Caribbean leaders are asking for urgent help from the UK after Hurricane Beryl caused massive destruction across several islands. They believed a special plan, like the “Marshall Plan” used to rebuild Europe after World War II, was needed to help them recover.
Hurricane Beryl hit the Caribbean on July 1st, causing terrible damage. It killed at least 11 people and destroyed more than 90% of buildings in parts of Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). Many people have been left without homes, electricity, running water, and food.
The prime ministers of Antigua and Barbuda, SVG, and Grenada have written a letter to the UK government, asking for help. They say their countries can’t keep going into debt to rebuild every time a hurricane hits. The letter was sent to the UK’s foreign secretary, David Lammy, and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves.
The leaders are asking for “immediate debt cancellation,” meaning they want the UK to cancel the money these countries owe, especially when a disaster happens. They compare the impact of these hurricanes to a nuclear disaster and believe that, like the US helped Europe with $13 billion (worth about $227 billion today), the Caribbean needs a similar plan.
This Caribbean “Marshall Plan” would include cheaper loans, better access to money for climate-related damage, and a big project to build stronger, more resilient infrastructure and economies.
On July 5th, David Lammy announced a £500,000 package to help the Caribbean countries affected by Beryl. However, Ralph Gonsalves, the prime minister of SVG, and Dickon Mitchell, the prime minister of Grenada, said this money is not enough. They described it as a “drop in the bucket” compared to what is needed.
On July 11th, the two leaders made a joint appeal, asking the big countries responsible for the climate crisis to take action and offer real support for their recovery. Gonsalves pointed out that rebuilding even 2,500 houses in a small country like SVG is a huge challenge and said, “We really need your help. It’s as simple as that.”
Experts from a group called ODI, who study climate issues, also support the Caribbean leaders. They believe the UK’s support for this new “Marshall Plan” could help these small islands avoid falling into even deeper debt.
(Source: The Guardian)
