Last Updated on May 29, 2020, 10:54 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Four Caribbean countries would be receiving a total of US$159 million in the form of loans from the World Bank to enhance the country’s air transport connectivity and infrastructure.
On Thursday, the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved the series of loans, which are a part of the Caribbean Regional Air Transport Connectivity Project.
The loans will include the International Development Association financing of US$45 million for Saint Lucia, US$17 million for Grenada, US$13 million for Dominica and US$84 million for Haiti.
Haiti will be receiving a grant, and the other three Eastern Caribbean islands will be receiving concessional financing with maturity after 40 years, and will also include a 10 year grace period.
The World Bank said that Dominica, St Lucia, Grenada and Haiti are reliant on the air transport sector and they face common connectivity issues and the projects will enable them to accommodate better-diverted flights, post-disaster relief flights, emergency landings and will also improve the regional capacity and collaboration in the sector of air transport.
Tahseen Sayed, the Country Director of the World Bank for the Caribbean said that the series of these three projects aim at increasing the safety and the overall resilience of the key connection points in the Eastern Caribbean.
He added that the World Bank’s first financing of airport projects in the Caribbean will also be facilitating support and connectivity among the countries during the COVID-19 coronavirus recovery phase.
Anabela Abreu, the World Bank’s Country Director for Haiti said that the project would modernize the air transport infrastructure and also support the critical improvements in resilience, safety and regulatory oversight.
She added that the project is important for the COVID-19 recovery efforts, as Haiti’s economy would benefit from the enhanced resilience and connectivity.
The project aims to improve safety and airport resilience readiness to natural disasters and to strengthen the capacity of agencies handling air transportation operations and airport investment planning in Dominica.
Navigation and safety equipment would be improved, enabling the emergency landing in cases of natural disasters and also increasing the capacity in air traffic control, wildlife management, airport management and planning.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
