BRIDGETOWN – Just over a year after Hurricane Maria, Dominica is set to enhance post-disaster response, build more climate-resilient schools and empower communities across the country, with the help of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Canada.

On Thursday, CDB’s Board of Directors approved grant funding to help the country recover from the impact of Hurricane Maria. This will include the rebuilding or rehabilitation of five primary schools in some of the hardest-hit areas of the island. The funding will also cover the Government’s premiums for parametric risk insurance for 2018 and 2019 under CCRIF SPC. The Government of Canada will provide CAD8.77 million from the Dominica Climate Resilience and Restoration Fund, which is being administered by CDB. The Bank and Government of Dominica will also provide the equivalent of CAD396,000 and CAD694,000 to the project respectively.

More than 1,300 students are expected to benefit from the project which will see the schools rebuilt to the highest Model Safe School Programme standards, in keeping with the Government of Dominica’s goal to “build back better.” The construction will also be subject to rigorous Climate Risk Vulnerability Assessments. The physical upgrade of the schools will be complemented by skills training for up to 150 contractors, suppliers and school maintenance staff in climate-resilient construction best practices and school maintenance planning. Eighty teachers and principals will also learn how to incorporate technology and lessons on climate resilience into their teaching…[+]