Emergency Shelters are now better able to handle emergencies, as the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) recently completed shelter improvement projects throughout Grenada, including the sister isle of Carriacou.
The retrofitting and improvement works conducted on hurricane shelters included upgrading to provide ease of access and accommodation for the elderly and people with disabilities as well as emergency water storage.
Through support from Canada, the Retrofit and Upgrade to Emergency Shelters (For Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly) in Grenada project was launched on 14 February 2018. Under this project, the NaDMA in partnership with the ministries of Education and Infrastructure facilitated a series of upgrades at 14 hurricane shelters to include the installation of 5 ramps and railings, fully accessible equipped bathrooms at three locations and the provision of 7 water storage tanks. Communities in the parishes of St Andrew, St David, St George, St John, St Mark, St Patrick and Carriacou, especially the most vulnerable, are now better able to cope with emergencies and the effects of climate change because of this project.
The project budget was CAD$116,754.67 with CAD$99,173.00 coming from the Government of Canada. Senior Director of Canada’s Caribbean Regional Development Programme, Benoît-Pierre Laramée was delighted to unveil plaques at the Dover Government School on Tuesday and St John’s Christian Secondary School today, commemorating the successful implementation of these community-based disaster risk reduction initiatives on Carriacou and the mainland.
Laramée noted that it is critical to ensure no-one is left behind when preparing for natural disasters and particularly praised Grenada for ensuring that the sister island of Carriacou is not forgotten in their disaster preparations.
Rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and an escalation in the frequency and intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes threaten homes and businesses across the Caribbean. This can result in loss of life and has a significant negative impact on sustainable economic growth. To be able to respond to the increased threat of natural disasters and climate change, communities must build their resilience. The Canada Caribbean Disaster Risk Management Fund is a CAD$3M fund designed to support Caribbean-based non-governmental organisations, community groups, and governmental agencies working at the community level. Grenada previously benefitted from CAD$87,537.04 towards a safer building project managed by the Grenada Red Cross.
High Commission of Canada, Barbados
