US$ 50 million for water improvements in SVG

Prime Minister, Dr. Godwin Friday, has announced a major climate resilience and water infrastructure initiative valued at approximately US$50 million, aimed at strengthening the country’s water security and improving climate resilience across several communities. The announcement was made during a press conference on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, following the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Dr. Friday said the initiative presented by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre will “create climate resilient water infrastructure in St Vincent and the Grenadines”.

He described the project as a significant investment that will play a crucial role in securing the nation’s water supply. Of the total project cost, US$40 million will be provided through grant funding from the Green Climate Fund, representing one of the largest climate-focused investments in the country’s water sector.

“This is a project that will be transformative…so we have to plan for the future,” he said. The prime minister explained that the initiative will involve the installation of solar-powered desalination plants in several Grenadine islands, including Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau, and Union Island.

These plants are water treatment technologies that are sustainable and utilizes solar energy to convert sea water into fresh water.

The prime minister emphasized that water scarcity has long been a challenge for these communities, particularly during extended dry seasons. Reflecting on his own experiences growing up in the Grenadines, Dr. Friday spoke about the struggles that families often faced due to the lack of water.

“Since I was a boy, we would always be watching during the dry season, the difficulties of…having enough water to do the necessities of life.”

As an example, the prime minister pointed to a hotel in Bequia that reportedly spent as much as US$5,000 in a single week transporting water from mainland St. Vincent in order to maintain its operations.

In addition to the desalination plants, the project will also include improvements to water storage and distribution infrastructure on the mainland. The prime minister said that six new water storage tanks will be constructed in Fitz Hughes, Georgetown, and Kingstown Park. “We are building, modernizing and upgrading.”