by Linda Straker
- US$100 million to be combination of grants and loans
- Funding to assist with Climate Smart infrastructure projects
- Tourism minister seeking Caricom support of Kingdom hosting World Expo 2030
Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has disclosed that Grenada will receive US$100 million from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to assist the island with its Climate Smart infrastructure projects, including saving the Grand Anse Beach and resuscitation of The Carenage.
The announcement was made on Thursday, 25 May 2023, after the Prime Minister, and Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Andall, along with other senior government officials, held discussions with Ahmed Al Khateeb, Tourism Minister and Head of the Saudi Development Fund, in St George’s.
“We have been in discussions with them, and I must say for the record that we inherited those discussions in relation to a US$100 million climate-smart infrastructure project. The concept was previously called Climate Smart Cities, but it is really more than just about the City of St George’s or about the town of Grenville. It is about the resilience of our infrastructure,” the Prime Minister said in an interview with the Government Information Service (GIS), disseminated to media houses. “So, the discussions were about furthering and coming to an agreement to them funding this project. The project has a number of components, some of which includes the resuscitation of the Carenage or the saving of it, as you are aware it is susceptible to sea level rise.”
He explained that another component is the saving of Grand Anse Beach. “And when I say saving of Grand Anse beach, the beach needs to be saved. We have projections that show that by 2050 there may longer be a Grand Anse beach, and so obviously that is our pride and gem, and we have to take much care to ensure that we have it around for many more decades to come,” he said.
Sharing more details about the projects, he said that Grenville, which suffers significantly from flooding, also benefits from funding. “So, we have to take measures to address that,” said the Prime Minister.
The legal agreement for the funding is yet to be finalised, but the Prime Minister disclosed that it would be a combination of grants and loans. The announcement from Saudi Arabia happened while its tourism minister is on a Caribbean tour seeking the support of Caricom members to vote in support of the Kingdom hosting World Expo 2030 in the City of Riyadh from 1 October 2030 to 31 March 2031, under the theme “The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow.”
GRENADIANS:
Just say NO TO ENDLESS DEBT, CONTROL, SERVITUDE AND DISRESPECT.
Run your own show!!!!
China and SA own Grenada – Russia next!
So much for the island we love – will find another love !! So sad and pathetic
Listen friends,all non exporting and producing countries large or small relie on investment!! Grenada does not simply pull in enough tax revenue to pay for the most important projects. The answer is how we use the money wisely, but the question is the loan etc is it costed,and is it fair and reasonable. Unfortunately we all have to dance with the devil sometimes for the greater good of our people.
To whom much is given, much is required
Sorry but we seems to forget why Saudi Arabia is talking about loans and grants which are two different things. Like most of these wealthy countries when they want to make even more money by promoting events in their country ,they will run to little islands like ours bearing gifts disguise as loans and grants.
Now once they get our vote which is needed then we are of no use to them.
Grenadians have to start building their own infrastructure and stop waiting on others to do so.
Amen!!!
100 m from Saudi.
A bunch more millions from China…
We aint tired?
i applaud the saving of the GRAND ANSE BEACH especially the relocation of those areas where the HOTEL INFASTRUCTURE reaches in to sea preventing beach goers from traversing the sand without restrictions posed by the jutting out of the building into virtually the sea. This ought not to be allowed as it infringes on the beach covenants and bars that are currently in place. Of particular interest are the hotels occupying the extreme end of the beach/sand.
Grenada please don’t fall for these false guise. They know that Grenada has potential and is quite popular right now, but as soon as they enter Grenada then will try to tell the Prime Minister what they want and how to do it. They want to keep Grenada in DEBT!! No loans, no lobbyists it is dangerous.
Agreed!
As is everything, there is a price to pay the Saudis. Please do not get distracted, like the previous government, use that money for its intended purposes.
Why would Saudi Arabia care about Grand Anse Beach when Grenadians show such little interest in maintaining it ? There are so many eyesores along its short 2.5 mile stretch that it beggars belief.
Never borrow that which you cannot pay back…
Amen Amen and Amen. I totally agree. When they see progress they come in like the devil with apple to allow Grenada to bite, and then take us back to start from the beginning. This is what is occurring in the USA right now.
Guess the US $100 million as grant and loan is agreed upon, that Grenada vote for Saudi Ariba to host the Tourism Expo in 2030/31.
I do hope that the grant money is more substantial than that of the loan, after all the Saudis need our assistance as well as the other caribbean islands, and our Grenada also needs their assistance to tackle mportant projects for the island sustenance, therfore, it should come, mostly as a trade off.