Last Updated on October 4, 2022, 6:18 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, urges the international community and lending institutions to rethink the criteria currently used for accessing concessional financing to help build resilience against climate change.
The Prime Minister spoke on Sunday, October 2, 2022, at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) church service. This address aimed to celebrate 39 years of service to the people of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.
During his address, Prime Minister Dr Drew called for an end to traditional development indicators that insufficiently capture small island nations’ vulnerabilities.
According to Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew, In most cases, this measurement system unfairly prevents developing nations from accessing the help they need.
The United Nations is working with the small island developing states (SIDS) to create and implement a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI). The index seeks to increase eligibility for small island developing states (SIDS) to receive more significant financing to address their vulnerabilities.
According to the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, “We are seeking for the world to join us in accepting that the vulnerability index must be considered to allow regions like ours to have concessions when it comes to loans on the international market if we are to build that resilience that we need,”
The Prime Minister further added, “Today, St Kitts and Nevis enjoys a relatively good standard of living. However, because of climate change, even with its insidious negative impact on us, we can suffer a major hurricane that can set us back for decades. This is no longer a theory. This is what we are facing as a people,” Dr Terrance Drew added.
Climate action and security were topics Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew addressed during his inaugural presentation to United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on September 23, 2022.
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.
