Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, will reassure Caribbean leaders that the Commonwealth will keep fighting for bold climate action on the global stage when she attends the inter-sessional conference of heads of government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Barbados this week as a special guest.
Of 15 CARICOM members, 12 are in the Commonwealth.
Secretary-General Scotland will highlight that despite ambitious pledges, countries are receiving limited funds to improve response to climate change.
She will also focus on how the climate crisis is destabilising economic growth leading to food insecurity, stressed resources and impaired livelihoods across the Commonwealth.
As of February 2019, less than a quarter of the $26 billion deposited for climate action has been disbursed, according to Climate Funds Update.
Patricia Scotland will brief Caribbean leaders on the current Commonwealth initiatives helping the region tackle the effects of climate change and external shocks such as disasters and financial crises. Examples are:
- The Commonwealth has helped five Caribbean countries access more than $27 million in funds to deal with climate change;
- All Caribbean member countries use the Commonwealth debt management software to manage their public and publicly guaranteed debt;
- The Commonwealth supported The Bahamas and Barbados to seek $550,000 each from UN-India fund. The Bahamian project will promote long-term public debt sustainability, which is crucial to achieving development goals. The Barbadian project will help more local suppliers engage with the supply of goods and services
- A forthcoming Commonwealth portal gives small states 24-hour access to information on key financing options such as loans to better manage the impacts of disasters; and
- A proposed Universal Vulnerability Index to build a global consensus on defining and assessing countries’ net vulnerability to economic and environmental shocks.
She said: “The Caribbean is increasingly bearing the brunt of frequent, long-lasting and intense weather patterns. This means that business-as-usual is no longer an option if the region’s beautiful islands and vibrant communities are to flourish and prosper for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations.”
Last October, the Secretary-General visited The Bahamas after a category five storm Hurricane Dorian devastated many of the nation’s islands. The storm claimed 73 lives and caused $3.4 billion in damage.
She added: “In Abaco, I met life-loving people who once had so much to look forward to yet had little left but debris.
“We owe it to these people forced to flee their homes and those who lost their entire life savings in a matter of seconds. We cannot afford to wait any longer to tackle the climate crisis.
“We will use every platform at every occasion to galvanise support for our small island developing states. We must step up urgent global action around the world to keep global warming under 1.5°C. The future of the region relies on this collective action.”
During her visit, Patricia Scotland will listen to Caribbean leaders and strategise with them as to how the Commonwealth can mobilise more tailored and practical assistance to the region.
She said: “The Commonwealth has been engaged with CARICOM from the beginning. Our partnership spans over 46 years working together on socio-economic issues and delivering initiatives to advance development in member countries.”
Secretary-General Scotland will also meet with Caribbean leaders, high commissioners and envoys of the international community.
This woman is a fraud,the needs to step down,who is sucking salt now,your words are coming back to hunt you.
Baroness Scottland does not care a thing about people; like Skerrit she only knows how to use people to get what she wants. As far as I am concerned her trip to Barbados is all about protecting her interests. I know Barbados has a lot of green Plantain so I hope she gets enough green plantain to sue say.
She will instruct them in the art of sucking salt. She is the expert.
I feel Skerrit must have arranged for her to attend the Caricom meeting in an effort to buy votes. But the truth is CARICOM or Caribbean people don’t care a damn about Baroness Scotland because she is not one of us even if she was born in Dominica. But it must also be said that though she is not lived by the Caribbean people, she is loved by the corrupt politicians of the Caribbean and as a result she already knows what to do to get them fired up. Let’s not forget that it was these same Caribbean leaders that were able to use their power to send the Regional Army to intimidate…… Dominican voters to ensure a Skerrit victory and Baroness Scotland never condemned that evil action. So she is a member of that evil camp and I expect Skerrit and other members of the Evil team to do all in their power to ensure that she is reelected but, this time she is dealing with the super powers like Australia, New Zealand, the UK be and others, who will use their influence to send her sue say
She listed things that was done on behalf of the Caribbean:
-Access to a 24 hr portal that provides financing access options.
-Bahamas and Barbados to $550,000 each from UN-India fund
-Five Caribbean countries access more than $27 million in funds to deal with climate change
-Caribbean member countries use the Commonwealth debt management software to manage their public and publicly guaranteed debt;
All of these are miniscule in my opinion. She represents the territories that made England rich. I believe its time to put a lump of salt on her tongue. What she going to the CARICOM heads meeting for? to plan a last minute strategy to hopefully keep u in your high powered position? when some people get a taste of power and sweet life, they does fight tooth and nail just to keep up with it.
I wonder who arranged for her to attend the CARICOM meeting as a special guest.
And is this a last-ditch ‘sales pitch’ by her for re-election to the post of Commonwealth-Secretary General?
What Sue say cell coming to do in Barbados,? Well maybe she has her own type of lolypop cell to sue say in Barbados. But as a woman myself I will remind her that I prefer to sue say cell under Skerrit than to sue say those block of salt that hard like iron and stinking like a pig pen. I hope she travels with enough Clorox to shake in her mouth to get rid of the cell she will be sue saying.
I wonder who had arranged for Lenox to attend the meeting in Guyana, I just asking
Don’t try and change the subject man. Is the red Baroness the opportunist we discussing, not Lennox Linton.
You’re real JA. Try as usual to deviate on the matters when you should be focussed on our ailing Dominica and that we should get rid of this failed incompetent immature Skerrit and his failed Labour Government.
We need to take back our Dominica.
Shut up peasant, stay on topic and stop the deflection.
The money you spent to fix up your grace-and-favour-Mayfair flat why didn’t you donate it? You behaving like your interest lies in the development of the Caribbean countries but you are only looking out for yourself and your pocket.