EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Social Assessment (SA) was undertaken as part of the preparation requirements of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP). The Assessment was conducted in compliance with World Bank requirements as presented in OP 4.12, World Bank Safeguards Involuntary Resettlement and OP/ BP 4.10 on Indigenous peoples, for Category B projects

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Environmental Assessment (EA) of this project was conducted in compliance with World Bank requirements as presented in OP 4.01, Environmental Assessments and includes relevant considerations as presented in the World Bank Safeguards for Natural Habitats, OP/BP4.04, Natural Habitats and OP/BP 4.11 Physical Cultural Resources, for Category B projects.

36,303 Swiss francs have been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross (SVGRC) in delivering immediate assistance to some 200 families. Un-earmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says Hurricane Tomas, which battered St. Vincent and the Grenadines last October, has caused an estimated 31-million dollars in damage to the natural forest.

The Prime Minister made the disclosure during a News Conference at Cabinet Room yesterday 28th December 2010..

He noted that the country's forests were severely impacted by the passage of the storm

Dr. Gonsalves said Government the Recovery and Reconstruction Process requires a tremendous amount of resources.

The Housing and Land Development Corporation is continuing to play an active role in the Operation Recovery and Reconstruction process here following the passage of Hurricane Tomas.

General Manager Maurice Slater says so far they have repaired and rebuilt hundreds of houses for residents across mainland St. Vincent. He says because of the extent of the damage to houses, the rebuilding process would cost must more than originally budgeted.

Mr. Slater estimates that an additional sum of 30-million dollars is needed to complete the rebuilding process.

I. Country Context

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is a multi-island state exposed to a range of natural hazards such as hurricanes, storm surges, floods, landslides, volcanoes and coastal erosion with hazards stemming from weather related phenomena such as winds, rainfall, hurricane and drought representing the most significant risk. The islands experience an annual hurricane season from June to November, followed by a rainy season from November to January.

Historical data from the Eastern Caribbean sub-region indicates the regional probability of a hurricane in any given

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On Friday, September 19, 2008, as a result of the passage of a tropical wave, St Vincent and the Grenadines was drenched by heavy rains which resulted in one (1) death, island wide flooding and landslides which left many roads blocked.

The heavy rains began at about 2.00am and continued for approximately the next twenty four hours. By 6.00am residents were reporting houses being flooded out, rivers overflowing bridges and landslides in several areas of the country. All schools were closed by midday on Friday.

In the area of Ratho Mill, a huge retaining

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