ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Dominica Tuesday announced that it would bestow its second highest national award on the United Kingdom and Canada for its role in helping the Caribbean island move towards becoming the first resilient nation in the world.
Addressing a ceremony to close the Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica (CREAD), Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said the achievements would not have been possible without the support of international and regional partners.
“I thank the governments of the United Kingdom and Canada most profoundly for their faith in Dominica and their willingness to invest in our ambitious goal of creating a safer, more sustainable future for our citizens. We trust you will continue working with us along this important journey.
“The United Kingdom and Canada believed in us. They invested their money and time.
, human resources…in assisting us to achieve our vision,” Skerrit said, adding that in appreciation of their support and commitment, the government of Dominica shall bestow upon the United Kingdom and Canada Dominica’s second highest national award, the Sisserou Award of Honour.
Skerrit said that almost seven years ago, Dominica embarked upon the journey to become the world’s first climate-resilient nation following the devastation wrought upon the island by Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm on September 18, 2017.
“This dangerous situation conditioned us to adopt and pursue a build-back better principle to minimize the loss and damage that too often confronts us as a people. Today, we reflect on our accomplishments with a deep sense of pride and hope for continued success in our mission to increase our resilience against the mounting challenges posed by climate change.”
Skerrit said that the staff of CREAD took a compelling vision to transform Dominica into a climate-resilient country and turned it into a working model for the world to emulate.
“Indeed, the global community has taken notice. Through our collective efforts, Dominica stands as an example of what can be achieved when countries- when leaders- act decisively to address the persistent challenges of our times.
“CREAD is a proud achievement for all of you who lent your professional expertise, passion, and commitment to actualizing the vision for climate resilience. It is a proud achievement for me personally, as Prime Minister, because it embodied the bold pledge I made at the United Nations in September 2017 to work from that day forward to shield Dominica from the severity of climate change impacts.”
He acknowledged that while “we have not yet met all our benchmarks for climate resilience… we can all agree that we have developed an impressive template for further action in our continuing fight”.
He said that over the years, CREAD has become a symbol of resilience and innovation, bringing people, communities, and governments together to fight climate change.
“When I announced to the world that Dominica would become the first resilient nation in the world, eyebrows were raised, especially here at home. After all, it sounded like an impossible task! But the mission was clear: to rebuild Dominica not just as it was but more substantial, better, and capable of responding to disaster events and recovering from impact.
“In this regard, CREAD has met its mandate. I won’t list the organization’s many achievements in this forum. Still, I will note that CREAD has been particularly effective in its policy development to guide the country’s recovery following disaster,” he said.
He said the assistance provided to build capacity within micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, CREAD’s focus on solid communities to improve disaster mitigation, and initiatives to reduce vulnerabilities and exposure of people and property to future shocks are all measures that will define Dominica’s response systems for years to come.
“Additionally, with CREAD’s assistance, we have reviewed our building codes across sectors and can now boast of building back better and ensuring that our roads, bridges, and buildings can withstand the rigors of our changing climate,” Skerrit said, adding,” CREAD’s impact is undeniable.
“It has captured the world’s attention, with many international bodies and agencies keenly observing and documenting our progress. And we should be proud of this. A small, vulnerable country in the Caribbean is leading the way in environmental awareness and climate action.
“We have not only talked the talk, we have walked the walk. Our most recent move to establish a Sperm Whale Reserve in our waters, contributing to climate change mitigation, speaks loudly of our resolve and willingness to make bold, groundbreaking moves in this global fight.”
He said as CREAD’s tenure concludes, it is crucial to recognize that the journey towards climate resilience continues beyond there.
“The spirit and objectives of CREAD will persist as we transition its activities to various government agencies,” Skerrit said, adding, “Our journey to full resilience by 2030 has to continue.
“We have made much progress in all major sectors, but our gains must be consolidated and fortified. The challenges of climate change are forever present, and hurricanes and dry spells are becoming more frequent and severe.”
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