The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines recently hosted the newly appointed World Bank Country Director for Caribbean Countries, Ms. Lilia Burun-ciuc, on her first visit to the country.
Ms. Burun-ciuc, who arrived in-state on August 31, was accompanied by the Deputy Country Director for Caribbean Countries and Country Management Unit Operations Manager, Gail Richardson, and Senior Country Officer for OECS Countries (Latin America and Caribbean Region) Mr. Denis Bosh-kov-ski.
The team made several site visits to projects that are funded by the World Bank, and also attended meetings with ministries, departments and implementing agencies to discuss the progress of these projects.
After participating in a presentation of concept designs for the new city at Arnos Vale, the team visited the intended site of the Arnos Vale Acute Care Hospital, which is located at the northern end of the decommissioned E.T Joshua Airport.
The team also visited the coastal defence works at San Souci and Georgetown and the sites for installation of temporary Bailey Bridges in the North Windward communities of Overland, Noel and London, which is a component of the Volcanic Eruption Emergency Project (VEEP).
Ms. Burun-ciuc and her team also visited the housing development at Orange Hill, although this was not funded by the World Bank. Several families from Sandy Bay were re-located there after losing their houses during the April 2021 volcanic eruptions.
During their visit, the World Bank team also met with the Prime Minister Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves to discuss matter relating to several projects; and also met with the Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture, Carlos James, and his team to discuss planned renovations to the Fort Charlotte historical site.
Ms. Burun-ciuc took up her post as World Bank Country Director for Caribbean Countries on July 1, 2021.
She is based in Kingston, Jamaica, and leads the implementation of the World Bank’s programme – which includes an active portfolio of 75 projects in thirteen (13) countries, financed by the International Development Association (IDA), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and various trust funds.
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