Dominica is presently hosting a five-day workshop geared at the strengthening of water resource management.
The workshop funded by the Brazilian International Agency for Technical Cooperation (ABC), comes as a result of a cooperation agreement between the Government of Dominica for technical Cooperation in Water Resources, Dominica Water and Sewerage Company Limited (DOWASCO) and the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil which seeks to strengthen the management of the water resources here in Dominica and by extension the region.
It also seeks to enhance not only the skills of the Dominican water technicians, but also that of the region.
“This workshop which focuses on the strengthening of water resource management is very timely for us in the region, but particularly here in Dominica where we are challenged,” Minister of Lands, Housing and Water Resource Management Reginald Austrie said while delivering the featured address at the opening ceremony on Monday held at the Fort Young Hotel.“You may have heard of the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Erika and the impact on our water systems.”
He said following the passage of the storm, almost two years ago, the country suffered millions of dollars in damage in its water systems and many remain very vulnerable.
Austrie stated that it is imperative that efforts are made to improve the resilience of the want systems to face up to those challenges and to better serve the Dominican public.
According to him, Climate Change is allowing small island developing states to spend more resources to becoming more resilient in the fight against the impact of natural disasters.
General Manager of DOWASCO, Bernard Ettinoffe said also that the workshop is timely as the country grapples with the impact of climate change.
“For us this is very timely as we continue to grapple with the impact of climate change and need to find ways to bring this under control,” he stated.
Ettinoffe explained that the workshop is the second of two workshops planned under this region agreement with ABC, the first which took place in Barbados almost a year ago and was aimed at Ground Water Management.
“This second workshop is geared towards Surface Water Management and will focus on preservation and conservation of water sheds, reduction of soil erosion and siltation of water sources, planning of hydro meteorological networks, and the management and operations of hydro meteorological networks to include water quality management,” he explained.
He said DOWASCO looks forward to a successful outcome of the workshop.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DOWASCO, Patrick Louis Hill said the issue of water resource management is something that is very dear to the consciousness and the mission and vision of the company.
He went on to say that Dominica is by far one of the most fortunate countries in the region as it relates to the viability of water.
“We are blessed with terrain and a pattern of rainfall that allows for our rivers to flow generously into the ocean and it allows for DOWASCO, as the management and sought of caretaker of this resource, to have a not so difficult challenge and mission as some of the other countries in the Caribbean, the region and the world,” he explained.
Hill said that Dominica does not have an issue with water shortage, “so we are extremely blessed and fortunate.”
He noted that Dominica has an enormous responsibility to protect and to manage the water resources as diligently and professionally as possible.
“So we are very grateful that countries like Brazil and other nations in the world have expressed their generosity and kindness to allow for their technicians and other experts to share with us some of their information and knowledge that they have acquired over the years in the management of their own water resource, and to share with us some of the things that we should be doing…,” he stated.
Hill said that clearly countries like Brazil and other high developed countries have more access to technology, research and financial resources.
“We are blessed with the resource but we also need assistance in the management and preservation of that very rare and precious resource,” he noted.
The workshop is being facilitated by Brazilian National Water Agency (ANA).
Participants of the workshop include individuals from a number of Caribbean countries.
The workshop ends on Friday.
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