ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew says small island developing states (SIDS) need to build resilience that will protect them from the external shocks which threaten to push SIDS to the precipice of collapse.
Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew addressing SIDS conference in Antigua (CMC Photo)Addressing the Fourth International Conference on SIDS (SIDS4) here, Drew told the international audience that make no mistake, the path to prosperity is a virtual obstacle course for SIDS, magnified by a world in turmoil, facing apocalyptic environmental conditions, war, scarcity, supply chain disruptions, course of inherent risks, external shocks, capital constraints, high inflation and unemployment.
“It reads like the script for a dystopian movie and yet, the world’s most vulnerable micro-sates must navigate this landscape if they are to give their citizens a better quality of life and a sense of hope that is tangible in a world of growing uncertainty. That we have made it this far, is a tribute to the resilience of island-people everywhere,” he told the conference that enters its second day on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Drew said what is now required is that “we build resilience that will protect us from the external shocks which threaten to push SIDS to the precipice of collapse”.
He suggested “some critical elements” on which the development and prosperity of SIDS hang, including available, accessible, adequate capital.
Prime Minister Drew said that the cost of capital is too high for SIDS and as a result “our fiscal space far too circumscribed”.
He said that this is why the Bridgetown Initiative’s call for the reform of the international financial architecture is imperative this year, coinciding with the 18th anniversary of the Bretton Woods Institutions that gave rise to institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Prime Minister Drew said technology is creating a new global elite of those who use it for innovation, the democratisation of government and commercial systems, to spur social equity and economic growth.
“I link technology to education and the need for young citizens of SIDS to master the technology that now defines and drives social and economic activity,” he said, adding that infrastructure that is resilient, particularly in relation to physical development, water, energy and climate smart hospitals, are also of utmost importance.
“Infrastructure is a crosscutting issue. Many SIDS are water scarce, yet they are tourism destinations. We are food importers and need to boost our agricultural sectors for food and nutrition security.
“The Caribbean is projected to face a 10-20 per cent decline in crop yields by 2050, due to climate change. We cannot have resilient health systems without resilient food systems. This is why CARICOM’s 25×25 initiative is of such importance,” he said in reference to the Caribbean Community’s goal of reducing its multi-billion food import bill by 25 per cent by next year.
Prime Minister Drew said that the climate crisis has wrapped its tentacles around CARICOM member states and “unless we find the mix of policy, finance and adaptation measures to address the impacts of the climate crisis, our dreams of development and prosperity will come to naught”.
He said health and wellbeing is another lynchpin in the fight for prosperity.
“As CARICOM’s lead Prime Minister on health issues, and as a physician, I cannot help but draw attention to the link between the climate crisis and a growing incidence of vector borne diseases such as dengue and Lyme disease.
“It is also to be noted that extreme weather events delay or disrupt healthcare services resulting in poor treatment outcomes or death, as happened in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017. “
Drew said that the growing number and intensity of extreme weather events in all SIDS threatens development trajectories.
“When this is added to the high burden of chronic non-comunicable diseases and their sequelae, as the single largest cost and cause of morbidity and mortality in the Caribbean, the script is written for disaster.
“We already saw from COVID-19 how a health crisis can decimate our islands. Further, at a time of rising mental health challenges in the region, it is noteworthy that for the first time in the history of its reporting, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has included mental health impacts among the negative impacts caused by climate change.”
He said it is against this background, SIDS-SDIS, South-South and triangular cooperation on the major development challenges “require our solidarity and action to safeguard the health and future of small island developing states and their people.
“We the children of the world’s nation states, have come together in pursuit of prosperity for SIDS, we must not let it escape us,” Prime Minister Drew told the conference that is being attended by more than 20 world leaders, together with representatives from the private sector, civil society, academia and youth .
The three-day conference is being held under the theme “Charting the course toward resilient prosperity” and will showcase new innovations and develop practical solutions to address critical SIDS-specific challenges driven by the climate emergency, spiralling debt and health crises.
