PM Skerrit makes passionate plea for Dominica

PRIME Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit, has made an impassioned plea to the United Nations for help for his homeland and the rest of the islands in the Caribbean that were severely affected by destructive weather systems in the past two weeks.

Speaking about the devastation in his country, which was battered by Category 5 Hurricane Maria between last Monday night and Tuesday morning, to the United Nations General Assembly in New York yesterday, Skerrit declared an international, humanitarian emergency that is centred in Dominica, but also encompasses other nations in the region, including its sister isle Antigua and Barbuda, which had to evacuate its citizens from Barbuda.

He said it is important for greater action to be taken by developing, and developed nations, to curtail the consequences of climate change.

Skerrit also called for more funds to be made available to vulnerable countries for loss and damages caused by severe weather systems.

On this note, Prime Minister Skerrit said the Green Climate Fund, which was created to assist in putting mitigation measures in place and to assist the victims of climate change, is commendable.

However, he insisted that much more must be done to assist countries that are forced to handle the brunt of climate change.

“The World Bank established the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance to assist countries that have been impacted by natural disasters. Though helpful, the amounts are usually grossly inadequate to rebuild infrastructure and to maintain the gains and progress made in economic and social development, after the likes of Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Or even in the case of a tropical storm like Erika that occurred two years ago,” he said.

Skerrit appealed for more funds to be made available to vulnerable countries for loss and damage caused by natural disasters, so that they may mitigate the risk associated with future incidents.

He said the World Bank facility must be recapitalised for greater coverage by using already committed funds from the Green Climate Fund.

“This would allow our countries to focus on improving the lives of people, and support the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

“It would allow us to rebuild our nations not as it was, but in a manner that is far more capable to meet the realities of rising sea levels and warmer oceans.

“Not to do so, Mr President, would be to abandon those who have paid a steep price for what others elsewhere have created,” he said.

“Dominicans, Mr. President, have been responsible members of the global economy. We have co-joined all the major international battles, from the abolition of forced labour to the protection of patents.

“Yet today, 72 000 Dominicans lie on the frontline, in a war they did not choose, with extensive casualties, from a war that they did not start,” Skerrit added.

The Prime Minister said the time has come for the international community to make a stand and decide whether it will be shoulder to shoulder with those suffering the ravages of climate change world-wide, whether the consequences can be mitigated, and whether unprecedented increases in sea temperatures and levels can be controlled.

“Whether to help us rebuild sustainable livelihoods, or whether the international community will merely show some pity now… Today, Mr. President, we the small nations of the world need to know who our real friends are, and who have our backs,” he added. (AH)