Grenada Today - The National Newspaper of Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique

Chief Project Officer Isaac Bhagwan Portfolio Manager of CDB, Norman Cameron Minister of Education, Claris Charles Six primary schools in Grenada and Carriacou are to benefit from a US$4.4 million programme sponsored by the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Ministry of Education.

The initiative known as the Economic Reconstruction Programme - Rehabilitation of Primary Schools, and first signed with the CDB in 2003, was launched last Wednesday at the Grenada Grand Beach Hotel in the south of the island. Chief Project Officer of the Project, Isaac Bhagwan indicated that when the project was first signed, 14 primary schools in the country were to be rehabilitated, but the number of schools has been decreased to six over time.

According to Bhagwan, the decrease came about due to the severe damage done to schools in Grenada since Hurricane Ivan struck in September and the lack of funding to rehabilitate all of the 14 schools.

The six schools involved the project are Crochu R.C School, St. Joseph's R.C School, Belair Government School, Constantine Methodist School, Corinth R.C School and Hillsborough Government school. Bhagwa said the project involves the rehabilitation of selective primary schools, the provision of furniture, and technical assistance to upgrade educational services provided by the Ministry of Education in areas of curriculum development, special education, system monitoring, and management.

He indicated that the Government of Grenada has identified education and poverty reduction as critical areas to be concentrated upon in the project. Minister of Education Claris Charles recalled that 90 percent of Grenada's schools were damaged or destroyed including furniture, equipment and infrastructure, adding up to US$100m. In losses. The Minister said that immediately after the hurricane, the island received many pledges from organisations to help in the rebuilding process but that has not been forthcoming.

She referred to those pledges as "just promises." According to Minister Charles, the Grenada Boys Secondary School (GBSS) was expected to receive US$4.5m, and one corporate citizen pledged to undertake the re-building of the school, but soon withdrew the promise when the cost of the repairs was presented to them. The business entity did only part of the school and not the entire school building.

The Irish-based telecommunications company, Digicel G'da Ltd is known to have given a commitment to help in the rebuilding of both GBSS and the T.A Marryshow Community College (TAMCC) Minister Charles thanked CDB for continuing with the project and always coming to the aid of Grenada whenever the need arises.

Portfolio Manager of CDB, Norman Cameron said that the project to be undertaken represents the bank's third direct intervention in the educational sub- sector in Grenada. "The (current) project not only addresses the immediate needs of reconstructing schools damaged by the hurricane, but the project will also contributed to the long term sustainable development in Grenada by facilitating a number of improvements in education."

Cameron pointed out that the first two projects were done in Grenada by the regional bank in the 1970s, and that the bank later approved 42 loans and 30 grants for Grenada, equivalent to US$134m.

He stated that these grants and loans were given in the areas of agriculture, fishing, forestry, manufacturing, tourism, water, micro-and small enterprise, transportation and works. He stressed that since October 2004, CDB has reaffirmed its commitment to the Grenada with the approval of two capital loans, two emergency assistance grants, and two technical assistance grants valued at US$9.2m.

Cameron gave assurances that the bank will remain a long term partner in providing support to the Government and people of Grenada as they strive to achieve their developmental objectives.