BRIDGETOWN– Three flood-prone communities in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) will soon benefit from a project that will help them build resilience to that particular climate change impact. The Establishing Flood-Resilient SMART Communities through Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Partnerships project will target the communities of Sea Cow’s Bay and East End/Long Look on Tortola, and Great Harbour on the sister island of Jost Van Dyke.

The project is being funded through the Community Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (CDRRF), which is managed by the Caribbean Development Bank. It is a collaborative effort among the Government of the British Virgin Islands through the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), and several non-profit organisations, including the Adventist Development Relief Agency, Rotary Family of BVI, BVI Red Cross and the Jost Van Dyke Preservation Society. CDRRF funded the project to the tune of USD649,500.

Work to be completed under the project will include retrofitting the Ebenezer Thomas Primary School and Valarie O Thomas Community Centre, the installation of sirens, and the procurement and installation of emergency signs and sedimentation traps for water courses. Director of the Department of Disaster Management, Ms. Sharleen DaBreo underscored the project’s importance in helping the BVI lessen its vulnerability to climate change impacts.(CDB)…[+]