Published 13 December 2019
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
GOVERNMENT MAKING STEPS TO BUILD RESILIENCY IN WATER SUPPLY
Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 13, 2019 (SKNIS): The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis in its attempts to further enhance its sustainable development, has made some steps towards building resiliency in the water supply amidst climate change that has brought about more drought-like conditions, said the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris during his Budget Address 2020 on December 12, 2019.
“Mr. Speaker, the rise in global temperatures has intensified the incidence of drought across the globe. Our Federation is not immune to these adverse impacts. In recent years, extended periods of very low or absence of precipitation has become commonplace thereby impacting the availability of water,” Prime Minister Harris said.
Prime Minister Harris stated that last year, “the Ministry of Sustainable Development had developed a concept note as the first step in our effort to bring future support with respect to the water sector.”
This concept note which was developed in collaboration with Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) was named ‘Building Resiliency in the Water Supply in St. Kitts and Nevis’.
Some of the vital areas that will be addressed by the project include “the development of a reliable and resilient water supply infrastructure, enhancements of the organisational capacity of water supply service providers for effective and efficient management, and fostering an enabling legal, regulatory and institutional environment for the efficient performance of water service providers,” said Prime Minister Harris.
The honourable prime minister then stated that the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis “intends to submit this project for consideration … to the Global Climate Fund.”
“If successful, it will be our first successful engagement in seeking financing with respect to the climate change fund that has been established,” Dr. Harris said.
In 2020, “we would continue to work with the CDB to complete the process and bring us closer to a transformational change in the Water Sector,” the prime minister said.
