PM Skerrit urges youth to demand climate action, hold developed nations accountable

Dominica: As the small island nations in the Caribbean have been fighting a long battle with climate change for decades, Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit is urging the youth to demand stronger action and hold the developed countries accountable.

This urgent call has come from the Prime Minister after the extremely dangerous Hurricane Beryl made landfall in the Caribbean and wreaked havoc on several islands.

The devastating images of Hurricane Beryl coming out of Carriacou, Union Island, Petite Martinique, St. Vincent, Grenada, Barbados, and Jamaica brought back to the PM the fresh memories of Hurricane Maria, which destroyed Dominica back in 2017. He said that from Maria to Beryl, it is a new Caribbean hurricane reality, bringing to him a vision to protect Dominicans. He vowed to advocate for greater public awareness and activism among the youth.

The Dominican leader continued to say that young people must take greater ownership of their futures in a world that is increasingly adverse to their collective well-being.

While calling upon the youth, he said, “Now is the time for our youth to demand stronger climate action and hold the developed nations accountable.” He called upon the world to provide the Caribbean with urgently needed climate financing reforms. According to Dr. Skerrit, such resources are required that will not just help the islands rebuild after storms but will also allow the communities to build more resilient infrastructure, electricity, roads, and homes.

Another significant point that he highlighted was that “We are facing a crisis not of our own making.” The Prime Minister outlined that now is the time for division, to come together and prepare and for everyone to look at their priorities and realize that in this changing world, they are better together than apart.”

“The reality is that we are not the cause of the global climate crisis. But, we are the victims of it,” emphasized PM Roosevelt Skerrit.

In addition to this, he called upon the Dominicans to prepare and cooperate now as they are on the verge of facing the forthcoming hurricane season. He said that there is a need to strengthen the roofs and clean the drainage paths.

While reiterating his commitment to fight against climate change, he said that he remains as dedicated as ever to the mission he started in 2017 after the devasting effects of Hurricane Maria.

[caption id="attachment_6088" align="aligncenter" width="750"] Damage in Dominica following Hurricane Maria.[/caption]

PM Skerrit mentioned that Dominica is now more committed than ever to leading the charge regarding environmental awareness, and for this, in the coming weeks, the government will be organizing nationwide cleanups to clean the drainage gutters and ensure that the citizens are prepared for a storm.

He continued to say that he has also asked parliamentarians to check up on older people and the vulnerable to ensure that they have their contact information shared just in case they need any help.

To the people of Dominica, Dr Skerrit said, “We must be resilient and prepare because the next storm is coming.”

He also asked the citizens to redouble their efforts in agriculture to make themselves more food secure because, in this changing world, everyone must rely more on themselves.