Gov’t says BERRY Project is about rebuilding stronger

The Beryl Emergency Resilient Recovery Project (BERRY) has supported and continues to support economic activity in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in the wake of destruction done by Hurricane Beryl.

The BERRY project was approved on October, 11, 2024, and became effective on November 19,2024, but was officially launched on July, 21, 2025 at the conference room of the National Insurance Services (NIS). It is being funded through an International Development Association (IDA) credit facility of US$63 million, and is expected to run for seven years, up to November, 19, 2031.

Speaking at the launch, Project Coordinator, Nerissa Fergus, noted that the project has as its objectives: to provide short term income and restore economic activity; and to better build back critical infrastructure services impacted by Hurricane Beryl.

She said the BERRY project is made up of three main components, and several sub-components, and noted that component one is structured around early recovery, income support, and enhancement of income generating activities.

“This component comprises of temporary income support grants, and this activity was modelled after what we started under the VEEP (Volcano Eruption Emergency Project) in collaboration with our partners- the Ministry of National Mobilization and the Bank of St Vincent,” Fergus explained, while noting that temporary income support grants were given to vulnerable households impacted by Hurricane Beryl.

“Beneficiaries are provided a sum of EC$600 per month, and they are dispersed on reloadable bank cards that were provided…. Up until the end of June, we had over 5000 households that would have benefited thus far from this activity,” Fergus said.

“Under the same component, we are giving small businesses grants and support to assist in the recovery. We are targeting over 700 micro and small businesses that were affected by the hurricane, and they will receive grants of between US$1000 to $3000,” Fergus explained, while noting that business support, training, coaching and monitoring of these businesses for a period of six to nine months will be done.

BERRY is also funding a labour-intensive temporary programme that is spearheaded by the Building, Roads and General Services Authority (BRAGSA).

Fergus said this programme was implemented by BRAGSA on a needs basis, and provides cash for work to vulnerable, unemployed segments of the population, including those affected by Hurricane Beryl.

Click here to subscribe to read the full article in the E-paper!