by Linda Straker
- Caribbean Development Bank agreed to repurpose portion of the education enhancement loan to Grenada
- CDB funded expansion and rehabilitation of 6 schools through the Grenada Education Enhancement Project
- Several primary and secondary schools were damaged to varying degrees
Education Minister David Andrews disclosed that the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) agreed to repurpose a portion of the education enhancement loan to Grenada because of the damages caused to schools following the destruction caused by the passage of Hurricane Beryl on 1 July.
The worst hit areas are in the north of the country, and in the area, several primary and secondary schools were damaged to varying degrees. While few schools will need to built over, some will undergo repairs with the hope that they will be ready for use by late September or early October.
When asked if the Government has received approval to repurpose any loans or grants, Andrews confirmed that CDB, which funded the expansion and rehabilitation of 6 schools through the Grenada Education Enhancement Project, agreed to repurpose funds for repairs.
“In the case of Bishop’s College (located in Carriacou), which was built in the last couple of years with a CDB loan, there are still funds within that project to facilitate the repairs, and so we did have engagement with CDB, and they are prepared to have funds disbursed under that project for the repairs to Bishop College,” Andrews said during a news conference on 1 August. “They are prepared to do emergency representation to forego the normal procurement channels to have direct selection because of the urgency of this particular situation,” he added.
“The same is true for MacDonald College. The BNTF [Basic Needs Trust Fund] there was reassigned for the provision of, I think devices, and upgrade of the IT infrastructure in schools, and I think that has been reassigned in the first instance to assist with the repairs at MacDonald College, so we discussed with CDB as well and that has been agreed to,” he said. “The BNTF has been reassigned there, first to deal with the repairs there and then to start with MacDonald College which was one of the schools listed for IT infrastructure repairs there, and then we will go out as far as we can to support other schools. That’s the extent to which there has been repurposing of funds.”
