The RESDP Meets with the Project Affected Communities on the Island's West Coast

The Renewable Energy Sector Development Project (RESDP) continues to make significant progress as it leads the nation towards a sustainable and energy-independent future. The project is a Government of Saint Lucia initiative, whose objective is to determine the viability of its geothermal resource for power generation through exploratory drilling.  The RESDSP held its third round of community consultations from August 27^th to August 29^th, 2024 in the project affected communities of Belle Plaine, Fond St Jacques and Saltibus allowing residents to participate in discussions about the project's goals, potential impacts, and benefits.

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This round of consultations focused on an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) Implementation and presentations were made by the consultants as well as the RESDP team members.  

The Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) deals with all matters pertaining to land acquisition, disbursements, collection of compensation assistance, resettlement and livelihood restoration, including stakeholder engagement and awareness building of the grievance redress mechanism (GRM).    

Project Manager at the RESDP, Ken Aldonza, further explained in Kwéyòl the process of land acquisition and compensation of land owners.  

Aldonza explained, “As we said before, we will purchase the land we need from you. There will also be some land which we will use temporarily for work and will not be purchased but which government will lease.  We will pay the landowner for use of the land over the 2 years of the project and we will bring the land back to what it was at the beginning”.  

The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) will evaluate long term risks from the project and in so doing, apply international standards to define mitigation measures to be implemented during the construction and testing process to ensure that the environmental conditions at the site are protected.  

The ESIA process also has significant benefit to the project affected communities for present and future generations.  

The third round of consultations was very well attended, and attendees were able to participate in productive discussions with the consultants and the RESDP staff.  

One resident of Fond St Jacques expressed her delight at the healthy level of participation by the community.  

She noted, “The presentation was extremely good. I have been to other consultations in the past and I have observed that every time the numbers are increasing. Furthermore, I believe that this would be a very good initiative in the community and by the turnout I can see that a lot of other people are also looking forward to something good in the community”.  

Another round of community consultations will be held in the next six months and will again provide the project affected communities an opportunity to participate in discussions about the project's goals, potential impacts, and benefits. The RESDP aims to develop a comprehensive and environmentally responsible approach to expanding renewable energy sources while ensuring that local communities are actively involved in the decision-making process.

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