Video

On Environmental Impact:

Let’s start by recognizing that a major challenge we face is that our governments across the region undervalue the worth of our islands. It is therefore to them something that can be cheaply sold because they do not place sufficient value on the island’s worth. Natural resources are economically undervalued and commodified, resulting in a lack of investment in our local population and the ability to have access to and enjoy our natural resources and ecosystem services. Continued access to beaches for example is not prioritized when assessing a project’s viability and impact. This approach to the environment is clear in our leaders’ unfavorably lopsided negotiations with developers.

Grenada does have policies and frameworks in place; it’s the adherence to and enforcement of these safeguards that’s problematic. The National Sustainable Development Plan for example recognizes that sustainable development is a crucial need for the Island. Successful sustainable development requires projects that benefit Grenadians, the environment, and the economy - Social, Environmental, Economic. Without due consideration for a project’s impacts on all three of these, it is likely that two of the three will always take heavy losses in favor of one. 

On Sustainable Development: 

In my experience, Grenadians are not anti-development; there is widespread support for development as long as it is sustainable in the long term. We need to recognize and acknowledge what it is that continues to make Grenada special even among other Caribbean islands before it is lost completely to overdevelopment.  How many five-star hotels does a small island need, and are they worthwhile if it’s to the ultimate detriment of our environment and our people? Neither are we seeing the reinvestment in our infrastructure as promised such as in our highways and thoroughfares. Presently, one of our main roads is falling into the ocean as a result of erosion and as a stop-gap, a ‘highway’ has been routed through a residential neighborhood well-known for its sense of community. It is now unsafe for that neighborhood’s children to walk to school, visit their family, have pets play outside and the detrimental effects to the inhabitants’ way of life is becoming increasingly evident. Yet, no investment in fixing that situation has been forthcoming in the years since that problem began because the intangible value of Grenada is not acknowledged as valuable. 

There is a saying that “we live where you vacation.”  We need to balance investment in tourism with reinvestment in our society and our environment. The pandemic has shown how important the need is to diversify our investments, and not rely solely on traditional tourism as we have for decades. We already have the frameworks in place to focus on the important issues, but instead, we are currently focusing on attracting hegemonic investors to the detriment of the social and environmental impacts. This is why solar and energy justice solutions in a framework of sustainable development are so important. 

On Environmental Accountability:

If we expect them to have genuine outcomes, what we need is transparency from developers, regardless of what they are building. Where are you digging? Have you done an environmental impact assessment? Why is that not readily available? This transparency and environment review is a necessity. The environmental impact of developments must be prioritized. 

Where Grenada Goes from here:

We need Transparency from the developers, Accountability from the government, and Oversight from citizens. Currently, no one is being held accountable to ensure that the framework for sustainable development in Grenada is being followed. Development is how we get to the next level in terms of building schools, hospitals and increasing education in our population, but development cannot be to the detriment of our soil.

Furthermore, the citizenry of Grenada and really any Caribbean island should not shy away from politics. Political engagement is a key activity associated with good governance. It is important that we recognize that citizens should be involved in politics. ‘Politics’ is actually meant to be a nonpartisan process. It is about utilizing your right as a citizen to have a say in policymaking that impacts how the environment and your health are treated. This increased political engagement has the potential to provide environmental, social, and quality-of-life benefits for generations to come.