Hurricanes, landslides, floods— Saint Lucia knows these challenges all too well. Natural hazards regularly test the island’s infrastructure, disrupt daily life, and strain its disaster response systems. But over the past six years, the government of Saint Lucia has made significant strides to address these challenges. With support from the Canada-Caribbean Resilience Facility (CRF), in partnership with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR),  Saint Lucia has been strengthening disaster preparedness and recovery efforts, modernizing systems, and fostering resilience across sectors. 

Unlocking Resilience  

Building resilience is an ongoing process that requires sustained national leadership. Through the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP), the government of Saint Lucia prioritized and implemented a wide range of risk reduction and preparedness initiatives, backed by targeted technical assistance from CRF. These efforts have contributed to improved infrastructure, strengthened local capacity, and enhanced community readiness.  

Riverbank stabilization, drainage upgrades, and coastal management measures have restored safe access to flood-prone areas, reducing reduced vulnerabilities to flooding and landslides that once isolated communities during storms. Additionally, Saint Lucian engineers received training in resilient bridge design, leading to the integration of climate risk analysis into all newly designed infrastructure. This marked a tangible shift toward risk-informed engineering practices within government institutions. 

The government also expanded Investments in community preparedness.  In vulnerable areas like Roblot and Piaye, new multipurpose centers now serve as emergency shelters during Category 4 hurricanes and as community spaces year-round.  Recognizing a critical gap, the government formalized shelter management protocols, enabling National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) and local shelter managers to follow clearly defined procedures, an important step in improving disaster response.  

“People just come in and go to shelters,” noted Maria Medard, former NEMO director. “It’s in everybody’s mind but not spelled out.” By documenting these procedures, Saint Lucia is now better equipped to manage shelters and protect its communities during emergencies.  

Policies That Build Resilience  

The government, through NEMO, implemented several disaster preparedness initiatives with CRF technical assistance. Public awareness campaigns —delivered through community outreach, printed materials, and local media— have equipped communities with better knowledge of evacuation procedures and disaster response. 

Saint Lucia also updated National Hurricane Plan, integrating tools and systems developed under the broader DVRP. With enhanced capacity, NEMO improved coordination with agencies like the Department of Infrastructure, Ports and Transport (DIPT), leading to faster alert dissemination and more efficient resource deployment during emergencies.  

To strengthen recovery efforts, the government of Saint Lucia partnered with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to improve its disaster management tools, supported by CRF technical assistance. This included updating the agency’s audit system to better evaluate how different sectors can recover from disasters. The revised tool helps identify gaps and vulnerabilities, providing valuable information for recovery planning.  

At the institutional level, Saint Lucia adopted new regulations for managing public finances and assets, embedding resilience measures across government programs.  These reforms strengthened the ability to better evaluate fiscal vulnerabilities of public assets and helped inform resource planning. In addition, key government departments introduced business continuity plans to maintain critical functions during disasters, a vital step in reducing downtime and recovery delays.  

“Strengthening our organization and planning has reduced recovery time and addressed challenges like information asymmetry and excessive bureaucracy during emergencies," said Lenita Joseph, Permanent Secretary of the DIPT.  

Modernizing Systems for Quick Responses 

Swift action during crises relies on having strong systems. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the government swiftly mobilized resources by activating a Contingent Emergency Response Component embedded in the DVRP, allowing it to quickly reallocate $5.5 million toward emergency healthcare and socio-economic relief.  

The introduction of the e-Government Procurement (e-GP) platform, supported by the CRF, has significantly enhanced resilience and disaster risk management, By digitizing procurement processes, the government has strengthened institutional capacity, improved transparency, and significantly reduced delays in critical transactions, including those related to disaster response, enabling Saint Lucia to reduce procurement lead times during emergencies and improve its overall disaster response effectiveness. This proved particularly valuable during the COVID-19 response, where faster procurement enabled quicker delivery of medical supplies and emergency services. 

The government has also prioritized inclusive resilience.  Gender-responsive reforms were integrated into public programs, such as the Saint Lucia School Feeding Program, supporting women entrepreneurs and fostering greater economic inclusion.  

These initiatives contribute to social and economic resilience by ensuring that recovery and development efforts are more equitable and sustainable. Ultimately, modernized procurement systems enhance the government’s ability to manage disaster risks, respond to crises efficiently, and build long-term resilience in the face of future shocks.   

Harnessing Data for Risk-Informed Decisions 

Accurate, actionable data plays a crucial role in building resilience. Saint Lucia’s ministries integrated new technologies and analytics tools into national systems to support better planning and risk management, procured and implemented through DVRP and CRF assistance. 

For example, LiDAR mapping provided high-resolution insights that engineers and planners can use to guide flood prevention and riverbank stabilization projects and served as a foundational analytical tool for integrating climate risks into planning and design. LiDAR’s precise topographical data has improved environmental modeling and enabled the development of resilient infrastructure across multiple sectors. These investments have equipped planners and engineers with tools to anticipate vulnerabilities and implement targeted risk reduction measures.  

The government has also adopted another key innovation the LAC RISInG tool, to assess infrastructure vulnerabilities and develop tailored investment plans. This tool prioritized critical sectors and helped optimize the use of limited resources, and is now being used by planning departments to inform investment decisions in climate-resilient infrastructure.  

“It gives us a model to make informed decisions on where investments should be made, making optimal use of resources,” said Francis Fontenelle, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance. 

Looking ahead, these data-driven strategies pave the way for innovative financial solutions that could offer Saint Lucia a financial safety net for future disasters. 

Charting a Resilient Future

Through the government’s leadership, supported by technical assistance from CRF and financing from the World Bank, the country has made substantial progress in strengthening its ability to respond to disasters. From unblocking stalled projects to modernizing systems and empowering institutions, Saint Lucia is achieving lasting impacts.

Yet, resilience-building is an ongoing journey. By scaling these achievements, embracing innovative financial tools, and strengthening partnerships, Saint Lucia will be well-positioned to face future challenges. Institutionalizing these approaches will help ensure that risk-informed planning and investment become core features of national development.

This journey serves as a demonstration that collaboration, innovation, and data-driven strategies go a long way to build a safer and more resilient future for all.