deputy mayor, Baesara Wael remarked during his speech that the collaboration would greatly assist the local government to implement good governance that is accountable.