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National Consultation on Grenada’s Reconstruction Process Tuesday, December 7, 2004 Grenada Trade Centre "Towards Sustainable Recovery for Grenada" Ladies and gentlemen, three months ago today, our citizens were enduring the most disruptive force of Mother Nature this Nation has ever experienced. Hurricane Ivan suddenly and irrevocably changed the lives of all citizens of this Country. Since September 7th, all of us have endeavoured to cope with the result of the ravages of Ivan. Some are coping better than others. Some of are succeeding, gradually. Many others are still traumatised by what they personally experienced that day and have had to seek professional psychological counselling. The questions we need to ask are: How are we coping? How are we dealing with the lingering impact of Ivan? These are questions that you, sisters and brothers, must address during your Round Table discussions today. We take comfort, however, in the beauty of our Country, as the lush greenery has replaced the bleak brown that Ivan left us in its wake. We take comfort in the sound of hammers and drills and other construction tools, as business premises and private homes are being rebuilt and repaired.
We are particularly pleased that our children have returned to the classroom, despite the difficulties they encounter under trying conditions,
along with our teachers.
We are beginning to feel the impact of economic activity taking place throughout the entire Country. We welcome these and other signs of normalcy. Moreover, sisters and brothers, we are certainly heartened by the many pledges of financial and other forms of support from the donor community, along with all the relief aid received over the past three months. We are also thrilled with the commitments that are secured in agreements with USAID, CIDA, DFID, the Government of Venezuela, the CARICOM Region as a whole and members of the international community. The Donors Conference that was held last month, right here in this Trade Centre, was a clear demonstration of the seriousness by our development partners to help us build back better. Yet, sisters and brothers, despite all these very positive developments, despite the inherent resilience of our people, many citizens continue to struggle with frustrations, with feelings of apathy and varying degrees of inertia. In three short months, despite frustrations and feelings of apathy, Grenada has made significant strides in the recovery process. We may not recognise this, since we are focussed on the long road to recovery. However, officials and diplomats who visited here soon after Ivan and then returned more recently are shocked and pleasantly surprised with the progress we have made and continue to make on a daily basis. Indeed, two of our colleague Prime Ministers from the Region who were here within days of the Hurricane suggested that we embark on a programme to send all our students to other countries for the school term. They felt it would be at least one year or more before we would be able to open our schools. At the time, my instinct said this was a very kind gesture, but I did not want to separate our children from their families and their supporting environment. We made up our minds to have our schools opened in the shortest possible time and we have accomplished this. We are all extremely proud to see our children in school at this time. The conditions may not be ideal, but our children are in school. Government, for its part and with its limited financial, technical and human resources, has embarked on several programmes. We also know our Public Service is stretched to the limit in critical areas. These include counselling services in the Ministry of Social Development and extension services in the Ministry of Agriculture, among other areas. The recovery of our Country and the general mobilisation of our people, as we all know depend on the willingness of every person in this room, and outside, to cooperate. Indeed, today’s exercise provides a wonderful opportunity for all stakeholders to come together in mutual understanding regarding the way forward. Moreover, all decisions regarding the implementation of programmes and policies that facilitate the recovery of our Nation must be made in collaboration with the relevant Government ministries. This is a process that we all recognise is necessary for success. There is no provision, therefore, for unilateral decision-making. In recognising the frustrations our citizens are dealing with on a daily basis, personally, professionally and in all aspects of their lives, we must appeal to everyone for patience. There can be no magic solution to the problems that we face. The solution is simply this: Let us build back better. Permit me, at this juncture, to focus on one critically important priority for Government, the Agency for Reconstruction and Development, the National Council for Reconstruction and Development, the United Nations Development Programme and, indeed, all our developmental partners. I refer you to the special multi-faceted issue of SHELTER. Nothing is more important than this. Building new, hurricane resistant houses at affordable prices for the thousands of persons who have been displaced is a major challenge. As you know, the Government has set a goal of constructing 8,000 to 10,000 houses for low income families over the next five years. In this regard, there are several positive developments taking place through the Ministry of Social Development, the Housing Authority of Grenada and the Emergency Housing Committee. It is important to note that a programme now ongoing is the construction of at least 225 low income homes for the most vulnerable families. Material Assistance is being provided to repair roofs and other damages for low income families, at a maximum cost of $5,000 per home, given the available resources. The donation of approximately 130 low income houses by the Government of Venezuela for a new housing complex in St. David’s is a seriously important and welcome development. Yet, while we pursue these and other avenues for the provision of housing, we are mindful of the fact that some people are hurriedly constructing makeshift structures for shelter, while others are rebuilding in areas totally unsuited for housing. Concrete pilings for houses are being mounted, as we talk, in the sand, mere feet away from the sea. In other areas, squatters are, as they say "putting down" in locations inappropriate for housing, on private property or on Crown lands. We have to deal with this. It is an important factor. Moreover, most of these structures do not adhere to any serious Building Code regulations. Consequently we have to prepare these families for relocation to areas that are conducive for sustainable housing and which can accommodate the numbers that may be required in different communities. These adjustments and relocations, as we all know, will be difficult and painful. However, we need to configure the method of relocating and the provision of support facilities to soften the burden of such adjustments in lifestyle occasioned by Ivan. We have no choice whatsoever. Such adjustments are necessary and regrettably, disruptive. However, if done properly and with compassion, the people, as well as the Country, will be far better off for it. We have to have the guts to do it. We cannot play games with the future of the Country. Indeed, we must build back better. With respect to the vital agricultural sector, Government recognised that, as a matter of urgency, we must implement a programme of subsidisation for the farming community. The Agricultural Emergency Rehabilitation Project (AERP) got underway on November 1st. This is the first time in Grenada’s history that farmers and farm workers are being subsidised by Government for their labour. Farmers need our support now, not tomorrow. I note with tremendous interest the comments made by Sir Alister McIntyre. We need to reduce the paper work and the bureaucracy. These are not normal times. Let’s do it right and do it fast. Ladies and gentlemen, many livelihoods have been affected by Ivan. Indeed, thousands of our people have no livelihood as a result of Ivan. This includes people who were very independent before and never asked for anything. They helped others. Today, they reluctantly have to accept gifts. For them it is tortuous. I have seen this during my visits throughout the Nation. Government and its service providers, the ARD, the National Council for Reconstruction and Development and all stakeholders must do everything in our power to soften the negative impacts of unemployment and other problems created by Ivan. I am pleased to report that discussions have taken place with officials from the National Insurance Scheme regarding unemployment benefits. Unemployment also dictates that more skills training and retraining opportunities which are necessary for the way forward. This puts more pressure on the Ministry of Education, which is already burdened with the extensive damage to our schools and equipment and the impact this is having on our students and teachers. We cannot forget than many of our businesses suffered tremendously. Businesses had two hits - one during Ivan and one post Ivan. A facility that can support soft financing must be entertained. We also need to provide jobs in the interim period for our young people. If we leave our young people without hope and jobs, none of us will escape the effects of this. We need to consider the education of our children. The ball game has changed. We need to consider that school uniform and feed programme expansion support is necessary. Ladies and gentlemen, there are many other critical areas that need to be addressed today, which I am pleased to see listed for the Round Table Discussions later this morning. All deserve your undivided attention. All must be addressed with vigour, commitment, compassion and urgency. It is time for more collective action. It is time to build back better in earnest. In my announcement to the Nation a couple of weeks after Ivan, I indicated, after Cabinet consultation, that the National Development Council would be formed and the Agency for Reconstruction and Development would be formed. The schematic operation was made clear to the Nation then and the commitment was concretised. The National Advisory Council would report to the Chairman of Cabinet. The Chairman of Cabinet would report to Cabinet. Cabinet consults with the Board, which is headed by Sir Alister McIntyre, and the Board implements as we all agreed. I repeat this for the benefit of all. As I said at the beginning of this Address, Hurricane Ivan suddenly and irrevocably changed all our lives. As we move forward, I remind us all that the public relations programme will be critical for our successful efforts. It is now incumbent on us, as community leaders and stakeholders, to make that change positive and sustainable, thereby uplifting our people, giving them hope and inspiring them to build back better. I thank you. |
