Dominica lunches environment project with World Bank funds

ROSEAU, Dominica, Oct 21, CMC – Dominica has launched a multi-million dollar project it hopes will enhance the island’s ability to deal with the impact of climate change.

Deputy Prime Minister Ambrose George, speaking at the launch of the World Bank funded US$38 million project, said it is intended to “reduce the impacts of climate change disaster and build resilience to adapt to such impacts”.

He said the project is designed to contribute to the vulnerability and risk reduction through a combination of civil works, capacity building and institutional strengthening activities at the national and regional levels.

“These activities are designed to reduce to natural hazards and longer term impacts resulting from climate change,” George said,

He told the launch on Monday that Dominica had received US$38 million from the World Bank and the Climate Investment Fund towards the cost of the disaster vulnerability reduction project.

George said major disaster reduction projects would be undertaken as a result of the programme.

He said the Roosevelt Skerrit administration has identified the East Coast road as one of the components of the project including the Carib Territory.

“There is also a major road project concealed in the south part of the island…which presents very complex geo-technical conditions because of the height of the slope to be stabilised the loose soil and rocks comprising  the hillside and the narrow space in which to work,” he said.

George said there would also be various water works project to be undertaken in collaboration with the Dominica Water and Sewerage Company (DOWASCO) as a result of the World Bank project.

The World Bank representative Anna Wellenstein said the member countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) continue to face high level of risk associated with natural hazards and a changing climate.

She said aging public infrastructure represents “very high level of vulnerability and the hurricanes exacerbated by the facts of climate change, as well as landslides and earthquakes are serious impediments to development goals.

“This is especially pronounced in a small island state with relatively small economy. One large disaster can have important effects on GDP ( gross domestic product) and wipe out years of development gains.”

She said Dominica is especially vulnerable to natural hazards, recalling the problems associated with the storms in August and December last year.

“There continues to be a need to rebuild damage infrastructure in a more resilient way in order to reduce current vulnerability of critical infrastructure,” she added.