US President’s ‘pause’ order may affect post-Beryl work in the Grenadines

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has expressed concern about the status of America, in light of recent decisions by that country’s President, Donald Trump.

Since taking office, the US president has signed, among a slew of executive orders, one on Reevaluating and Realinging United States Foreign Aid.

Gonsalves spoke about the implications of this measure during a call to the Issue at Hand programme on We FM last Sunday,January 26, 2025.

He said that the US had already approved the sum of $4 million for the provision of warehouses and other emergency facilities in the southern Grenadines.

This was to be done as part of the US support for disaster preparedness in the southern Grenadines islands of Canouan and Mayreau.

The prime minister added that the project towards which the money was committed also involved the possible use of parcels of land on these islands.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister said he did not know if President Trump’s executive order applies to this project.

“I know it applies generally, but there may be an exception for something like this,” the prime minister indicated.

Stating that this is “a period of real challenge,” Gonsalves said “ this could mean a few dollars and cents for us”.

He further noted that these very challenging times require extraordinary leadership.

On January 20, 2025, the day on which he was inaugurated, the US president signed the executive order which states in part “… the United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interest and in many cases antithetical to American values”.

Part of the Order is for a 90 day pause in US foreign development assistance.

The islands in the southern Grenadines suffered significant damage and loss when St Vincent and the Grenadines was struck by Hurricane Beryl on July 1, 2024 as a category 4 system.