Major infrastructural work will be undertaken next year in two west coast parishes that were declared “localized disaster areas” in the aftermath of severe flooding earlier this year.
Social and environmental impact assessments and engineering designs will begin in the first half of next year for St. John and St. Mark through a US million loan from the Caribbean Development Bank.
The request for the CDB loan was made in the immediate aftermath of the natural disaster in April caused by unseasonal torrential rain.
“We are grateful to the CDB for its assistance which, first and foremost, would be allocated to the critical work to be done in St. John and St. Mark, while simultaneously opening up job opportunities for people in the two west coast parishes,” Environment Minister Joseph Gilbert said.
Gilbert, who was Minister of Works at the time, marshaled temporary remedial and clean-up operations.
A government statement said he was also instrumental in preparing the Damage Assessment Report that was included in an application for funding to the CDB.
“I am delighted that funds would now be available to undertake proposed adaptation and mitigation measures in the affected areas,” the minister added.
Other components of the project include infrastructure work for a new housing settlement to relocate the most vulnerable living along river banks, rehabilitation of a fishermen slipway and slope stabilization work.
(Source http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/grenada_news/523736.html#axzz1gXua4fd7)
