Financial Secretary Attends CDB Forum On Climate Resilience

Financial Secretary, Collin Owen 

The Honourable Financial Secretary Colin Owen is representing the island at the 48th annual Board of Governor’s meeting of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in Grenada.

The meeting, which officially gets underway on Wednesday May 30th will focus on resilience in the Caribbean.

This is anchored in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the commitment by CDB’s borrowing member countries, to pursue 17 Sustainable Development Goals to end all forms of poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.

A key focus of the meeting is building resilient cities.

Based on Post-Disaster Needs Assessments conducted following the passage of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, the affected Borrowing Member Countries will require almost 800 million US dollars for recovery and to build back better.

Delegates will also discuss air transport competitiveness and connectivity.

During the discussion they will explore a CDB-commissioned study, which examines the factors inhibiting connectivity and competitiveness in the regional aviation industry.

They will also discuss opportunities for overcoming connectivity deficits, and therefore improving performance.

Another important topic is “financing the blue economy: a Caribbean development opportunity.”

This seminar will discuss a CDB-commissioned study that examines innovative international and “homegrown” mechanisms to mobilise financial resources to fund industry creation and expansion.

Panellists will also discuss policy recommendations aimed at improving the entrepreneurial ecosystem for blue economy initiatives and enhancing the investment climate.