Dominica PM sets out recovery plan at CARICOM-UN conference

Last updated: 22 November 2017, 8:20 am

The prime minister of Dominica has told a Caribbean Community and United Nations conference that his government has a multifaceted recovery plan to rebuild the nation following Hurricane Maria.

The plan, explained Roosevelt Skerrit, has five key elements that include “revitalising food markets and crop planting and in the process developing food security and climate resilient agriculture, irrigation and fisheries", and the quick restoration of power across the island.

The pledging conference, which took place at the UN headquarters in New York City, aims to mobilise assistance for hurricane-devastated Caribbean countries from international development partners, allied countries, private sector entities, and foundations.

It also aims to help the wider CARICOM region improve its resilience.

"Hurricane Maria’s 226% of GDP damage and loss come just two years after Tropical Storm Erika, inflicted damage and losses of 90% of our national GDP. Erika came four years after Tropical Storm Ophelia that also wrought massive damage," said the prime minister.

"The scale and frequency of the damages and losses means there is no commercial premium we could pay that would insure us against the magnitude of these injuries.

"The science of climate change shows that the warming of the seas is leading to more rapidly intensifying and wetter storms.

Skerrit told the gathering that moving forwards will require “full integration” of public, private and international responses.

He stressed that the “private sector has a key role to place” as “public sector cannot do this alone”.

"We are committed to becoming the first climate resilient nation. I don’t believe there

is a sustainable alternative. We are in the line of sight of storms that become more

dangerous by the year."