[dropcap]E[/dropcap]stablished in 1992, the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) is a multi-lateral donor agency with the goal of tackling pressing environmental issues in countries across the globe. Through its Small Grants Program (SGP), funding for over 18,000 projects in 124 countries has been established. Saint Lucia is one of the member countries, and last year a total of EC$3.51million was invested here, with 17 new projects being implemented. This brought the total investment in Saint Lucia as at 31 December, 2017 to EC$9.832 million.
On 1 June the fifth annual GEF SGP report for Saint Lucia was presented.
National Co-ordinator of GEF SGP Giles Romulus is pleased with the quality of work the organisation was able to accomplish last year but acknowledges there is still much room for growth. “With the funding of 17 new projects in 2017,” he said, “that increased the number of projects we’ve funded between 2012 and 2017 to 74. 222 persons were employed last year through our projects, and that brought the total of employed persons to 1,021.”
In addition to employment, 865 persons also received training in apiculture, diving, coral reef monitoring and marketing, among other areas.
One area that needs to be improved, Giles said, is “the spatial spread”. The majority of implemented projects last year were on the west Coast, with two on the east Coast. “We have to do something about that. Projects are now amalgamated in Soufriere and Canaries/Anse La Raye, and now the east coast has about four projects.”
One project which stood out, centres on the remarkable story of a Laborie fisherman. An ecstatic Dr. Gale Rigobert gave insight into the internationally acclaimed project: five years ago, following a GEF meeting, a fisherman named Karlis Noel developed a plan for a desalination project in his community. The minister beamed as she spelled out the result: “It was the first generation prototype, solar-driven, mobile and brine neutralizing system!”
A report from the Caribbean Public Health Agency to determine its efficiency concluded: “The desalination plant was very efficient. This self-sufficient system will provide water security for the village of Laborie.”
Far from Saint Lucia’s shores, another island would soon be lining up for this invention. Nauru, with a population of approximately 10,000, suffers from a scarcity of adequate water as a consequence of the underground water supply becoming unusable, thanks to salt-water intrusion. International appeals were made by NGOs there for proposals to remedy the situation, and Mr. Noel submitted his suggestion.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” said a dramatic Ms Rigobert, “it is now with great pleasure, honour and humility that I inform you that the fisherman’s proposal was selected for implementation in the Republic of Nauru!”
Education minister, Ms Rigobert added: “Mr. Noel is self-taught and did not complete secondary school.”
An agreement has been signed, and designs for the project are now in the works. The minister hopes this achievement will be an incentive for our young people and nation to become more innovative.
