Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Address by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
At the Launching of the Caribbean Regional Environmental Programme (CREP) - St. Lucia Amenity Area Demonstration Project
Fond D’Or Nature Historical Site
29^th May 2005

It is certainly an honour, and it is with much pride that I seize this moment to share a few remarks with you, as you prepare yourself to embark on yet another momentous and historical initiative, which will impact on present lives and livelihoods in the wider Mabouya Valley and Dennery District area. More importantly, your anticipated activities, of necessity will impact in one way or the other on lives yet to exist.  This bears with it a tremendous responsibility and expected accountability, particularly for the youth of the many communities who will from henceforth interact with this project -  the CREP-Saint Lucia Amenity Area Demonstration Project.

For centuries, the Mabouya Valley has served as one of the major cradles of development of ST. Lucian society. It’s very name suggest and informs us of the impact and influences of indigenous people who once lived here and developed the area.

In more recent times, say within the last twenty years, the Mabouya Valley and surrounding communities have undergone significant social, economic and environmental changes, as a direct result of the several development programmes and related interventions. These change events have facilitated the transformation of the Dennery Area into a living amphitheatre of human development.  The last major intervention was effected through the implementation of phases one and two of the Mabouya Valley Development Programme (MVDP), funded by the  European Development Fund (EDF), which spanned approximately twelve years, and officially ended in 2002.

Since then the Government of St. Lucia has commissioned several studies, including the AGRICO consultancy on sustainable development of the Mabouya Valley and a Task Force mandated to examine the status of the land tenure situation in the Mabouya Valley.

The reports from these consultancies and reviews point to a number of recommendations and options for further development of the general Valley areas. Some of these include, inter alia:

• the establishment of an entity to preserve the achievements made under the MVDP and to oversee further development of the area;
• soil and water conservation;
• coastal management, in particular enhancement of the Fond D’Or Nature and Historical site;
• social/community development through capacity strengthening of organizations and groups in the area;
• creation of appropriate mechanisms for participation by residents and communities in articulating their development needs and determining the appropriate responses to address these needs; and most important,
• the development of a framework for ensuring the promotion of sustainable economic enterprise and efficient management and oversight of income generating resources and public amenities.

In the context of the above, we thence saw the emergence of the Caribbean Regional Environment Programme (CREP) - Saint Lucia Amenity Area Demonstration Project, with focus on the Fond D’Or Nature and Historical Park, which was selected as the amenity area or pilot site. The Fond D’Or Foundation and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) were identified as the main focal point organizations to oversee the implementation of the project. It is my understanding that the establishment of a Stakeholder Board representing groups and agencies is expected to provide guidance and advice to the Focal Points and to ensure that the development needs of the area are articulated and addressed in the approved work plan.

Indeed, through this intervention, both CREP and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries seek to encourage the sustainable use and management of the existing biological diversity – through the generation of sustainable livelihoods and the use of appropriate conservation measures, to ensure that the needs of future generations are not severely compromised.

From a national perspective, the Government of Saint Lucia has recognized the need to continue promoting sustainable development initiatives geared towards the continuous improvement of socio-economic growth and human development throughout the country, with particular emphasis on the more marginalized settlements. In respect of the Valley area, a proposal for the establishment of a Mabouya Valley Development Authority or Corporation is presently before the Cabinet of Ministers. 

Government is also pursuing other developmental initiatives in the Dennery Valleys. Probably the most significant is the improvement of the water supply systems throughout the most affected communities. The UNEP/GEF funded Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area Management (IWCAM) project, which will be coordinated by the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI), is another intervention which will seek to promote similar objectives as the CREP project. In other words, the national component of this project – the development of an Integrated Watershed Management Plan for the Mabouya Valley watershed complements the CREP project.

The Government of Saint Lucia will continue to facilitate and support the work of the community groups and agencies in the area. This is a firm government position.

It is our expectation that this project will lay the appropriate platform on which subsequent initiatives will be developed, thus creating the enabling environment for the continuous growth and development of the Dennery communities on a sustainable basis. We would like to see a 5 -10 year development plan emerging, to be managed by a functional entity(ies), through which community interests and development, as opposed to selfish individual interests,  become the centerpiece and the driving force of development.  It is also our expectation that all would embrace the co-management and participatory approach adopted by the project, and seek to conduct the activities in a spirit of collaboration.

To the stakeholder board, I say you are to articulate and address the needs of the groups and wider community. You are answerable to these groups and agencies.  In other words, the needs of the communities come first.

To the communities in the valley, you should feel a sense of pride and achievement in having taken an interest and ownership of the Fond D’Or Nature and Historical Park. I salute those individuals whose commitment and dedication have brought about these achievements and I urge you to continue the good work.

To the CREP Project Management Unit (PMU), Focal Points, the Fond D’Or Foundation and MAFF, and also the project manager designate and all stakeholders, I wish you success in the execution of the project activities and ultimately in the future development and management of this rich, diverse amenity area for the good and benefit of the Dennery communities.

At this juncture, It gives me great pleasure to officially launch the CREP - Saint Lucia Amenity Area Demonstration Project.

 Thank you.                                                                                                                            Top of Page