GIS - The Ministry of Sustainable Development has launched the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP)—the largest project ever negotiated by the Government of Saint Lucia with the World Bank.
The project, a US$68 million investment, is aimed at reducing the island’s vulnerability to natural hazards and the adverse impacts of climate change by strengthening critical infrastructure and improving the national capacity to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure.
Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Kenny. D. Anthony said the approval of the project demonstrates the confidence of the World Bank in Saint Lucia’s ability to fulfill its commitments.
“This is a US$68 million investment and the largest project ever negotiated by the Government of Saint Lucia with the World Bank,” Dr. Anthony said. “This is a major indication of the commitment of the World Bank to the development of Saint Lucia. It is also a vote of confidence in Saint Lucia’s ability and capacity to deliver and implement activities under this project.”
Dr. Anthony added that the initiative is valuable to Saint Lucia’s development and assured the World Bank that the funds will be used effectively.
Minister for Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology Sen. Hon. Dr. James Fletcher said that the DVRP is timely. Given Saint Lucia’s experience with the disastrous and unpredictable effects of climate change, he cautioned that residents should always be on guard.
“We had the unfortunate [experience with] the 2013 Christmas Eve trough which brought home to us in a very real way, the fact that we must always be on our guard,” Dr. Fletcher said. “In this changing climate there is no such thing as a safe period anymore. There is no time when we can rest on our laurels and say we have gone through the hurricane season and there is nothing to worry about.”
The Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project is led by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Sustainable Development.
The launch was held at Spinners in Union on Tuesday.