ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC—Britain’s High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Scott Furssedonn-Wood, has reiterated the United Kingdom’s support for the Caribbean following the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl’s passage earlier this month.
The category five hurricane left a trail of death and destruction in Grenada, Carriacou, Petite Martinique, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica, as well as Barbados and S. Lucia.
The British diplomat, who arrived here as regional leaders gathered for their 47th regular meeting, which begins later on Sunday, expressed once again “the UK’s sympathy and solidarity to all those in the region whose lives and livelihoods were so cruelly affected by Hurricane Beryl.
“As the new UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said on his first day on the job, the Caribbean is on the front line of the climate crisis, perhaps the most profound and universal source of disorder in the world today.
“The Foreign Secretary views the climate crisis as a top priority. This is one we cannot address without urgent, coordinated global action. The UK will now move faster and do more to work with our international partners to combat the impact of the climate crisis,” Furssedonn-Wood added.
The British diplomat said that London did this by standing with those affected by Beryl.
“We have a long-standing partnership with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and supported their rapid response. We provided up to £500,000 (One GBP = 1.27 cents) of support. We also offered quick emergency supplies: 800 shelter kits and solutions for over 1600 families to store fresh water, delivered within days to those made homeless by the hurricane.
“We worked closely with CDEMA, supporting the deployment of their emergency response teams, which assisted in setting up and running emergency operations centers, moving relief, assessing needs, and sorting logistics.
“But we want to do more. The UK has always invested in helping to increase the resilience of Caribbean states. In recent years, we have invested US$59 million (EC$160m) in upgrading 55 vulnerable Caribbean health facilities to make them more resilient. Despite some damage, these facilities stood up well to a category four hurricane, servicing the healthcare needs of local populations immediately after impact.”
Furssedonn-Wood said that the United Kingdom has also been a leading supporter of Disaster Risk Finance (DRF) mechanisms, which help to protect countries and communities against climate shocks and extreme weather.
He noted that 20 years ago, after Hurricane Ivan, the Caribbean led the world in establishing the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF SPC), making insurance more cost-effective as a group.
“The UK is proud to have been a founder donor to CCRIF SPC, through which Caribbean countries currently transfer US$1.3 billion (EC$3.5 billion) of risk each year to the international markets.
“The countries affected by Hurricane Beryl will receive over US$75 million (EC$200 million) from CCRIF for response and recovery. Grenada, where Hurricane Beryl made landfall, will receive US$55.5 million (EC$150 million), the largest ever payout from CCRIF.”
He said London also spent US$25 million (EC$67.5m) last year to set up the Caribbean Water Utilities Insurance Collective (CWUIC), which has just paid out US$2.2m (EC$5.95 million) to the National Water and Sewerage Authority in Grenada.
Grenada Electricity Services also received a maximum payout to restore the electricity cable network. Grenada had led the region in protecting the vital work of its utilities—the critical power, water, and wastewater services that are vital to health and dignity.
“We must continue to prepare and build resilience against hurricanes and other climate impacts. We must also work together internationally to secure increased quantity, quality, and accessibility of climate and nature financing.
“As CARICOM leaders gather this week, the region can be confident that the United Kingdom stands with you, that we understand the risks you face, and that we will work with you and our international partners to ensure yours is a secure and resilient future,” Furssedonn-Wood added.
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