Grenada gets millions reconfirmed for project

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#Grenada, May 30, 2023 – Grenada is receiving £16.4 million for their water supply expansion project from the United Kingdom through its Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

The funds will go towards the implementation of the capital phase of the Southern St.George’s Water Supply Expansion Project.

This comes as a reconfirmation of grant financing to Grenada under the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (UK CIF) Facility.

Said reconfirmation follows recent events where the UK expressed in a letter from November 16th, 2022, that it was unable to confirm the UK CIF funding for two projects, the water supply expansion project and the Western Road Corridor Upgrade project.

Several reasons were responsible including pressure on the UK aid budget and the delayed state of the projects in Grenada.

In fact, the delayed projects was largely responsible for the loss of nearly EC$74 million in funding, after CDB signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Government in 2016, for the provision of £300 million in grant (UK CIF Resources) to finance economic infrastructure in FCDO’s Official Development Assistance program for eligible Caribbean countries; of which Grenada received a total of £22.99 million for the projects, which, up to the time of the UK’s letter, were not yet started, 6 years after the MOU signing.

Grenada’s current administration was blamed for the loss of the UK CIF funds but they refuted such claims.

Even though the UK was able to secure funding for the water expansion project, it wasn’t so for the Western Road Corridor Upgrade and to this they expressed regret.

However, The Government of Grenada has extended its gratitude to the UK Government and the CDB for their gracious support, patience, and commitment.