Saint Lucia: PM Philip extends pleasure for successfully securing funds for SLFS Project

Saint Lucia: Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre extended his pleasure for successfully securing the fund of USD 9,971,000.00 from the Caribbean Development Bank. This secured fund would be used to implement the Enhancing Resilience of the Saint Lucia Fire Service [SLFS] Project.

Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, while emphasising the project, shared that The overall impact of the Saint Lucia Fire Service project is to have improved efficiency and effectiveness in the SLFS’s response to current and future emergencies and to improve the country’s climate resilience.

Further, he also shared some of the components of the SLF’s Project. These include:

1. Infrastructure Works and Project Preparation
2. Leasing Land owned by Invest Saint Lucia to be utilised as a practical training ground
3. Engineering and Construction-related Services
4. Goods: Provision of appliances, one aerodrome truck, five domestic fire trucks, 4 Quick Response Vehicles (QRV), four ambulances, and equipment/tools for nine fire stations (including seven (7) local stations and two (2) crash fire halls at George F. L. Charles Airport and Hewanorra International Airport), and Information Communication Technology (ICT) training, equipment and furniture for the SLFSTS.
5. Institutional Strengthening
9i) Grant component of USD 230,500 for a Gender Policy and Action Plan
(ii) Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
(iii) Development of a Maintenance Action Plan for nine fire stations and training to execute the plan;
(iv) Development of an Operations Manual to guide fire chiefs and officers to improve overall operations of the SLFS; and
(v) Development of a Sustainability Management Plan
6. Capacity-Building: Provision of technical training for 329 fire officers
7. Project Management

Reportedly, The Lower House of Parliament, on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, passed a motion tabled by Prime Minister Pierre to secure the financing from the Special Fund Reserve of the Caribbean Development Bank allocated from the European Investment Bank Climate Action Line of Credit II.

The funds will be used to procure new emergency response vehicles, including an aerodrome truck, train fire officers, strengthen the institutional framework of the SLFS and upgrade the Fire Service Training School facilities.