St. Lucia launches major project to reduce disaster vulnerability

Last Updated on Wednesday, 3 December 2014, 21:04 by GxMedia

San Juan, Dec 3 (EFE).- The St. Lucia Ministry of Sustainable Development launched “the largest project ever negotiated” by the government with the World Bank to reduce the Caribbean island’s vulnerability to natural disasters and to the impacts of climate change.

The Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project aims to strengthen critical local infrastructure and improve the national capacity to repair damaged infrastructure, the government said Wednesday in a statement.

“This is a $68 million investment and the largest project ever negotiated by the Government of Saint Lucia with the World Bank,” Prime Minister Kenny Anthony said.

The minister for Sustainable Development, James Fletcher, recalled the floods of late December 2013 and cautioned residents to always be on guard.

“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,” Fletcher said.