Academic literature on the topic 'Ministry of Housing and Public Works'

This study aims to obtain empirical evidence on the influence of organizationalcommitment, implementation of accounting information system and workplace environmentaffected to the performance of work unit at the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. Thisstudy method used survey research with the target population studied is the unit of echelon IIwork unit that prepares the report of the Government Institution Performance unit (LaporanKinerja Instansi Pemerintah) in the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. This researchdesign used descriptive approach by using questionnaires to collect data on 122 respondentsin 67 work units consists of (1) head of work unit (2) administrator official (3) supervisorofficer (4) staff, this research hypothesis test using multiple regression analysis models. Theresults of the research showed that (1) organizational commitment had positively affected tothe performance of work unit at the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (2) Implementationof Accounting Information System had positively affected to the performance of work unit atthe Ministry of Public Works and Housing (3) Work environment had positively affected at theMinistry of Public Works and Housing. Good condition and work environment variable isconsidered good.

The purpose of this research is to find out and analyze the management of heavy equipment levies to increase original local government revenue of Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing Aceh Jaya Regency. And also To find out and analyze the management of heavy equipment rental services in original local government revenue of Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing Aceh Jaya Regency. The conclusion of the research shows that the management of heavy equipment levies on the increase in original local government revenue of Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing Aceh Jaya Regency both related to the planning, regulation and supervision of heavy equipment has not been going well. While the financing aspect shows that the large operational budget needed for heavy equipment maintenance causes and puts a burden on the region, because the budget comes from the Aceh Jaya Regency APBk. Whereas the original local government revenue of Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing Aceh Jaya Regency deposit is always below the target set, the heavy equipment solid has a great potential for increasing original local government revenue of Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing Aceh Jaya Regency. Management of heavy equipment rental services related to service procedures, service commitments and time of rental. In connection with the procedure of renting services, it can run well because in the service procedure for renting heavy equipment rental activities, it must fill out the form provided and attach an identity in the form of a Identity Card and then ferment it. This is going well and in accordance with the rules that have been determined so that it can run well. Likewise with the commitment to leasing heavy equipment has been agreed between parties both personal leasing and rental for groups. Likewise with the time of rental daily and also monthly is not a problem, but many do rent on a monthly basis.

One of the efforts to support the management of archives in the field of the General Bureau at the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing of West Sumatra is to create an archival application system that can be operated via a computer network, with the aim of increasing the acceleration of the search service process for an archive. This research is: 1) To find out what are the obstacles faced in the archive management system in the General Bureau at the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing of West Sumatra; 2) To find out what are the efforts made to overcome the obstacles in the archive management system in the field of the General Bureau at the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing of West Sumatra; 3) To find out what are the efforts made to overcome the obstacles in the archive management system in the field of the General Bureau at the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing of West Sumatra. This type of research is qualitative research. Qualitative research is research that intends to understand the phenomena experienced by research subjects (such as behavior, perception, action, etc.), holistically, and by means of descriptions in the form of words and language, in a specific natural and natural context. by utilizing various natural methods (Moleong, 2012;: 87). Informants are people who are used to provide information about the situation and conditions of the research background. So he continues to have a lot of experience in the research setting. As a team member with kindness, volunteering can provide views of values, attitudes and culture, which are the background for local research (Moleong; 2012: 90). The types of data are primary data and secondary data collected through interviews, observation and library research. The analysis technique used is qualitative analysis. The results of this study indicate that: recording or distribution of archives in the General Bureau of the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing of West Sumatra Province uses several types, namely the Electronic Service Manuscript System (TNDE) and the outgoing mail agenda book. The conclusion that can be drawn is the dynamic archive management system in the field of the General Bureau at the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing of West Sumatra Province in the aspects of creating and receiving archives, storing, maintaining, and shrinking, namely: in terms of creating and receiving archives, they have followed the existing archival provisions The most frequently created and received dynamic archives are correspondence records (letters). The archive storage system used at the General Bureau is the Electronic Service Manuscript Administration (TNDE) system. This TNDE system is so that letter data will be stored in a centralized database management system, making it easy to maintain data. The search for the TNDE system cannot be done automatically in the access feature in the system. For archival maintenance, the implementation of fumigation is carried out twice every year. In the context of shrinking the archives, there is an alternating dynamic archive assessment team. Archive shrinkage is in accordance with the Archive Retention Schedule (JRA), archives that have passed JRA will be immediately destroyed by burning. Suggestions include the implementation of a good archive management system at the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing of West Sumatra, it should be equipped with supporting facilities and infrastructure.

The Ministry of PUPR is the Ministry in charge of public works and public housing through the Housing and Settlements program, which is an obligation that must be held by the Central, Provincial and Regency / City Governments, related to basic services. Furthermore, the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance Program (BSPS) in Padang Laweh District is a program of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing. The research objectives, to determine the implementation of the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance program, to find out what obstacles are faced in the implementation of the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance program, to find out the efforts made in overcoming the obstacles in implementing the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance program. This research uses descriptive qualitative method, qualitative research methodology is a research procedure that produces descriptive data in the form of written or spoken words. Based on the results of the research conducted, the implementation of the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance program can be seen from several variables, namely communication, resources, disposition, and bureaucratic structure. The results of this study indicate that in Padang Laweh Subdistrict there are still many community houses that are unfit for habitation, obstacles encountered in the field are still many people who are uninformed about the BSPS program. The BSPS program coordinates with each village under the Padang Laweh District government. The conclusion of the implementation of the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance (BSPS) program in Padang Laweh District in 2019, first, information is very important for the community, secondly there must be human resources, third there must be knowledge in policy making and fourth there must be a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in implementation.

Ministry of Public Works and Housing of Indonesia is targeting to complete the construction of 1.000 km of new toll road projects by the end of 2019. In 2015 until August 2018, 443 km new toll roads have been operated and 1.400 km are under construction. Various types of structure for elevated toll road constructions are applied to meet the geometry and safety requirements such as cast in-situ balanced cantilever, steel I-girder, and steel box are becoming type of elevated toll construction to be applied. To meet the requirements of construction methods, construction time completion, and material volume efficiency, Indonesia Toll Road Authority on behalf Ministry of Public Works and Housing gives opportunities to toll road investors to apply the new technology as the proper selection. Composite Girder technology named Sbarch is proposed for Krian Legundi Bunder Manyar toll road project to cross at SUMO Junction. Compares Sbarch among cast in situ balanced cantilever, steel I-girder and steel box, Sbarch can comply for all requirement that cannot be fulfilled by others method such as with finish grade requirement, to road geometry alignment, accessibility, workability, and steel tonnage reducing.

This study intends to examine the procedures and mechanisms for disbursing subsidized sharia mortgage, as well as the effectiveness of subsidized mortgage distribution at BTN shariah in providing decent housing for low-income people. This study was conducted in BTN Shariah of Kendal Branch. This study used quantitative research by distributing questionnaires to 90 respondents determined through the Slovin method. To investigate the effectiveness of the distribution of subsidized mortgages, the Artificial Neuron Network (ANN) was used. The results showed that the procedures and mechanisms for disbursement of the subsidized mortgage at BTN Shariah of Kendal Branch were following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that had been established by BTN Shariah. However, there was a mismatch between the Regulation of the Minister of The Ministry of Public Works and Housing No. 48/PRT/M/2015 Article 20 paragraph (7) concerning the disbursement of subsidized funds. The results of the questionnaire shower 50.5% of customers chose “uncertain” on the indicator of “timeliness of subsidies disbursement” since they thought that the timing of the funds was uncertain. This statement is not in line with the regulation of the Minister for Public Works and Human Settlements that the disbursement is no later than two working days after the documents are received. Meanwhile, based on the results of calculations using the ANN, the distribution of subsidized mortgages has been effective by 0.877 or 87.7%.

Pusdatin of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing is an institution that manages data and information to support management within the ministry of public works. This research was conducted to evaluate the maturity of agencies prior to conducting an external audit of ISO 27001: 2013 certification. The method used in this research is PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) using our index and ISO 27001, the technicality of this research starts from a check for analysis of current conditions, Act is carried out for assessment of the WE index, Plan compares our index results with ISO 27001, and Do control recommendations for improvement. The results of this evaluation show that PUSDATIN stopped at level I + in yellow area and overall PUSDATIN stated, "Needs improvement". In conclusion, Pusdatin is not ready for an external audit of ISO 27001: 2013 certification. The aforementioned results form the basis for the recommendations made from the findings of the WE index and compared with the ISO 27001 control. Index Terms—audit keamanan informasi; indeks KAMI; ISO 27001:2013; tingkat kematangan SMKI

Historically, public housing has existed in a state of ambivalence, particularly since its acceptance of minority fami1ies in the early forties. Residents of public housing have found themselves locked in to a dependency syndrome that is most difficult to overcome. Public housing, however, has become increasingly mismanaged and most properties are improperly cared for and managed. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development ( H U D ) presently operates under attack from the current administration. Budgets have been cut across the board at every Public Housing Authority in America. (see Appendix I11) The future of public housing looks bleak to say the least . Many residents have shifted from being welfare cases to "working poor" persons that need subsidy in order to exist a t a minimal level of existence. Federal rules and guide1 ines impinge upon the "pub1ic wards" of society in such a devastating manner that many of these persons lives are impacted with extreme daily coping crises : child abuse, battered wives, aging , black on black crime, drugs, and alcoho1ism. The public housing residents contend that these dilemmas create for them unnecessary stress within the community, and are usually generated from forces outside the community ( i .e., drug pushers, management, etc.) These conditions, they purport, also imping upon their spiritual, sociological, political, psychological, and economical 1ife, thereby preventing them from being viable entities within the family and community setting.Thus, this project dissertation's purpose was to identify what specifically the Boatrock Public Housing community's residents viewed as their most pressing need(s) and thereafter provide possible support systems that would meet those need(s). A sel freporting survey questionnaire was the methodology employed to accomplish this goal. This was done by uti1izing a door- to-door, one-on-one distribution process. The questionnaire was distributed by the writer and other co-professionals of the "care-giving " community, who waited for the selected respondents to complete the questionnaire. Afterwards, the questionnaire's information was analyzed by the writer and distributors. This information revealed that the participating residents considered a pastoral care supportsystem as a basic need that would assist them in coping with their stress-filled life style. As a consequence of these findings, this project dissertation proposed a chaplaincy model of ministry for the Boatrock community that utilizes pastoral care as a rehabilitative resource. The project also focused on assisting the residents in establishing an independent and interdependent 1ifestyle. Historically, the black community has had pastoral care support systems in i t s midst. Unfortunately for Boatrock, this has n o t been the case. Hence, the need for pastoral care, as a support system, was essential to the development of independence for Boatrock's residents. Ltis in keeping with the African-American re1igious tradition, wherein the church has been the guider and sustainer of the rural and small town communities during slavery, reconstruction, and the civilrights movement; therefore, symbolically, the Church ought to provide a similar pastoral care support system to the Boatrock community. Finally, the residents of the community were found to be willing to assume some responsibility for themselves . Although their circumstances seemed insurmountable, iirresponsi bl e behavior was found, to a large degree, to be due to the lack of an adequate pastoral care support system. So, if the people of Boatrock expected to receive independence from the oppressive forces of management, then, they had to be willing to assume some responsibility for instituting and developing a process by which that independence could occur. Thus, it was the author's hope that by joining forces with both the church and state , Boatrock could achieve its goal of an independent pastoral care support sys tem through a well developed and adequately functioning chaplaincy model of ministry.

Historically, public housing has existed in a state of ambivalence, particularly since its acceptance of minority families in the early forties. Residents of public housing have found themselves locked into a dependency syndrome that is most difficult to overcome. Public housing, however, has become increasingly mismanaged and most properties are improperly cared for and managed. The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) presently operates under attack from the current administration. Budgets have been cut across the board at every Public Housing Authority in America. (See Appendix III.) The future of public housing looks bleak to say the least. Many residents have shifted from being welfare cases to "working poor" persons that need subsidy in order to exist at a minimal level of existence. Federal rules and guidelines impinge upon the "public wards" of society in such a devastating manner that many of these persons' lives are impacted with extreme daily coping crises: child abuse, battered wives, aging, black on black crime, drugs, and alcoholism. The public housing residents contend that these dilemmas create for them unnecessary stress within the community, and are usually generated from forces outside the community (i.e., drug pushers, management, etc.). These conditions, they purport, also impinge upon their spiritual, sociological, political, psychological, and economical life, thereby preventing them from being viable entities within the family and community setting. Thus, this project dissertation's purpose was to identify what specifically the Boatrock Public Housing community's residents viewed as their most pressing need(s); and thereafter provide possible support systems that would meet those need(s). A self-reporting survey questionnaire was the methodology employed to accomplish this goal. This was done by utilizing a door-to-door, one-on-one distribution process. The questionnaire was distributed by the writer and other co-professionals of the "care-giving" community, who waited for the selected respondents to complete the questionnaire. Afterwards, the questionnaire's information was analyzed by the writer and distributors. This information revealed that the participating residents considered a pastoral care support system as a basic need that would assist them in coping with their stress-filled lifestyle. As a consequence of these findings, this project dissertation proposed a chaplaincy model of ministry for the Boatrock community that utilizes pastoral care as a rehabilitative resource. The project also focused on assisting the residents in establishing an independent and interdependent lifestyle. Historically, the black community has had pastoral care support systems in its midst. Unfortunately for Boatrock, this has not been the case. Hence,the need for pastoral care, as a support system, was essential to the development of independence for Boatrock's residents. It is in keeping with the African-American religious tradition, wherein the church has been the guider and sustainer of the rural and small town communities during slavery, reconstruction, and the civil rights movement; therefore, symbolically, the Church ought to provide a similar pastoral care support system to the Boatrock community. Finally, the residents of the community were found to be willing to assume some responsibility for themselves. Although their circumstances seemed insurmountable, irresponsible behavior was found, to a large degree, to be due to the lack of an adequate pastoral care support system. So, if the people of Boatrock expected to receive independence from the oppressive forces of management, then, they had to be willing to assume some responsibility for instituting and developing a process by which that independence could occur. Thus, it was the author's hope that by joining forces with both the church and state, Boatrock could achieve its goal of an independent pastoral care support system through a well developed and adequately functioning chaplaincy model of ministry.

The study investigates management of official accommodation in the Department of Roads and Public Works. Government immovable asset plays an essential role in ser-vice delivery. The official accommodation policies were not implemented as intendant and as a result, the former government employees are illegal occupants in government properties. The implementation of legislation and departmental policy for official ac-commodation are problematic when illegal occupants occupied government immova-ble assets without lease agreement. The present of illegal occupants has a negative impact to officials who qualify to occupy government properties in terms of the depart-mental policy for service delivery purposes. The study proposed to provide literature search using books, legislation, policies, and personal interviews among others. The research methodology employed in this study was described, followed by the legislative framework employed in this study. Some of the findings on a legislative framework for official accommodation in the department of Roads and Public Works in the department of Roads and Public Works include gaps at the implementation of departmental policy on Allocation of Official Housing in rela-tion to the lease of state owned properties. Recommendations as a result of descriptive literature search are presented and how the existing problem of implementation of official accommodation policies can be changed to enhance service delivery and to provide accommodation to officials who qualify to occupy government immovable assets. The recommendations will enable the Department of Roads and Public Works as custodian of immovable assets, to fulfil its Constitutional mandate to provide official accommodation to their officials and cli-ents departments who qualify in terms of the policy for service delivery purposes.

In this study, it is aimed to determine and implement a process based strategic planning methodology for Turkish Ministry of Finance. Proposed methodology has been implemented in Ministry of Finance by a TÜ
BiTAK supported strategic management project in collaboration with Ministry of Finance Strategy Development Unit (MoF_SDU), TÜ
SSiDE and a private Consultancy Company. This project was a direct consequence of reforms on Public Financial Management and stipulated by the Laws No. 5018 and 5436 which have been prepared based on efficiency in public service delivery. Proposed methodology is different from other strategic planning methodologies for public and non-profit organizations because it uses a combination of numerous techniques that are previously developed for strategic planning. Examples are mentoring, e- learning, idea tray method, and process modelling. Firstly, strategic planning methodology is determined with close inspection of international approaches and best practices. Ministry of Finance&rsquo
s organizational chart is redesigned to enable more effective and efficient operation. Ministry of Finance is divided to 14 strategic business units (SBUs). For every SBU, detailed environmental analyses are conducted and critical issues are derived. Mission and strategic vision statements are clearly determined and core processes are modelled and standardized. Strategic goals and detailed objectives are formulated. Finally, performance indicators are determined for every objective for evaluation and continuous improvement. At the end of the implementation, 2008-2012 strategic plan for Ministry of Finance is prepared and numerous organizational improvements are observed.

Masters in Public Administration - MPA
The modern public sector and system of administration in Ethiopia began at the time of the imperial period, in the early 1960s. But this sector and the tradition of administration itself, compared with other countries, is not yet strong enough to play its role as a catalyst in the development and growth of the country. This study explores the wide array of public sector administration and reform practices in other countries and compares them with Ethiopia. More specifically, it looks into Business Process Re-engineering, a recently adopted type of reform, which originated in the private sector. Commonly termed BPR, Business Process Re-Engineering is a reform mechanism to uproot age-old systems of thinking and functioning in any organization and replace them with new paradigms and more efficient and lean systems that will lead to visible results. The literature reveals that it has had mixed results of improvement, both in the private sector and in the public sector in many countries. This study sets out to analyse whether this is just another fad of reform being adopted in order to fulfil a completely different objective of political reform, or whether it is a real effort to bring about changes in the way the public sector conducts its business. From its wide application in the country, two varying sectors have been chosen for this analysis. One is a service-giving institution in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, which has frequent interaction with citizens and, most importantly, investors and business organizations. The other sector is the policy, programming and legal framework designing institution in the Ministry of Works and Urban Development, an institution that depicts one of the core tasks of the public sector. As a result, the findings indicate mixed results in its application. In an institution where there are clearly defined tasks and deliverables, the BPR application seems to have generated visible results with potential continuity. On the other hand, in core public sector tasks, where government plays the regulatory and policy guiding roles, the initial outcomes of the re-engineering process do not look that promising. The newly designed and presented processes seem to be quite superficial, contrary to the principles of the BPR concept. In conclusion, re-engineering is not an across-the-board application when it comes to the public sector, as there are core functions of the government to which it does not apply. In addition, this leads the study to the conclusion that reforms are appropriate in the public sector, so long as they generate tangible results and changes.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T12:23:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Arquivototal.pdf: 4393062 bytes, checksum: ae5ab7ef837febafadbb3d0a4dedf3b4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-05-25
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES
Through this research, in development with the Pos-Graduate Program in History/UFPB, I approach the government of José Américo de Almeida (1951-1956), elected by direct vote after a fierce political campaign in Paraíba. I settled this issue, because it is a subject little explored by the historiography of Paraiba. The fundamental questions that guide this work are the political circumstances in which José Américo ascends to power in 1950, the violent election, considered one of the most radical and bloody campaigns have disputed in Paraiba, where among the many clashes between supporters and militants of PSD and UDN, we will emphasize the fateful episode of Bandeira Square (Praça da Bandeira), in Campina Grande, because it was an event that gained space in various media at the regional and national level, analyzing the reasons that caused the conflict, the phenomenon of drought of 1951-52 drought and its effects for the northeastern states and, in particular, in Paraíba, the re-establishment of drought industry in the state of Paraiba through policies to combat the drought - especially hydraulic solutions, construction and paving of roads - introduced by Jose Américo over this period, such measures to avoid, according to the governor, the population movements that had already occurred largely since the year 1950. Throughout our work we show that the homily of the "great minister in 1932" seems contradictory and dubious at the same time as the construction of dams, paving and construction of roads were inserted into a political project "of support for flagellate populations, "why not benefit from all the cities affected by the effects of drought, instead of favoring some cities and districts - politically allied to the" americismo "- at the expense of others? As background for this discussion, we will analyze the role of the newspaper A União - official press organ of the largest circulation throughout the state - which has spread the view that the dams would become the best solution to the problem of dry. For this work, besides the use of secondary literature, were analyzed and observed some major news regarding the Government, found in the newspaper A União. We also searched the Public File of the State which is in the Espaço Cultural (Cultural Center), the Casa Jose Américo de Almeida Foundation and the private library of Mr. Maurilio de Almeida.
Através desta pesquisa, em desenvolvimento junto ao Programa de Pós Graduação em História/UFPB, abordo o governo de José Américo de Almeida (1951-1956), eleito através do voto direto depois de acirrada campanha política na Paraíba. Estabeleci este tema, por se tratar de um assunto pouco explorado pela historiografia paraibana. As questões primordiais que norteiam o presente trabalho são a conjuntura política na qual José Américo ascende ao poder em 1950, a violenta eleição, considerada uma das campanhas mais radicais e cruentas já disputadas na Paraíba, onde dentre os diversos embates entre os partidários e militantes do PSD e da UDN, daremos ênfase ao episódio fatídico da Praça da Bandeira, em Campina Grande, por se tratar de um acontecimento que ganhou espaço em diversos meios de comunicação em âmbito regional e nacional, analisando os motivos que ocasionaram o conflito; o fenômeno da seca de 1951-52 e seus efeitos para os estados nordestinos e, em especial, para a Paraíba; o re-estabelecimento da indústria das secas no estado paraibano a partir de políticas de combate a seca principalmente as soluções hidráulicas, de construção e pavimentação de estradas instituídas por José Américo ao longo desse período, medidas essas que evitariam, segundo o governador, as migrações populacionais que já vinham ocorrendo em larga medida desde o ano de 1950. Ao longo de nosso trabalho buscamos mostrar que a homilia do grande ministro de 1932 nos parece contraditória e dúbia ao mesmo tempo, pois se a construção dos açudes, a pavimentação e construção das estradas estavam inseridas em um projeto político de amparo às populações flageladas , porque não beneficiar todas as localidades atingidas pelos efeitos da seca, ao invés de favorecer alguns municípios e distritos aliados politicamente ao americismo em detrimento de outros? Como pano de fundo para essa discussão, analisaremos o papel do jornal A União órgão de imprensa oficial de maior circulação em todo o estado que passou a difundir a visão de que os açudes tornar-se-iam a melhor solução para a problemática da seca. Para a realização deste trabalho, além da utilização de bibliografia secundária, foram analisadas e fichadas algumas das principais notícias referentes ao Governo, encontradas no jornal A União. Também pesquisamos o arquivo Público do Estado que se encontra no Espaço Cultural, a Fundação Casa José Américo de Almeida e a biblioteca particular do senhor Maurílio de Almeida.

The use of temporary, prefabricated buildings in Britain during the twentieth century arose from wartime need to provide better, and perhaps more importantly, portable shelter for troops and equipment. This thesis provides the first comprehensive list of hut designs for the First and Second World Wars. The full lists and descriptions of each hut are given in the appendices. These lists, 20 types for the First World War and 52 from the Second World War, show the huge range and scope of the huts used and is the major contribution of this thesis. The concentration here is on generic types. Some huts were designed as one-offs and there is no possible way to catalogue these. This thesis has focused instead on those designs or industrially-produced types, which were meant to be produced en-masse as generic solutions to the problem: the sort of hut that might justifiably be given a name (such as a ‘Tarran’, a ‘Seco’, etc.). This thesis provides essential information enabling historians to be able to identify these types. It uses primary and secondary sources to trace the development of these huts and the effect that wartime shortages had on their design. Beginning with the earliest examples of temporary military building, it then focuses on the huts of the First and Second World Wars followed by a study of huts grouped in chapters by material. This research shows that the wartime period pushed industry to make giant leaps forward with construction methods and materials in just a few short years, where otherwise it may have taken decades. This thesis aims to provide the first overview of this process and to enable future researchers to identify and understand the development of these important wartime structures, many of which survive to this day.

The goal of this study was to determine the impact of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) on the tendering procedures and processes in the Ministry of Public Works, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The study identified the problems with regard to the implementation of BEE within the Ministry and insight was gained into how BEE policies are structured and the particular goals set by the Ministry in that regard. This was undertaken with a view to determining the effect that BEE has on public administration practice, with particular emphasis on the tendering processes of the Ministry. Based on insight gained through this research, the study concludes with a set of recommendations which, hopefully, will improve BEE practices in tendering policies and procedures in the Ministry. This was a qualitative study, which collected data using structured questionnaires and one-onone interviews with selected senior officials sampled from the population group within the Ministry. In addition, the study utilised secondary information through a thorough literature review of the subject matter as well as relevant reports, policies and legislation.
Thesis (MPA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the retention of employees in the Department of Transport in the Ministry of Works and Transport. The research was undertaken because employees in the Department of Transport are resigning rapidly, creating a high vacancy rate in the department. There is thus a need to investigate the reason/s why employees are leaving the institution so that strategies can be implemented to mitigate the high number of resignations. In order to obtain the desired results, the research project used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The study revealed that the Department of Transport has no guidelines on retention of employees and this has negatively affected the department, particularly its failure to retain employees with specialised skills that are highly sought in the labour market. Another shortcoming of the Department of Transport is the failure to offer performance-related incentives and market-related remuneration. In the absence of these benefits, employees opt to resign and seek better remuneration packages elsewhere. It is therefore proposed that the department should review its efforts to retain employees, including the formulation of retention guidelines and reviewing the remuneration of employees.
Public Administration
M.P.A.

This paper focuses on the Mediterranean coastal monitoring actors (i.e. maritime signaling instruments) such as lighthouses, lights, traffic lights. A twofold motivation behind this choice: on the one hand the 110th anniversary - that will be celebrated in 2021 - of the transfer of the management of the lighting service of the coasts from Italian Ministry of Public Works to the Navy. On the other hand, the willing to illustrate how the Systemic Design methodology can represent a strategic element for the enhancement of a coastal Cultural Heritage such as the one represented by lighthouses.

AbstractIn Part I, entitled Real Estate and the Legal System, we analyze owner-unknown land issues, land acquisitions, and real estate auctions.The use and value of real estate such as land and buildings are significantly affected by public laws and regulations related to urban planning and construction, the environment, and taxation; for example, contract laws such as the Act on Land and Building Leases; private laws regulating torts, collateral enforcement, and so on; tax laws that regulate transfer taxes, ownership taxes, and transaction taxes; and regulations surrounding land use and urban infrastructure development. This paper discusses, therefore, the relationships between these laws and real estate, identifies problems in the laws associated with real estate in Japan, and proposes improvements.First, in recent years, owner-unknown land issues have become a serious concern in Japan. The Japanese registry does not always reflect the actual rightful owner, primarily because such registration is only a perfection requirement in civil law and registration involves a great deal of time and money. For example, because a large extent of land is registered to owners from nearly 100 years ago, it has changed hands many times through inheritance, which means that today, it is extremely difficult to determine the actual owner (inheritor) without spending a great deal of time and money. However, if the profits to be obtained from the land do not justify such expense, the land remains unused as “owner-unknown land.”Buying and selling land under Japanese civil law requires an agreement from all landowners including in the case of shared ownerships; therefore, even if the land has high returns, if it is “owner-unknown land,” it cannot be used effectively. With a focus on unknown-owner land, in this section, four writers provide multifaceted perspectives on the causes thereof, the defects in the current system, and the possible solutions.Eminent domain, the system which allows the acquisition of land against the land owner’s will for public projects, is widely institutionalized in many countries. It works to mitigate the owner-unknown land issues as far as lands are acquired by public projects.Further, real estate auctions are often held when liens are placed on land and/or residences for housing loan defaults. The Japanese civil auction system, which was institutionalized at the end of the nineteenth century, stipulates that a tenancy that is behind on a mortgage may resist a purchase unconditionally as long as the mortgage default period is within 3 years (short-term lease protection system/former Civil Code Article 395). This system was intended to avoid the unstable use of mortgaged properties and to promote the effective use of real estate; however, because the majority of users and the beneficiaries of this system were in fact anti-social groups, it was used to demand money unjustly from debtors and buyers, thus preventing the effective use of the mortgaged properties.When the protection of short-term leases was abolished in 2004, these types of interferences are said to have decreased drastically. However, successful bids for auctioned real estate properties continue to be lower than in general transactions. Therefore, here, we provide a quantitative analysis of these situations and propose further auction system improvements.Below, we introduce the outlines of each theory in Part I.

Today Bletchley Park is a thriving monument to Turing and his fellow codebreakers. This did not happen easily. After the Second World War, the Bletchley Park site went into gradual decline, with its many temporary wartime buildings left unmaintained. The intense secrecy still surrounding the codebreakers’ wartime work meant there was no public awareness of what they had achieved, nor even that they had existed. It was only when the information embargo finally began to lift, decades later, that Bletchley Park’s importance became more widely known—but by that time the site was in danger of being razed to the ground to make way for housing estates. This chapter tells how Bletchley Park was rescued from property developers and from financial failure to become a national monument. The true heroes of this story are too numerous to mention by name—the hundreds of committed hard-working people, many of them volunteers, whose collective efforts over time saved Bletchley Park. Bletchley Park, also known as Station X, is arguably the most important single site associated with the Second World War. One of the best kept of all wartime secrets, it was acquired by the Foreign Office not long before the start of the fighting and at that time comprised some 55 acres of land, together with a large and architecturally odd mansion (see Fig. 9.1) and various associated outbuildings of the type common in large estates of the period. The mansion was built in Victorian and Edwardian times and its grounds were laid out as formal gardens, with a lake and many specimen trees. Curiously, these trees subsequently played a role in saving the site. During the war there was an almost continuous programme of construction. Numerous typical Ministry-of-Defence-style brick buildings were erected, as well as an assortment of timber huts. The huts included Hut 8, where Turing worked on Naval Enigma (Fig. 19.1). His introduction of the bombe, in 1940, was the start of Bletchley Park’s conversion into a codebreaking factory (see Chapter 12) and by the end of the war there were more than seventy buildings on the site, including the original mansion and its outbuildings. These structures supplied the capacity to house more than 3000 people per shift, as well as the large quantities of machinery and other equipment involved in the codebreaking work.

This chapter explores how, if at all, housing and homelessness advocates made claims about both homelessness and housing problems together. Many advocates make fleeting claims about homelessness or homeless people. Yet they do not talk much about homelessness as a housing problem, even though it may seem like the most urgent one. Here is where investigating discursive fields and style can help. The chapter compares Tenants of South Los Angeles and Housing Justice coalition members' claims about homelessness with those of professional-led volunteer efforts organized to address homelessness as a problem in itself. The evidence suggests that in Los Angeles, cultural conditions conspired to make homelessness a marginal topic across different quarters of the housing advocacy world. And homeless service workers talked little, if at all, about affordable housing as a public issue.

Unable to accept the conditions for ministry in the established church laid down by the 1662 Act of Uniformity the Puritan divine Richard Baxter, author of best-selling works of homiletic, practical, and devotional theology, set himself henceforth to ‘do what Service [he]could for Posterity’ through such publications. However, finding the prejudicial and partisan attacks on, and accounts of, the nonconformists that issued from the official press increasingly galling, with the temporary lapse of the Licensing Act in 1679 he embarked on a sustained series of defences of the nonconformist position. This chapter examines the nature of these controversial works, and some of the ironies and tensions involved in Baxter seeking to speak for the body of nonconformity from his distinctive position of moderate ‘Catholic’ Christianity, to argue that these amounted to a sustained press campaign to influence public opinion that transformed the role of the press.

This chapter studies how advocates “construct” social problems through claims making. Claims are demands, criticisms, or declarative statements that actors make in relation to public debate. By definition then, claims makers publicize problems for collective problem-solving. Claims making is thus a crucial part of civic action. Claims making happens in the context of not only a style of interaction but also a set of conventional categories for making claims. A discursive field provides those basic symbolic categories that advocates on multiple sides use to make claims about a problem. Scene style keeps some ways of talking about social problems outside the discursive field altogether, and relegates others to marginal enclaves or subordinate status inside the field. Following the action of claims making in the Tenants of South Los Angeles and Housing Justice coalitions, one can learn how a discursive field works.

This chapter looks at central government’s role in directing the way in which local authorities enacted central-area redevelopment schemes. It shows how modernist ideas were sustained by a broadly consensual cross-party political culture in central government. It shows how the Joint Urban Planning Group, set up within the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, provided guidance to local authorities in how to form public–private partnerships to redevelop their city centres. The last section discusses the fate of these ideas during Labour’s first term after the 1964 election, and argues for an economic explanation of the initial reaction against modernist approaches to the built environment.

Taxonomies, thesauri and ontologies are formal abstractions that facilitate individuals and institutions organize their knowledge as part of a controlled language, which make them essential for developing and maintaining organizational knowledge repositories and institutional memories. Ministry of Development is an expert based organization which plans and guides Turkey's development process with a macro-economic view and focuses on the coordination of policies and strategy development. This paper will present and document the first-hand experience and initial findings of BIHAP (Knowledge Mapping Research and Development Project), which has also contributed to the manual construction of the controlled vocabulary of the “development planning”. We will also share our reflections as lessons-learned and good practices from part of this project. We hope these findings and reflections will be useful for other related works for thesaurus construction and knowledge management in institutional information centers and libraries.

From 1962 Lancashire, in England, became the focus of a major renewal scheme: the creation of a ‘super-city’ for 500,000 people. The last and largest New Town designated under the 1965 Act, Central Lancashire New Town (CLNT) differed from other New Towns. Although influenced by the ideals and example of Garden City model, its master plan followed new and proposed infrastructure to connect the sub-region’s poly-centricity. By unifying and expanding existing towns and settlements it aimed to generate prosperity on a sub-regional scale using the New Towns Act, rather than creating a single new self-sufficient urban development. CLNT’s scale, poly-centricity and theoretical growth made it unique compared to other new town typologies and, although not realised, its planning can be traced across Lancashire’s urban and rural landscape by communication networks and city-scale public and civic buildings. With reference to diagrams for the British New Towns of Hook, Milton Keynes and Civilia, this paper will contextualize and evaluate CLNT’s theoretical layout and its proposed expansion based on interdependent townships, districts and ‘localities’. The paper will conclude by comparing CLNT’s theoretical diagram with its proposed application and adaptation to the sub-region’s topographical physical setting. Keywords (3-5): Lancashire, New Towns, urban centres and pattern Conference topics and scale: Reading and regenerating the informal city References (100 words) RMJM (1967) in Ministry of Housing and Local Government (1967). Central Lancashire: Study for a City: Consultants’ Proposals for Designation, HMSO. Ministry of Housing and Local Government (1967). Central Lancashire: Study for a City: Consultants’ Proposals for Designation, HMSO.

The paper discusses the process of providing walkable pedestrian facilities in cities in Indonesia which is considered lacking due to the limited number and poor quality. In the past few years, the government has been improving and developing the walkable pedestrian through policy and regulation, as well as physical development. This action is also linked to the green city program, in particular, sustainable transportation. However, the physical development and implementation of policy and green city program are not as smooth as expected due to the limitation of urban space, human resources, and finance. The study focuses on identifying problems and introduces arrangements that could improve the quality of pedestrian facilities. It applies interviews, questionnaires, and design competition to gather input from the public. Two cities in Indonesia are selected as the case studies, namely, Bogor and Banjarmasin. In each city, the study selects a location to elaborate for the design competition. The study analyses the walkability condition in each zone using nine parameters that emphasise on pedestrian conflict with other modes, availability of pedestrian path, availability of crossing, the safety of crossing, the behaviour of the motorcyclist, amenities, disable facility, buffer, and security. The finding points general problems such as poor amenities and lack of disabling facility, as well as the problem of motorcyclist behaviour. Besides problems, the study also identifies local potentials that could support the improvement of walkable pedestrian facilities. Those findings are important to improve the pedestrian facilities and develop an understanding of local condition since each city has different characteristics. The study applies those findings as an input to develop policy on the pedestrian facility of the green city for the Ministry of Public Works and Housing. The policy links to the green city program that addresses eight attributes, namely the green planning and design, open green space, green community, green waste, green energy, green transportation, green building, and green water. Further, the policy also emphasises five components of walkability, accessibility and connectivity, attractiveness, comfort and equality, safety, and security. Combination of green city attributes and walkability components are used for the planning-design and development of walkable pedestrian facilities in the urban area in Indonesia.

The open inspection intervals of boilers & pressure vessels for chemical plants in Japan is decided by the director of a bureau’s notification of Ministry of Public Welfare & Labor of Japan. The intervals are divided into three categories: 1) 12-month, 2) 24-month and 3) 48-month intervals. Basically, all boilers & pressure vessels for chemical plants shall be subjected to open inspection by every 12-month interval. However, specially authorized boilers & pressure vessels for chemical plants can be extended the open inspection interval from 12-month to 24-month or 48-month interval. The unit for authorization is a site of works. The numbers of accepted sites of works, boilers & pressure vessels for 24-month interval and 48-month interval at the time of 25th/Nov/2005 are as follow: *24-month open inspection interval — Sites of works: 177, Boilers: 1331, Pressure vessels: 10536; *48-month open inspection interval — Sites of works: 57, Boilers: 597, Pressure vessels: 4452. In this paper, the authorization system and the conditions are introduced concretely.

<p>During last 5 years, the Ministry of Public Works and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso are developing a Risk Management System applied in several road infrastructures called GRDR. This methodology is focus on the inspection on: 1. Structures in order to identify the vulnerability; 2. environmental conditions with the aim to identify the exposure and hazard. The relations between these indexes use an algorithm to apply the weight on the parameters. Currently, the deterministics inspection use a comprehensive management program provides an index of vulnerability (Performance indicators) in structures as bridges and pavements. But it is not included the hazard or exposure index. This paper delivers the first index of hazards and exposure related with seismic, flooding and fire threat applied on the Risk Management System (GRDR), with an implementation on two main Chilean structures, namely: La Pólvora Tunnel T3, a medium long span structure, located at the Region Valparaiso, in the maritime and urban area exposed in the last years an earthquakes and fire hazards, and Subway Line 3, located in Santiago, the new station in service during 2018 with a high users and hazard by earthquake and flooding.</p>

In Latin American cities informal settlements and insecure land tenure are the result of an exclusionary planning and urban management system which fails to provide legal and secure housing for lower-income groups. Against this backdrop, the State implemented land-title and urban regulatory policies, in order to improve the housing conditions of these neighbourhoods and integrate their residents into the legal regime. This paper proposes to address the conflicts implied in the processes of urbanization and regularization of the villas of the city of Buenos Aires during the first government of Rodríguez Larreta (2015-2019). In the official political discourse, the urbanization of informal settlements is considered one of the main axes of local management. Within this framework, institutional changes are being carried out, such as the creation of the Ministry of Social and Urban Integration. This report proposes to address the participation implied in the process of urbanization and regularization of Villa 20 in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. This process have raised many challenges in the interaction between government decision-making and the needs of inhabitants of informal settlement. These challenges are linked to a) the democratic participation of the inhabitants in the decision-making process at all stages, b) land management policies and domain regularization; c) the modalities and logic of relocation of inhabitants; d) the provision and access to infrastructure services and public spaces; e) the treatment of tenants and other more vulnerable groups. Based on the analysis of the case study, we propose to account for the limits and scope of the implemented urbanization policy as well as for the opportunities to expand the horizon of tools and intervention modalities promote the right to the city and reduce territorial inequalities

1.1 Macroeconomic summary Economic recovery has consistently outperformed the technical staff’s expectations following a steep decline in activity in the second quarter of 2020. At the same time, total and core inflation rates have fallen and remain at low levels, suggesting that a significant element of the reactivation of Colombia’s economy has been related to recovery in potential GDP. This would support the technical staff’s diagnosis of weak aggregate demand and ample excess capacity. The most recently available data on 2020 growth suggests a contraction in economic activity of 6.8%, lower than estimates from January’s Monetary Policy Report (-7.2%). High-frequency indicators suggest that economic performance was significantly more dynamic than expected in January, despite mobility restrictions and quarantine measures. This has also come amid declines in total and core inflation, the latter of which was below January projections if controlling for certain relative price changes. This suggests that the unexpected strength of recent growth contains elements of demand, and that excess capacity, while significant, could be lower than previously estimated. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the measurement of excess capacity continues to be unusually high and marked both by variations in the way different economic sectors and spending components have been affected by the pandemic, and by uneven price behavior. The size of excess capacity, and in particular the evolution of the pandemic in forthcoming quarters, constitute substantial risks to the macroeconomic forecast presented in this report. Despite the unexpected strength of the recovery, the technical staff continues to project ample excess capacity that is expected to remain on the forecast horizon, alongside core inflation that will likely remain below the target. Domestic demand remains below 2019 levels amid unusually significant uncertainty over the size of excess capacity in the economy. High national unemployment (14.6% for February 2021) reflects a loose labor market, while observed total and core inflation continue to be below 2%. Inflationary pressures from the exchange rate are expected to continue to be low, with relatively little pass-through on inflation. This would be compatible with a negative output gap. Excess productive capacity and the expectation of core inflation below the 3% target on the forecast horizon provide a basis for an expansive monetary policy posture. The technical staff’s assessment of certain shocks and their expected effects on the economy, as well as the presence of several sources of uncertainty and related assumptions about their potential macroeconomic impacts, remain a feature of this report. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, continues to affect the public health environment, and the reopening of Colombia’s economy remains incomplete. The technical staff’s assessment is that the COVID-19 shock has affected both aggregate demand and supply, but that the impact on demand has been deeper and more persistent. Given this persistence, the central forecast accounts for a gradual tightening of the output gap in the absence of new waves of contagion, and as vaccination campaigns progress. The central forecast continues to include an expected increase of total and core inflation rates in the second quarter of 2021, alongside the lapse of the temporary price relief measures put in place in 2020. Additional COVID-19 outbreaks (of uncertain duration and intensity) represent a significant risk factor that could affect these projections. Additionally, the forecast continues to include an upward trend in sovereign risk premiums, reflected by higher levels of public debt that in the wake of the pandemic are likely to persist on the forecast horizon, even in the context of a fiscal adjustment. At the same time, the projection accounts for the shortterm effects on private domestic demand from a fiscal adjustment along the lines of the one currently being proposed by the national government. This would be compatible with a gradual recovery of private domestic demand in 2022. The size and characteristics of the fiscal adjustment that is ultimately implemented, as well as the corresponding market response, represent another source of forecast uncertainty. Newly available information offers evidence of the potential for significant changes to the macroeconomic scenario, though without altering the general diagnosis described above. The most recent data on inflation, growth, fiscal policy, and international financial conditions suggests a more dynamic economy than previously expected. However, a third wave of the pandemic has delayed the re-opening of Colombia’s economy and brought with it a deceleration in economic activity. Detailed descriptions of these considerations and subsequent changes to the macroeconomic forecast are presented below. The expected annual decline in GDP (-0.3%) in the first quarter of 2021 appears to have been less pronounced than projected in January (-4.8%). Partial closures in January to address a second wave of COVID-19 appear to have had a less significant negative impact on the economy than previously estimated. This is reflected in figures related to mobility, energy demand, industry and retail sales, foreign trade, commercial transactions from selected banks, and the national statistics agency’s (DANE) economic tracking indicator (ISE). Output is now expected to have declined annually in the first quarter by 0.3%. Private consumption likely continued to recover, registering levels somewhat above those from the previous year, while public consumption likely increased significantly. While a recovery in investment in both housing and in other buildings and structures is expected, overall investment levels in this case likely continued to be low, and gross fixed capital formation is expected to continue to show significant annual declines. Imports likely recovered to again outpace exports, though both are expected to register significant annual declines. Economic activity that outpaced projections, an increase in oil prices and other export products, and an expected increase in public spending this year account for the upward revision to the 2021 growth forecast (from 4.6% with a range between 2% and 6% in January, to 6.0% with a range between 3% and 7% in April). As a result, the output gap is expected to be smaller and to tighten more rapidly than projected in the previous report, though it is still expected to remain in negative territory on the forecast horizon. Wide forecast intervals reflect the fact that the future evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant source of uncertainty on these projections. The delay in the recovery of economic activity as a result of the resurgence of COVID-19 in the first quarter appears to have been less significant than projected in the January report. The central forecast scenario expects this improved performance to continue in 2021 alongside increased consumer and business confidence. Low real interest rates and an active credit supply would also support this dynamic, and the overall conditions would be expected to spur a recovery in consumption and investment. Increased growth in public spending and public works based on the national government’s spending plan (Plan Financiero del Gobierno) are other factors to consider. Additionally, an expected recovery in global demand and higher projected prices for oil and coffee would further contribute to improved external revenues and would favor investment, in particular in the oil sector. Given the above, the technical staff’s 2021 growth forecast has been revised upward from 4.6% in January (range from 2% to 6%) to 6.0% in April (range from 3% to 7%). These projections account for the potential for the third wave of COVID-19 to have a larger and more persistent effect on the economy than the previous wave, while also supposing that there will not be any additional significant waves of the pandemic and that mobility restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Economic growth in 2022 is expected to be 3%, with a range between 1% and 5%. This figure would be lower than projected in the January report (3.6% with a range between 2% and 6%), due to a higher base of comparison given the upward revision to expected GDP in 2021. This forecast also takes into account the likely effects on private demand of a fiscal adjustment of the size currently being proposed by the national government, and which would come into effect in 2022. Excess in productive capacity is now expected to be lower than estimated in January but continues to be significant and affected by high levels of uncertainty, as reflected in the wide forecast intervals. The possibility of new waves of the virus (of uncertain intensity and duration) represents a significant downward risk to projected GDP growth, and is signaled by the lower limits of the ranges provided in this report. Inflation (1.51%) and inflation excluding food and regulated items (0.94%) declined in March compared to December, continuing below the 3% target. The decline in inflation in this period was below projections, explained in large part by unanticipated increases in the costs of certain foods (3.92%) and regulated items (1.52%). An increase in international food and shipping prices, increased foreign demand for beef, and specific upward pressures on perishable food supplies appear to explain a lower-than-expected deceleration in the consumer price index (CPI) for foods. An unexpected increase in regulated items prices came amid unanticipated increases in international fuel prices, on some utilities rates, and for regulated education prices. The decline in annual inflation excluding food and regulated items between December and March was in line with projections from January, though this included downward pressure from a significant reduction in telecommunications rates due to the imminent entry of a new operator. When controlling for the effects of this relative price change, inflation excluding food and regulated items exceeds levels forecast in the previous report. Within this indicator of core inflation, the CPI for goods (1.05%) accelerated due to a reversion of the effects of the VAT-free day in November, which was largely accounted for in February, and possibly by the transmission of a recent depreciation of the peso on domestic prices for certain items (electric and household appliances). For their part, services prices decelerated and showed the lowest rate of annual growth (0.89%) among the large consumer baskets in the CPI. Within the services basket, the annual change in rental prices continued to decline, while those services that continue to experience the most significant restrictions on returning to normal operations (tourism, cinemas, nightlife, etc.) continued to register significant price declines. As previously mentioned, telephone rates also fell significantly due to increased competition in the market. Total inflation is expected to continue to be affected by ample excesses in productive capacity for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, though less so than projected in January. As a result, convergence to the inflation target is now expected to be somewhat faster than estimated in the previous report, assuming the absence of significant additional outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff’s year-end inflation projections for 2021 and 2022 have increased, suggesting figures around 3% due largely to variation in food and regulated items prices. The projection for inflation excluding food and regulated items also increased, but remains below 3%. Price relief measures on indirect taxes implemented in 2020 are expected to lapse in the second quarter of 2021, generating a one-off effect on prices and temporarily affecting inflation excluding food and regulated items. However, indexation to low levels of past inflation, weak demand, and ample excess productive capacity are expected to keep core inflation below the target, near 2.3% at the end of 2021 (previously 2.1%). The reversion in 2021 of the effects of some price relief measures on utility rates from 2020 should lead to an increase in the CPI for regulated items in the second half of this year. Annual price changes are now expected to be higher than estimated in the January report due to an increased expected path for fuel prices and unanticipated increases in regulated education prices. The projection for the CPI for foods has increased compared to the previous report, taking into account certain factors that were not anticipated in January (a less favorable agricultural cycle, increased pressure from international prices, and transport costs). Given the above, year-end annual inflation for 2021 and 2022 is now expected to be 3% and 2.8%, respectively, which would be above projections from January (2.3% and 2,7%). For its part, expected inflation based on analyst surveys suggests year-end inflation in 2021 and 2022 of 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the inflation forecasts included in this report due to several factors: 1) the evolution of the pandemic; 2) the difficulty in evaluating the size and persistence of excess productive capacity; 3) the timing and manner in which price relief measures will lapse; and 4) the future behavior of food prices. Projected 2021 growth in foreign demand (4.4% to 5.2%) and the supposed average oil price (USD 53 to USD 61 per Brent benchmark barrel) were both revised upward. An increase in long-term international interest rates has been reflected in a depreciation of the peso and could result in relatively tighter external financial conditions for emerging market economies, including Colombia. Average growth among Colombia’s trade partners was greater than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. This, together with a sizable fiscal stimulus approved in the United States and the onset of a massive global vaccination campaign, largely explains the projected increase in foreign demand growth in 2021. The resilience of the goods market in the face of global crisis and an expected normalization in international trade are additional factors. These considerations and the expected continuation of a gradual reduction of mobility restrictions abroad suggest that Colombia’s trade partners could grow on average by 5.2% in 2021 and around 3.4% in 2022. The improved prospects for global economic growth have led to an increase in current and expected oil prices. Production interruptions due to a heavy winter, reduced inventories, and increased supply restrictions instituted by producing countries have also contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, market forecasts and recent Federal Reserve pronouncements suggest that the benchmark interest rate in the U.S. will remain stable for the next two years. Nevertheless, a significant increase in public spending in the country has fostered expectations for greater growth and inflation, as well as increased uncertainty over the moment in which a normalization of monetary policy might begin. This has been reflected in an increase in long-term interest rates. In this context, emerging market economies in the region, including Colombia, have registered increases in sovereign risk premiums and long-term domestic interest rates, and a depreciation of local currencies against the dollar. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in several of these economies; limits on vaccine supply and the slow pace of immunization campaigns in some countries; a significant increase in public debt; and tensions between the United States and China, among other factors, all add to a high level of uncertainty surrounding interest rate spreads, external financing conditions, and the future performance of risk premiums. The impact that this environment could have on the exchange rate and on domestic financing conditions represent risks to the macroeconomic and monetary policy forecasts. Domestic financial conditions continue to favor recovery in economic activity. The transmission of reductions to the policy interest rate on credit rates has been significant. The banking portfolio continues to recover amid circumstances that have affected both the supply and demand for loans, and in which some credit risks have materialized. Preferential and ordinary commercial interest rates have fallen to a similar degree as the benchmark interest rate. As is generally the case, this transmission has come at a slower pace for consumer credit rates, and has been further delayed in the case of mortgage rates. Commercial credit levels stabilized above pre-pandemic levels in March, following an increase resulting from significant liquidity requirements for businesses in the second quarter of 2020. The consumer credit portfolio continued to recover and has now surpassed February 2020 levels, though overall growth in the portfolio remains low. At the same time, portfolio projections and default indicators have increased, and credit establishment earnings have come down. Despite this, credit disbursements continue to recover and solvency indicators remain well above regulatory minimums. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its meetings in March and April the BDBR left the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.75%.