PRESS RELEASE – REHABILITATION of a major storm drain on Sandy Beach has been completed. The rehabilitation was one of a suite of activities undertaken under a coastal stabilisation project which is being executed by the Saint Lucia National Trust (SLNT) within the Pointe Sable Environmental Protection Area (PSEPA).
According to Craig Henry, SLNT Programme Officer for the South, “The overall goal of the project is to increase the resilience of the PSEPA coastline to climate change impacts and to address some coastal degradation issues in the area through the implementation of a series of interventions that incorporate both natural and built coastal protection measures.”
The rehabilitation of the storm drain is a prime example of the latter. Storm drains act as effective conduits for surface water drainage, particularly during intense flooding events, thereby minimizing damage to nearby infrastructure and the natural landscape.
This is the second of two storm drains which have been rehabilitated within the Sandy Beach area by the SLNT; the first was undertaken in 2016 under an OAS Sustainable Communities initiative.
In the coming months, the SLNT will continue with its coastal stabilization work programme which will involve revegetation and dune refurbishment at targeted sites along the Anse Du Sable beach.
The work on the storm drain was guided by technical officers from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ports, Energy and Labour who provided oversight from the planning through the execution phases of the rehabilitation works. Funding for this project was received from the Federal Republic of Germany [German Development Bank (KfW)] under a Local Adaptation Measures (LAMS) Grant Scheme being implemented by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC).
The SLNT wishes to thank all the collaborating agencies for their contributions to the success of this project and also the public for their support and cooperation during the rehabilitation of the storm drain.