Stakeholder Involvement Delay in the Construction of Own Office Building and Staff Houses

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2.4 Stakeholder Involvement

The Park Management involves Park users especially Park residents in the planning, development and management of the Park and gives priority of resource use and economic opportunity to Park residents. This collaborative management of the Park by all stakeholders is encouraged through their representation in Village Liaison Committees, Advisory Committee and Board of Trustees at the national level. In an effort to increase community capability building of the Park residents in order to take a leading role in protecting and managing the resources, the Park Management continues to conduct various seminars, workshops meetings, short training courses and study tours on environmental education and offer awards to best environmental activities.

3. MAJOR PROBLEMS FACING THE PARK

In spite of the success mentioned in the preceding sections the Park still faces a number of constraints including the following:-

3.1 Delay in the Construction of Own Office Building and Staff Houses

The Park does not have its own office building nor staff houses. Presently all administrative work and operations surveillance are being done at borrowed or rented buildings located in Kilindoni and Utende respectively separated by a distance of 14 km. This has greatly negatively impacted the smooth running of the Park. Work coordination, supervision and logistical problems motor vehicle expenses have not been easy. The Park needs an appropriate and centralized administrative office building where all personnel would work together under the same roof. The construction of MIMP HQ is therefore, necessary as demonstrated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism MNRT and Board of Trustees decision to give it top priority. The existing NORAD support to construct Phase 1 of permanent office block at Utende will not only unify Park management operations and lower high operational costs but it will demonstrate the permanency of MIMP, a wish of every conservation enthusiast. However, the building contract is yet to be signed.

3.2 Acute Shortage of Technical Staff