 Hello and welcome to the second part of what was a very interesting discussion in Part 1. So in Part 1, we have discussed the role and functions of the WRMA, its nexus to WASCO. We have looked at some of the general mandate of the WRMA. As we came to the end of the discussion in Part 1, we were focusing on the disaster vulnerability reduction project's intervention, its assistance to the WRMA via funding for a watershed management plan. So we are going to continue with this and as we go forward, we are going to look at some of the things that the DPRP has assisted the WRMA with. And that includes the wastewater management strategy. That includes optimizing the hydromet system. And also you are going to hear some of these things. The ring what I have is in the system is another way that the DPRP has assisted the WRMA. But just before we get into this second part of the discussion, let me tell you something that you may not know. The two new blocks of the Schusel secondary school. Because after the earthquake in about 2007, there were some issues with the Schusel secondary school, two blocks in particular. They were being undermined as a result of the earthquake. And so, could you see the DPRP, these blocks were reconstructed. Climate resilient blocks via the DPRP. So if you didn't know, well, now you know. So Jason, at the end of the first part of the program, we were looking at the intervention, the watershed management plan. So continue and speak to it. Yes, so this DPRP funded initiative very critical to the WRMA. Because what it did, it assisted the agency in characterizing one of our watersheds. But apart from that, it also assisted in creating guidelines and some of the officers received training on how to go about in terms of characterizing the watershed. Because we have to do it for all watersheds. Now we have to develop that capacity in-house so that we can do it ourselves. Because if we have to depend on funding by the time, maybe rigid the 10th watershed, we might have to revisit the first watershed because so much has changed. So we basically have to build that in-house capacity. So that initiative from the DPRP, it was very critical because it provided some training and guidance. And apart from that, they're also assisting in developing our in-house capacity further. Just to speak about just some two of the other initiatives that are also critical. It's funded by the DPRP is the optimization of our hydro-meteorological network. So this is a joint collaboration between WRME and the MET services where we're going to upgrade our existing infrastructure. So we're going to replace it with new parts and we're going to introduce new stations. And the idea is that we try to make our network as much as possible functional in actually collecting real-time information. So basically we can stay in the office and see what the rainfall events are happening, say in Canary's, in Viewfort, in Magritut, wherever we have our stations set up. Now piggybacking off that initiative, we also have another initiative funded by the DPRP, where we're creating an integrated database solution where the information coming out of all those sensory instruments would now feed into a central repository where now we can create data products that is in function of what the public and institutions want to see. So it's all about getting the information in real time and all of that now feeds into early warning, forecast, and what have you. So we're actually moving forward in many different spheres with the assistance and the guidance from the DPRP. Yes. Fantastic. I want to ask you, Rupert, because at the end of the day, when the wills of government move, it is supposed to be benefiting the end user. It is supposed to be benefiting me, it's supposed to be benefiting you public. So I'm rewinding a little bit back to the watershed management plan. How does that benefit the ordinary solution? I know guidelines as Jason indicated were also established. So generally speaking, how does a common man benefit? The common person will benefit from this in many ways. When one looks at a watershed, we live in the watersheds and we all have different roles to play. We have farmers in the watersheds. We have professionals. We have contractors, all different professions living in a watershed and using that watershed. Now although we speak about it as watershed, it's land and you have recreational activities. You have sports, you have education occurring in that space and you need to plan all of these activities in a way that doesn't adversely impact on your water resource. Because all of us rely on water, you mentioned that water is life, it is in fact life. So while we occupy that space together, the WRMA is charged with that responsibility to manage the water resources that is also in the space. So now we and Jason spoke about the data. Data is important to us because that will inform actions we take towards managing the water resource and to guide the common man, as you say, as to certain practices that are desirable and those that are not so desirable. The hydromet system which Jason referred to, you did speak to how it's going to benefit the public in some way by way of forecasting and I think this is very critical. So if you want to add a little to this as to how the DVRP funded hydromet system to make it better, to improve on how it functions or to get you the tools and how does that benefit. And Jason is more, he's way more aware of the technical details of that. So you'd be aware that currently we have free siren systems that we set up in Anslery Canaries and Marsha. Right now the system is set up where it's manual, the alert has to be sent out manually but ideally. Have we tested them? Yeah, they've been tested. In Marsha as well? Yes, they do work but ideally the idea is that it's an automatic system where based on rainfall intensities it would just trigger the system because like I mentioned before the land mass is so small that I mean. You get flash flood? Yeah, flash flood in half an instant. By the time you know or if you wait on a water level to tell you that water is a new in less than 10 minutes. So with the intensities with the rain falling it could automatically trigger and tell you what it is that can be expected. So one of the ideas is to tie that whole system, those two systems together to make it one. So it's just based on the intensities of those areas. So we are due for our break in the second part of the discussion but clearly the intervention of the DVRP is clearly assisting the WRM and by extension the citizenry in a major way. So do stay with us, we go into our first break and the second part of our discussion will be back in a moment. Thank you Mr. Enifers. Welcome back and we are just going to be tying up our discussion on the hydromet system that the DVRP has been assisting with ensuring that it functions properly and that all of the parts have been put together and we are also going to be touching on the rainwater harvesting system again funded by the DVRP. But just before we go into this another fact, did you know that the Cannes roadway or highway was reconstructed utilizing DVRP funds? Well, if you didn't know, now you know. So let's get back to tab the discussion on the hydromet system, how that DVRP intervention is benefiting the public. Yes, so like I mentioned is getting the information in real time and that information will not only be used by the WRM, but it would also feed into other systems because there is also an early warning system that is supposed to be implemented by the government of St. Lucia and all of that in situ data slash information will be fed into the system. So at the end the result could tell you exactly what is happening and what is expected and also in terms of modeling like flood modeling, this is very critical for aspect of flood modeling because it would be the input whether it's your discharge data or whether it's your rainfall data to tell you whether you expect flooding in a particular area or not. So all of that would be used to calibrate the model. So it would be at the level that you know you see that in the state sometimes they tell you okay well they expect flooding there at in 12 hours, 10 hours that's something that we're looking to work to but right now at the infancy stage yeah but definitely I mean it's exciting for the WRM. Yeah clearly because we can see that contributing to the saving of lives, you know saving the property, people being able to move at a time that they should and so on so yes. I'm happy that you mentioned saving life, saving life, yeah, of life because I mean canaries, ancillary, marshes, these areas people live in close proximity to the water cost and so hence the reason why we chose those areas and what we've implemented because we're aware of the characteristics of these watersheds and in Marsha's case the catchment Jason spoke about the little time that you have to evacuate if there is an event and so we see the value in the need to put in instrumentation that will help us forecast what's happening upstream so that we can react and protect livelihoods and so on. So which takes us into the rainwater harvesting system, ZVRB funded workshop and contractors and plumbers from all over the country benefited from this training, tell me some more about this. Okay I just want to add first that part of the WRM's mandate is actually to find alternate sources of water so this is one of our responsibilities, one of our functions and we're actually working towards that and we see rainwater harvesting as a very valuable alternate source of water because we know that after a major event water is something that everybody here is, one of the first things that people look for is water, even before the event you see people buying a lot of water and rainwater harvesting it feels that immediate need for water and most of those events you have water related events so you have a lot of water so why not capture that water because you have all that rainwater in the moment of the event and then after there is nothing and persons go out so we think that is something that is very valuable and also it adds to that awareness, a sensitization for conservation you know of the resource and it adds value let's person know that this resource has a value and it's something that is not very costly and it can actually bring down your water bill so in the event of climate change and climate change is basically a water related event it's something that can act as an immediate alternate source of water. So it was important that the DVRP come in and assist with this, the training and so on, I think there's a plan for the WRM to get persons certified. Yes well as part of the deliverables we had a trained workshop, a fully trained workshop and the participants were contractors and plumbers and well it was a first step in terms of getting them the NVQ national vocational qualification right but we're looking to have that as a full fledged qualification so it's more or less like creating the portfolio so starting to create the portfolio to get NVQ certified so that they in turn can either train other persons or they can do the implementations of the rainwater system because it's critical that persons get it right in terms of when we're looking at whether you're looking for it to be either the system to be portable or non-portable you know to prevent from getting making the water quality deteriorate or whatever so there are certain steps that need to be taken into consideration and it's a good avenue for you know for business. Now interestingly the DVRB funded workshop introduced I could say perhaps some yeah some degree of emphasis a first flush rainwater harvesting system design can you speak to that? Okay well the first flush is basically what you're saying that let's say we're looking at the catchment area being the rooftops and stuff and we're saying that there are many things on the roof that may deteriorate the water quality that may be hazardous to it so what you're saying in the first instance that water would not be part of make up your storage that would be flushed away so whatever impurities or whatever it is that you have that would deteriorate the water quality would be washed away and then now you can start to collect water that you could put for your portable or non-portable needs. Okay so as we were coming to the end of the discussion we have about 60 seconds left I'm going to allow you some 20 seconds to wrap up and to speak to the benefits of those interventions that have been done could see the disaster vulnerability reduction project and how it is impacting the WRME positively. Okay in many ways DVRP is helping the WRME in improving its management systems we spoke to data collection which is critical for us and we also spoke to a hydromet the hydromet system and just to mention we work in close collaboration with the Met Services as well when we implement that project so that assists us in forecasting and so on and in compiling data that we use to manage the water resource to improve our management of and then we the DVRP is funding the project that you just mentioned which speaks to rainwater harvesting training in that area but a component of that intervention also is water conservation which is part of our mandate anyhow. Right so I'm going to move to Jason thank you Jason allow you another 20 seconds to wrap up. Yes well the WRME like I say our mandate is broad the staff complement is small and we have varying degrees of qualified personnel so very happy that the DVRP is actually helping us to build that human capacity that we have in house because persons have to wear multiple hats you know in order to get the job done so they actually assessed our needs and they see the critical areas that we need assistance not only human capacity but also in terms of additional resources to go out into the catchment to get the relevant data because that's what it is whatever decision that we take it has to be based on empirical evidence so the DVRP has definitely assisted the agency to move many steps forward. So thank you so much gentlemen and let me just say from today viewers thank you for listening and we've been speaking about the disaster vulnerability reduction project DVRP is short which has assisted WRME in a major way and just to let you do that you're about some 100 different initiatives across several implementing agencies that the DVRP is benefiting and two major things that I'd like you to remember among several but two I'm going to pull out to you is that the DVRP is the biggest financial arrangement if you will between the government of St. Lucia and the World Bank to date and the second thing is that the DVRP is all about ensuring that we reduce the country's the risk in times of disaster is drastically reduced so on that note I'd like to say thank you and goodbye