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Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit asserts that it is unjust that the international community has not fulfilled its commitment to countries in the Caribbean.
He made this statement after Hurricane Beryl severely impacted some Caribbean islands this week.
“It is truly unfair to us in this region where promises have been made to compensate us and provide access to resources to strengthen our resilience against climate change,” he stated.
Nevertheless, he explained that with the necessary resources and funds, countries can invest in resilience and be better prepared to withstand and respond to natural disasters.
Skerrit argues that the pledged funds are not being delivered as promised, and developed countries are continuously postponing action.
He highlighted the increasing frequency of hurricanes and storms each year. “Throughout the year, we are confronted with various natural disasters,” he remarked.
Skerrit further emphasized that the battle against climate change is not solely the responsibility of the government.
He believes that it must be a collective effort involving all institutions and organizations. “Universities, private sector entities, student bodies, and youth action groups in the Caribbean—all should contribute to this fight,” Skerrit underscored.
He stressed that climate change is affecting the daily lives of every citizen in the Caribbean, and more voices need to advocate for action from the developed world.
“This is a battle we are fighting, a battle that we did not initiate, but are now facing the consequences,” he commented.
Skerrit also pointed out the disparity in resources, highlighting the billions of dollars sent to Ukraine for ammunition, while the Caribbean struggles to receive support for building resilience against climate change.
Pure climate injustice thrown at us and we can’t do anything about it. When you examine the destruction in the Grenadine Islands, in St. Vincent, in Grenada and in the Southern parishes of Jamaica, it brought a sense of sadness and a heavy heart to me. The destruction showed climate injustice at its peak. At the recent COP28 conference, the industrialized nations would not even acknowledge and accept responsibility for what their actions are causing us here in the Caribbean.
It is full time that we move from words to actions. We need to see tangible changes beyond paperwork and agreements. Our economies and the wellbeing of our people can be literally wiped out with the passage of a hurricane.