Friday October 4th, 2024 – The CARICOM Development Fund (CDF) signed a grant agreement with the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for additional financing of approximately EC$675,000 or US$250,000 from its Enhanced Emergency Disaster Assistance Facility (EEDAF) to assist recovery efforts following the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl on July 1st, 2024.
The grant was signed on Thursday October 3rd on Union Island by the Chief Executive Officer of the CDF, Rodinald Soomer, and the Honourable Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves. The signing was witnessed by the CDF Board of Directors, Government officials and residents of Union Island. This assistance implements the decision of the 9th Extraordinary Meeting of the CDF Board held on the 15th of July 2024 and brings the total post-disaster relief provided by the CDF to the Government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to approximately EC$945,000 or US$350,000.
The EEDAF is a facility created by the CDF to augment the fast-disbursing resources of its Emergency Disaster Assistance Facility (EDAF). It facilitates the mobilisation of additional resources to assist disadvantaged countries, regions, sectors and communities address the aftermath of adverse climatic and other natural disaster shocks.
The EEDAF grant contribution signed yesterday will be applied to provide support to fishers and farmers whose livelihoods were affected by the impact of Hurricane Beryl, including to purchase boat engines, fishing gear and equipment as well as planting materials. A portion of these resources will be used to further assist in the removal and transportation of debris from the Grenadines islands of Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island for recycling and reuse in Trinidad and Tobago.
