The United States’ freeze on nearly all foreign aid assistance for 90 days may impact the construction of additional warehouses intended to enhance disaster preparedness on two Southern Grenadine islands.
On Sunday, St Vincent’s Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves announced that the US authorities, via their armed forces, had sanctioned several million dollars for the project.
Gonsalves articulated that he is anticipating elucidation on whether the ban on foreign aid extends to these projects as well.
“The U.S had approved $4 million to put some additional warehousing facilities and support for disaster preparedness in Canouan and Mayreau. And we were looking at particular parcels of land that we can use”.
“I’m waiting to hear whether this ban on all foreign aid coming out of the United States issued by Secretary of State Rubio applies to this. I know it applies generally, but there may be an exception for something like this”, Gonsalves said.
A meticulously crafted memo was disseminated on Saturday to over 10,000 personnel at USAID, providing additional clarification to Friday’s “stop-work” directive that instituted a comprehensive halt on US foreign aid across the globe.
The administration led by Gonsalves is closely monitoring the unfolding events, as they may necessitate increased financial outlay from local resources.
“I’ve been tracking every piece of information that I could get, every statement issued, because this means a few dollars and cents for us may have to go elsewhere”, the prime minister stated.
“it’s a period of real challenge And those who are simplistic and don’t have an overall frame and don’t appreciate what is taking place before our very eyes are likely to end up in disaster”, he further opined.
The Eastern and Southern Caribbean emerges as a pivotal region at the intersection of the crises in Venezuela and Haiti, representing the third border of the United States and serving as an essential ally in the pursuit of stability and security.
USAID oversees regional initiatives across 11 nations, with ten situated in the proximate area: St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and The Bahamas.
