Flying High: The Best and Worst of the Region's Airports

THE STAR BUSINESSWEEK JULY 13, 2019

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FLYING HIGH: THE BEST AND WORST OF THE REGION’S AIRPORTS

If tourism is the lifeblood of the Caribbean then the region’s airports are its arteries, pumping that vital resource around the islands. Around 30 million visitors come to the Caribbean each year, most of them by plane. For these arrivals, the airport is their first impression of the destination. The guest who is greeted by a sleek, modern transport hub with efficient systems and helpful staff is likely to become a return visitor. The passenger met by crumbling buildings containing mediocre and limited services is almost certain to look elsewhere when planning their next vacation.

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What Italy’s Cruise Ship Protests Mean for the Caribbean Venice is unquestionably one of the world’s most beautiful cities. As a tourism magnet in northern Italy, a visit to the City of Canals is on the bucket list of many people from Italy, Europe and around the world.

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BY CATHERINE MORRIS, STAR BUSINESSWEEK CORRESPONDENT Continued on page 4

Feeling welcome? Cruise passengers look on as Venetians vent during a protest against cruise lines.

Water Security in the Caribbean Late June saw the Sixth Caribbean Water Operators’ Conference hosted at Bay Gardens Hotel, Rodney Bay. Page 7

Renderings of the US$ 175mn Hewanorra International Airport redevelopment project released by the Government of Saint Lucia

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The STAR Businessweek CHRISTIAN WAYNE PUBLISHER & EDITOR OF STAR BUSINESSWEEK

MOROCCO AND SURINAME EXPAND BILATERAL TIES

BY RAY CHICKRIE

Foreign Minister of Morocco Nasser Bourita (L) and of Suriname, Yldiz Pollack-Beighle

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ARAMARIBO, Suriname — The minister of foreign affairs of Morocco, Nasser Bourita, arrived to a warm welcome in Suriname in June to expand bilateral relations. Behind this mission to Suriname, the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Chile was the issue of Western Sahara, also known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) which Morocco claims as an integral part of the Kingdom.

Nasser Bourita had meetings with the vice president of Suriname, Ashwin Adhin and the foreign minister of Suriname, Yldiz Pollack-Beighle.

Moroccan aid to Suriname and this visit by foreign minister Nasser Bourita was Rabat’s way of thanking Suriname for resending its recognition of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) on March 9, 2016. Meantime, Bourita would like to see more Caribbean and Latin American countries resend recognition of SADR. In reference to Western Sahara, the joint communique issued by both countries read, “Suriname reiterates

its position of principle in favour of the internationally recognized principles of dialogue and the peaceful regulation of fighting and salutes the commitment of the government of Morocco in favour of a definitive and mutually acceptable political solution.”

They call upon all parties to find a “political solution in the framework of Moroccan sovereignty and territorial integrity of the kingdom”.

Morocco is offering Western Sahara full autonomy with defence and foreign affairs to Rabat to control. However, countries like South Africa, Nigeria and Guyana are not changing their stance on the issue.

The Suriname News Agency (NII) reported that the two countries would expand bilateral cooperation and noted that trade between the two countries is one of the vital areas that needs to grow.

Thus, Morocco will soon send a trade and investment delegation to Paramaribo.

However, for such a senior visit and the fact that they have been working since 2017 on a “roadmap”, there was no Continued on page 6

CRUISE INDUSTRY

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WHAT ITALY’S CRUISE SHIP PROTESTS MEAN FOR THE CARIBBEAN

BY ED KENNEDY, STAR BUSINESSWEEK CORRESPONDENT

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enice is unquestionably one of the world’s most beautiful cities.

As a tourism magnet in northern Italy, a visit to the City of Canals is on the bucket list of many people from Italy, Europe and around the world.

It’s also a city that recognises tourism as a key part of its local economy. For generations it has been this way, and Venetians today continue to understand the importance of tourism to the city’s ongoing viability. But recent times have seen Venetians begin to push back against what they consider to be over-reach by cruise ships. So what has sparked these protests in Venice? And what could it mean for the many ports in the Caribbean that regularly play host to large cruise ships? Let’s look now in-depth.

A CITY ON WATER Modern Venice has undergone a massive reinvention. Once a rich, independent republic and major trading port, today tourism is its primary draw.

The city has a population of around 50,000 permanent residents but attracts over 20 million tourists each year.

Although welcoming visitors from afar has long been a part of the Venetian tradition, recent times have seen growing concern surrounding the capacity of the city to preserve its history due to the demands of the modern tourism industry. The concern reached its zenith in early June when the Swiss-owned MSC Opera cruise ship crashed into a dock along the Giudecca Canal, one of the city’s major thoroughfares that leads to the iconic St Mark’s Square, an attraction past which many cruise ships have traditionally sailed.

Protests followed, with Venetians taking to the streets, supported by the Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnaro, seeking change that would result in large ships being rerouted. This comes on the heels of 2017 legislation whereby all cruise ships over 55,000 tonnes will be banned from sailing into the city centre near St Mark’s Square by 2021.

Debates over tonnage and exact sailing routes will continue to rage but all the while there is the question of what cruise line operators can do to allay anguish. It’s here that clear-cut implications for the Caribbean also factor in.

FROM VENETIAN CANALS TO CARIBBEAN SEAS Many Venetians also feel anxiety about the future of their city owing to

Anti-cruise ship demonstrators in Venice, Italy

the impact of climate change and rising sea levels. This is an area shared with a number of the Caribbean’s great cities and locales. But while cruise line woes and climate change issues are separate, they do share a common link of requiring conservation of what is held now, and planning for the future ahead.

Although Caribbean cities developed long after Venice was created, this region also shares a rich history and unique culture. Recent times have seen Venice highlight vividly the challenges that one location can face when seeking to serve a tourism marketplace that is truly global.

RESPONSIBILITY ON LAND AND WATER Venice, like all cities, has challenges; the same aspects that make Venice so unique, also embattle it. Other cities can work relatively fast to address issues with roads, infrastructure and congestion that may affect the everyday lives and enjoyment of permanent residents and tourists, but the heritage character of the metropolis means that change will never be rapid. This is due not only to governmental challenges, but also infrastructure considerations in building within a city built on water.

In part, the current issues have been the fault of Italian authorities too.

Many buildings in Venice are rightfully identified as historic but what takes place within their walls has often gone on with little scrutiny. Due to years of lax zoning restrictions, it was all too easy for businesses to hang a shingle advertising new tourism accommodation, with little

consideration to existing suppliers and the impact it could have on the street and city. As a result, anyone looking to make a holiday booking could still find a vacancy, but with their vacation guaranteed to see them joining crowds already packing out the cafes, canals and galleries.

THE RIGHT VESSEL The thrill of arriving at a beautiful Caribbean port is not dissimilar to the pleasure of passengers as they sail through architecturally charming Venice.

In Venice, passengers often disembark and quickly seek out a gondola for a new experience on the water, just as passengers do locally with Caribbean fishing boats and other watercraft.

It’s here that cruise line operators could find great value in partnering with local providers to allay the fears of Venetian protestors. Venice is not only a city of gondolas, but ferries and other vessels able to transport passengers unobtrusively.

And if cruise ships can sail for weeks at sea with little interruption, it’s a hard sell to suggest they can’t make some special arrangements for a couple of days when visiting Venice.

Some in the cruise industry may be wary of setting this precedent; that if one port gains this arrangement, all would seek it, but that’s ultimately not realistic.

Many historic ports readily celebrate the arrival of cruise ships. Meanwhile, younger locales with less-developed harbours make plans to dredge their bay and expand their docks to ensure they can accommodate the latest and greatest cruise liners.

VENICE’S HISTORY AND THE CARIBBEAN’S FUTURE For Caribbean nations like Saint Lucia that are right now experiencing a surge in tourism, the experience of Venice is an important one on which to reflect. Undoubtedly growth in tourism is a wonderful testament to a local business community and its country — and is far preferable to seeing a decline in tourism — but truly sustainable tourism relies on pro-active planning, rather than reactive problem-solving.

In this regard the work of the Chastanet government to pursue the creation of a new cruise ship port in Vieux Fort is an example of a step in the right direction. It will ensure that while Castries may long lay claim to being the most popular of Saint Lucia’s ports for a cruise ship arrival, the years and decades ahead will see any stress placed upon it offset by an arrival elsewhere.

NAVIGATING THE PORTS With the right reforms put in place, there’s every reason to hope ‘the best of both worlds’ can be achieved locally and globally, with large cruise liners continuing to operate but doing so without risk of outcry from locals.

For the cruise industry, there’s now the chance to be a part of it and proactive in it; to seize the opportunity to facilitate the change that comes in ports, and avoid just being SBW pushed out to sea by it.

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FLYING HIGH: THE BEST AND WORST OF THE REGION’S AIRPORTS Continued from page 1

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ecognising the value of a state-of-the-art airport, Saint Lucia has embarked on a US$ 175mn overhaul of Hewanorra International Airport (HIA). Going beyond a mere revamp, the huge project is part of a 30-year masterplan for the airport’s future and includes a new air traffic control tower, two-storey terminal building and private jet terminal alongside an extensive car park and road network system.

THE REGION’S BEST PERFORMERS The full-scale expansion and rejuvenation of HIA is just one of many airport renaissances taking place around the region. In March Prince Charles took time out from his Caribbean tour to officially open the new and improved Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman. The CI$ 55mn upgrade brought in a new baggage system, immigration hall, shopping gallery and food court. According to Cayman Airport Authority CEO Albert Anderson, the development has more than quadrupled the facility’s capacity, paving the way for Grand Cayman to welcome 2.7 million passengers a year in comparison to the 500,000 envisioned when the airport was first built in the 1950s.

In terms of passenger arrivals, the destination to beat in the Caribbean is Cancun. Cancun International Airport added 30 new air routes in 2018 and processed 25 million passengers, making it the region’s fastest growing airport. In comparison, Saint Lucia’s HIA welcomed nearly 650,000 passengers in 2016 according to figures from the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Port Authority (SLASPA) and the government estimates that it will boost this number to a million a year when the redevelopment is complete.

Passenger numbers are one thing, but passenger experiences are arguably more important that the statistics. Global air transportation watchdog, Airports Council International (ACI), ranks the world’s airports based on passenger feedback.

The ACI’s annual Airport Service Quality awards recognise the best performers in categories such as airport ambience, infrastructure and customer service.

Last year, Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaria International Airport won Most Improved in the Latin America-Caribbean region while the Dominican Republic’s Aeropuerto Internacional Punta Cana took home Best Airport Serving Between 5 and 15 million passengers in Latin AmericaCaribbean.

PASSENGER TRENDS What makes regional airports excel is not just a matter of providing good facilities but also responding to trends in the industry. The airports of tomorrow are likely to be shaped by three major factors: the need for enhanced security to allay

Cancun International Airport added 30 new air routes in 2018 and processed 25 million passengers, making it the region’s fastest growing airport.

Renderings of the Hewanorra International Airport redevelopment project released by SLASPA

terrorist threats and crimes such as drug trafficking; advances in technology, and a move towards more environmentally responsible travel.

Smart technology is revolutionising the travel experience. Biometrics is the latest frontier in this movement and several major US carriers such as Delta and Jet Blue are already experimenting with facial recognition and fingerprint software to speed up boarding and keep track of passengers. Heathrow Airport in London made headlines recently as it announced a full-scale rollout of facial recognition services for the summer 2019 season, tracking passengers throughout their entire airport journey, from bag drop to boarding.

In Asia, which is often at the forefront of technology adoption, Haneda Robotics Lab plans to trial seven robots in a live airport environment. These chatbots will be on hand to answer passenger questions, transport luggage and identify security risks. Haneda Airport in Japan is looking at using a full fleet of the robots as it prepares for the Tokyo Olympics next year.

Sophisticated technology is tying into the need for greater security with smart tech used to screen and monitor both passengers and their luggage, provide

electronic tagging for baggage and upgrade airport digital infrastructure to strengthen it against cyber-attacks.

But passengers don’t just want easy, secure travel. Thanks to climate change going mainstream, the public now has an environmental conscience and travellers are more mindful, and appreciative, of

Construction on HIA finally broke ground earlier this year and the airport is expected to open mid-2021. Although its impact on tourism figures may not be seen for some time, the government estimates that it will spur the development of at least 1,000 new hotel rooms

transport hubs that try to reduce their environmental impact. While airports may not seem like the obvious choice for eco-innovation, there are a number of Caribbean facilities embracing the challenge. Antigua led the way in 2016 when it opened the region’s first airport solar power plant. The 3 megawatt installation at VC Bird International Airport includes more than 12,000 photovoltaic panels and can generate up to 4.6 MWh per year — almost entirely covering the electricity consumption of the entire airport, according to developers PV Energy.

Both The Bahamas’ Lynden Pindling International Airport (recently revamped in a four-year, US$ 409mn redevelopment) and the newly opened Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman are also making use of energy efficient tools. The architecture of both facilities is designed to take advantage of natural light while their air conditioning systems run off geothermal technology. They also employ LED lighting to bring down energy consumption.

ISLAND CHALLENGES For many island nations, overhauling their airports is hard enough without taking into account energy concerns, technological advances and security issues. Connectivity is key for small island states but challenges include lack of land, the impact of severe weather events, the costly equipment needed and finding appropriate funding partners.

For countries like The Bahamas, an archipelago comprising of over 700 islands and cays, stakeholders must also consider the huge costs of building links between each small island to spread the tourism dollar throughout the whole country.

The costs are high, but the rewards are potentially huge. And, in a world where global competition for tourism is fierce, Caribbean destinations simply do not have a choice; they must either upgrade or be left behind.

The redevelopment of HIA has had its share of bumps in the road. In the works for almost a decade, the project was marred by concerns over financing, construction delays and political opposition. Hotly debated in parliament, the development drew criticism for its staggering debt with SLASPA borrowing EC$ 202.5mn from Bank of Saint Lucia to help fund the work.

Construction on HIA finally broke ground earlier this year and the airport is expected to open mid-2021. Although its impact on tourism figures may not be seen for some time, the government estimates that it will spur the development of at least 1,000 new hotel rooms. The official opening was a time of celebration for all stakeholders as they neared the finish line on what SLASPA Acting General Manager Daren Cenac called a “once in a generation project”.

CIVIL SOCIETY

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NON-PROFIT NETWORKING

BY CATHERINE MORRIS, STAR BUSINESSWEEK CORRESPONDENT

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hether advocating for humanitarian issues, providing support to the marginalised, holding governments to account or preserving the natural environment, Caribbean civil society groups play a vital role in the region. But they are also facing serious constraints which limit their impact. A new digital platform is hoping to address some of those obstacles by bringing Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) together to network, collaborate and learn.

ONLINE COMMUNITY The Caribbean Civil Society SDGs Knowledge Platform was developed by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) to assist regional CSOs who are contributing to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Visitors to the site can browse case studies and news stories of work being done in each area, as well as sharing their own experiences. The platform supports a range of media including documents, videos and photos. Aside from providing a valuable database to track CSO progress, it’s also a digital forum where groups can network, view a calendar of SDG-related events and get word of funding opportunities.

Although aimed at CSOs, the platform is designed for everyone with an interest in the sector including governments, development agencies and regional institutions.

Trinidad and Tobago-based CANARI developed the platform as part of the CSOs for Good Governance project, which is supported by the European Union. CANARI Technical Officer Candice Ramkissoon explains: “CSOs have three key roles: as implementors, advocates and watchdogs. They are doing the work on the ground, delivering results on many of the SDGs. The Knowledge Platform is for CSOs to showcase what they are doing, and also to show where the gaps are and how others could be engaging them better. We are hoping to highlight their contributions.

“Civil society is taking the lead in many areas. That is the message we want to send.”

THE THIRD SECTOR CANARI has been working with the third sector for around three decades, instigating projects with community organisations and national and regional non-governmental groups to provide training and other resources. The Institute believes supporting these groups is vital for the region’s future and wants to mobilise them to realise their full potential. The CSOs for Good Governance project kicked off in 2017, with a budget of Euros 340,000 from

CANARI was the local organiser for a Regional Media Workshop for the Global Environmental Facility — Integrating Water, Land and Ecosystem Management in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (GEF-IWECO) project which took place May 15-16, 2019 in Trinidad. The workshop was geared towards developing regional media strategy project partners. GEF-IWECO is a natural resources management project spread across ten Caribbean countries.

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CANARI wants all Caribbean CSOs to use and contribute to the site. While still in the early stages, Ramkissoon says interest has been high. “CSOs and even non-CSOs have been very excited about being able to contribute. We are operating from Trinidad but we have seen interest from CSOs throughout the region.”

CANARI is looking for CSOs to send in content relating to their activities. This can include blog posts, opinion pieces, case studies and/or news. Submissions will be reviewed by the CANARI team before being uploaded onto the site.

Ramkissoon urges all stakeholders to get involved, saying: “It is an opportunity for a wider Caribbean audience and beyond to see what you are doing and what your organisation is contributing.

This is a global initiative and it is giving the Caribbean a space to share. It is giving a voice and visibility to your work.”

As the platform expands and provides the often overlooked third sector with a resource and a presence, CANARI is hoping it will transform the niche and further deliver on the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Ramkissoon says: “We want to scale up and scale out.

There will be exciting things coming.

The work has not even begun.”

To view the platform, and get involved, visit hub.canari.org/sdg

the EU and Euros 100,000 from other partners, but work on the platform began in earnest in 2018 and had direct input from CSOs so they could deliver a tool that would meet the needs of the sector. “The platform was built around a network of 23 CSOs working together. It was very much a process of conceptualising what it would be and what it would do. This is a space for them. It is very much by CSOs, for CSOs,” says Ramkissoon. “There are a plethora of CSOs in the wider Caribbean and we are hoping to target them, to enhance their participation in governance and development processes. Sometimes CSOs do not recognise that what they are doing is already delivering results and they need that opportunity to show what they are doing and help others understand their role.”

The collaborative aspect is one of the platform’s biggest selling points, according to Ramkissoon who hopes that CSOs will build connections through the site and perhaps inspire each other to achieve more. “There are opportunities for capacity building and networking,” she says. “CSOs can collaborate with other CSOs and development partners.

We are creating that community.”

A CALL TO CONNECT The platform launched in May and is now issuing a call for content to encourage more CSOs to get involved.

Although originally conceived and developed in Trinidad and Tobago,

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Source: Caribbean Natural Resources Institute

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MOROCCO AND SURINAME EXPAND BILATERAL TIES Continued from page 2

Moroccan aid to Suriname and this visit by foreign minister Nasser Bourita was Rabat’s way of thanking Suriname for resending its recognition of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) on March 9, 2016

ground-breaking development to announce in terms of any concrete investment between the two countries.

Morocco and Suriname promised to open embassies in Rabat and Paramaribo.

President Desire Bouterse was also invited to visit Morocco, and King Mohammed VI was invited to visit Suriname.

A Moroccan embassy in Suriname will work hard to lobby other Caribbean countries to resend recognition of SADR. King Mohammed VI has spent a great deal of time travelling across Africa; spent a great deal of money to develop Western Sahara, re-joined the African Union (AU) and Morocco is a significant investor in Sub-Saharan Africa. King Mohammed VI sees himself as African and always had Africa as his foreign policy priority.

Morocco and Suriname have been

Morocco is offering Western Sahara full autonomy with defence and foreign affairs to Rabat to control, however, countries like South Africa, Nigeria and Guyana are not changing their stance on the issue

discussing cooperation in banking, trade, tourism and air-connectivity for some time but nothing tangible was announced during this senior visit from foreign minister Bourita.

Suriname state’s own Surinam Airways (SLM) has been unprofitable for decades, mainly because the Mid-Atlantic route from Paramaribo to Amsterdam is haemorrhaging the company. The aircraft they flown on the route — the A430 and the B747 — were old and cost exorbitant sums of money to maintain. The government may be looking at Royal Air Maroc for some help in this area.

The communique said that both countries would continue to exchange their views on international and regional issues of common interest, including high-level meetings between the ministers of foreign affairs and high officials of Suriname and Morocco.

“The government of the Republic of Suriname would like to thank the Kingdom of Morocco for its precious support and financial assistance. For its part, Morocco has recognized the efforts of the government of Suriname to work in favour of a solid economy in order to guarantee a better future.”

Morocco reaffirmed its “commitment to support Suriname in its efforts”.

The foreign minister and the first lady of Suriname, Ingrid Bouterse-Waldring, have also visited Morocco in the past to promote bilateral relations.

Through the Netherlands, where there are large Moroccan and Surinamese populations, ties between the two people have grown also.

WATER SCARCITY

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WATER SECURITY IN THE CARIBBEAN

BY ED KENNEDY, STAR BUSINESSWEEK CORRESPONDENT

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ate June saw the Sixth Caribbean Water Operators’ Conference hosted at Bay Gardens Hotel, Rodney Bay. Billed as “the only conference of its kind that targets water and sewerage operations in the Caribbean Region”, the Conference is an important vehicle for local engineers, analysts, water and wastewater operators, and other water professionals to engage and inspire new action in the field of water security.

A conference of this kind, in and of itself, would be important, but it also serves as a reminder that the water industry and its professionals are principally devoted to water security, although they cannot achieve it alone. In partnership with these professionals, the role of government, other stakeholders and everyday citizens is vital.

So, for Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean, what water-friendly policies can be successfully pursued by government? And what would empower everyday citizens in pursuing water security?

GLOBAL WATER SECURITY The trials of water scarcity and the quest for water security are challenges that, essentially, every nation on Earth must face. They are also issues that can be largely indiscriminate, from a geographical perspective. Though nations like the United States and China may be leading global economies, they are also countries with huge populations, and significant portions of their territory taken up by tracts of desert land. It’s also why many nations with similar tracts across the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region, that historically have been affluent as oil-rich nations, nonetheless remain embattled by water scarcity.

So, Caribbean nations do not confront the problem of water scarcity on their own. If there is one upside to this reality, it’s that collective efforts across the world add to the wealth of insight and

The issue of water scarcity is a pressing matter in Barbados. The Caribbean country is one of the highest ranking water-scarce nations globally, with a per capita water use that is greater than what is naturally available. The agriculture and domestic sectors are the two largest water users in Barbados, with tourism becoming accountable for a growing amount of the water consumed nationally.

expertise devoted to driving lasting resolutions. However, countries around the Caribbean must recognise distinctive local problems that are hurdles on the road to water security.

PERCEPTION AND REALITY One of the popular misconceptions often bandied about in the region is the wide availability of water due to its island nature. Any quick look at a map will confirm the size of the Caribbean Sea but this perception can hold back public advocacy and debate surrounding the issue of water scarcity.

The link between an abundance of sea water and an abundance of fresh water has long been tenuous, and in some cases there’s no link at all. It’s why finding fresh water was historically an obsession for explorers. The first task of any party that landed at a new location was often to seek out the nearest stream or freshwater lake. It is also why, even today, more contemporary explorers off on adventures in SUVs and campervans are still advised to stock up with an ample supply of fresh water in case a breakdown leaves them far from help.

Achieving water security within nations across the Caribbean is more complicated than simply putting a few extra bottles on the back seat. Elsewhere, many nations and movements have found success in

pursuing initiatives that incentivise citizens to actively save water directly.

WATER AROUND THE HOME AND WORKPLACE Water scarcity and security have long been among the most serious of national and international issues; a field to which prime ministers, presidents and leading diplomats rightfully devote extensive attention. But while major new infrastructure spending and aid agreements bring significant change, so too can smaller pursuits.

Several governments across the world have found success in the pursuit of water tank rebates. This is a scheme whereby residential home occupiers purchase a water tank for non-commercial use, to collect rainfall, and the government refunds a portion of the payment. Sizes can vary but a 1,000 litre water tank is a common offering (a standard bathtub holds around 300 litres).

This amount is, of course, not enough to switch off taps permanently but it offers everyday citizens a free source of water that can be used around the home and outdoors for non-cooking and bathing tasks. Within the business sector, many commercial buildings globally have incorporated industrial rainwater tanks to achieve similar effects at an organisational level.

There is also the capacity for non-water products and devices to help out. The

installation of temperature-controlled water-heating devices can set a home’s hot water to a consistent temperature.

This means numerous litres of water are saved each year because the desired water temperature for a shower or bath is ready right away, instead of water being lost down the drain because it’s not yet warm enough.

FILLED TO THE BRIM In 2013 the World Resources Institute ranked seven Caribbean nations — Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago — equal-first with nine other nations as among the most water-stressed countries in the world.

This region faces the annual risk of havoc caused by hurricanes so an approach to water security must be pursued with that in mind. In turn, investment in major infrastructure for water security, like desalination plants, should be undertaken only when the risks of hurricane damage have been minimized. This by no means discounts more expansive efforts in this space, but affirms that the quest for water security at the grassroots level is one area where a drip-by-drip SBW approach can deliver real results.

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