CASTRIES, St. Lucia CMC - The World Bank will make an additional US$36 million available to St Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to assist with recovery efforts following the passage of a lethal weather system on Christmas Eve.

Just days ahead of the 2014/2015 budget presentation, Prime Minister Kenny Anthony on Thursday welcomed the assistance, noting that while normalcy has been restored in some parts, there is still a lot to be done.

“I am indeed pleased that the World Bank has agreed to give further assistance to Saint Lucia.

While services and transport access have been largely reinstated, parallel efforts will need to be undertaken to mobilize resources required to stabilize and permanently rehabilitate, reconstruct and retrofit damaged infrastructure. I applaud the speed of response by the World Bank,”Anthony said.