USAID CBJ FY 2002: Caribbean Regional

Summary: Hurricane Georges left a trail of damage throughout the Leeward Islands of the Eastern Caribbean as it passed through the region on September 20, 1998. It caused severe damage in St. Kitts-Nevis and Antigua-Barbuda. Approximately 3,500 people were left homeless, 50% of the sugar crop was lost and school, health, business, agriculture and tourism infrastructure was badly damaged. The structural and economic damage in St. Kitts-Nevis and Antigua-Barbuda is estimated at hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars. More than 6,000 people lost employment or their source of income as a result of the hurricane.

The Hurricane Georges Reconstruction objective was established to assist the countries of St. Kitts-Nevis and Antigua-Barbuda recover from the crisis resulting from the passage of Hurricane Georges. It targets three results: restoring hospital services (St. Kitts-Nevis); enhancing local capacity for disaster mitigation (St. Kitts-Nevis and Antigua-Barbuda); and reactivating economic activities to small- and microenterprises.

Key Results: Activities are meeting expectations and are expected to be completed several months ahead of the December 31, 2001 target completion date. All three results provide necessary humanitarian assistance to the affected countries, are currently being implemented, and are within the time lines that have been established.

Reconstruction of the pediatric ward of the Joseph N. France Hospital in St. Kitts is approximately 30% complete. This activity is being managed by Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The Organization of American States (OAS) has conducted nine workshops in St. Kitts-Nevis and Antigua-Barbuda to srengthen the capacities of these countries to withstand disasters. The training program is 50% complete. USAID is providing support to microentreprenuers in St. Kitts-Nevis through the Foundation for National Development (St. Kitts), which has positioned 42% of the funds allocated to them for microenterprise lending.

Performance and Prospects: Reconstruction of the pediatric ward, under a contract between PAHO and Moorjani-Edgehill, commenced on September 4, 2000. Work is on target for completion by June 30, 2001. Installation of foundations as well as the floor slab has been completed. The construction of walls, installation of conduits and pipes are underway. In addition, the procurement of X-ray equipment and all other equipment will take place in early to mid-2001. Training in disaster management is scheduled for May 2001.

USAID is working with the OAS to strengthen disaster mitigation capabilities in St. Kitts-Nevis and Antigua-Barbuda. Development, adoption and implementation of effective national hazard mitigation policies and operational plans are underway. Hazard mitigation committees at the ministerial level have been established in both countries and will serve as the final review board for the policies and plans. The following hazards were identified from hazard mitigation planning and prioritization workshops held in St. Kitts-Nevis and Antigua-Barbuda: wind, storm surge, inland flooding, coastal erosion (both countries), drought (Antigua, Barbuda and Nevis) and inland erosion (Antigua, Barbuda and St. Kitts). Full assessment and mapping of these hazards was completed in January 2001. The hazard assessments will be further used to conduct vulnerability assessments of critical facilities and to provide background information for the national hazard mitigation policy/plan.

Both Antigua-Barbuda and St. Kitts-Nevis have adopted national building codes, and building inspectors have been trained in these codes. USAID is providing assistance to ensure that the codes are available to the public. In addition, USAID has supported the production and distribution of manuals on safe building practices, an inspection checklist for householders, and a flyer addressing actions that can be taken before a storm to prevent damage.

USAID is working with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency and Recovery Agency (CDERA) to provide training for emergency and shelter managers in order to establish comprehensive national emergency shelter policies and programs in Antigua-Barbuda and St. Kitts-Nevis.

Preparatory work has begun for structural vulnerability assessments to be undertaken in both countries. Facilities to be included in the structural vulnerability assessment have been chosen and bids have been solicited from local engineering firms. Work will begin in the first part of 2001.

Field assessments in Antigua-Barbuda and St. Kitts-Nevis, found only one lending institution, the Foundation for National Development (FND) in St. Kitts, qualified to provide loans to the small and microenterprise sector. A grant agreement providing $350,000 was put in place on November 28, 2000 with the FND. To date, $150,000 has been disbursed, with the balance scheduled to be disbursed by May 2001.

Possible Adjustments to Plans: No adjustments to the current plan is contemplated.

Other Donor Programs: Other donors are colloabating on reconstruction of the St Kitts hospital: the European Union is financing construction of the outpatient department; the World Bank is providing resources for the adult medical ward; and the Caribbean Development Bank is financing reconstruction of the obstetrics ward. USAID is also working in coordination with CDERA.

Principal Contractors, Grantees, or Agencies: Local organizations: Moorjani-Edgehill (Barbados) and the Foundation for National Development (St. Kitts). International organizations: PAHO and the OAS.

U.S. Financing

(In thousands of dollars)

	Obligations		Expenditures		Unliquidated
Through September 30, 1999	300	DA	0	DA	300	DA
	200	CSD	0	CSD	200	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF	0	ESF
	3,000	CACEDRF	0	CACEDRF	3,000	CACEDRF
	0	FSA	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA	0	DFA
Fiscal Year 2000	0	DA	32	DA
	0	CSD	0	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF
	0	CACEDRF	415	CACEDRF
	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA
Through September 30, 2000	300	DA	32	DA	268	DA
	200	CSD	0	CSD	200	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF	0	ESF
	3,000	CACEDRF	415	CACEDRF	2,585	CACEDRF
	0	FSA	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA	0	DFA
Prior Year Unobligated Funds*	0	DA
	0	CSD
	0	ESF
	0	CACEDRF
	0	FSA
	0	DFA
Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA	0	DA
	0	CSD
	0	ESF
	0	CACEDRF
	0	FSA
	0	DFA
Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001	0	DA
	0	CSD
	0	ESF
	0	CACEDRF
	0	FSA
	0	DFA
			Future Obligations		Est. Total Cost
Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA	0	DA	0	DA	300	DA
	0	CSD	0	CSD	200	CSD
	0	ESF	0	ESF	0	ESF
	0	CACEDRF	0	CACEDRF	3,000	CACEDRF
	0	FSA	0	FSA	0	FSA
	0	DFA	0	DFA	0	DFA

Caribbean Regional

Activity Data Sheet

U.S. Financing