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Districts urged to tap into regional and international funding sources for community projects |24 July 2014

Districts are being encouraged to set up official community groups which would allow them to access regional and international funds which could help them carry out community projects such as coastal area protection.

“There are funds available which the government itself cannot access but the districts can. The funds, The Small Grants Fund of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), were negotiated by government and are available for community projects,” the Minister for Environment and Energy, Professor Rolph Payet said in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

Minister Payet gave this information while answering a question by elected member for Anse Aux Pins Meggy Marie.
Mr Marie had asked Minister Payet to give details to the Assembly on the project to address coastal erosion affecting inhabitants living in the Care Free guest house area up to the Anse Aux Pins playground.

Minister Payet explained that the coastal area in question had been subjected to a study by Japanese experts studying coastal erosion and flooding in priority areas on Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.

“The study concluded that erosion affecting the mentioned coastal area at Anse Aux Pins is not deemed serious to be considered a priority under the Japanese pilot project,” added Minister Payet.

He also pointed out that government policy with regard to coastal area protection only allows for public funds to be invested in state property used by the public in general, stressing that responsibility for protection of private properties situated on the coast lies with the owners.
Minister Payet further explained that 17 out of the 19 properties located in the area in question are privately owned.

But he said officials from his ministry have already met some property owners of the area to listen to their propositions and see how they can help to address the problem of erosion and there have been propositions to carry out some reclamation to reinforce protection of the area.

“It remains now for the environment ministry to carry out further talks with the Land Use and Housing ministry to define a GIS Reclamation Line for the area which would clearly demarcate where some reclamation and stabilisation of the coast would be permitted,” Minister Payet informed the Assembly.

But Minister Payet explained that development of Ile Soleil is also having an impact on the coastal stability of the area and this is being reviewed with the Japanese experts and considerations to put in place a mitigation plan to stabilise the area are being studied.  

With regard to funding of community projects Minister Payet noted that Anse Boileau and Anse Royale are two districts which have in the past tapped into the funds which have benefitted coastal projects there.

Other than districts Minister Payet said several environment NGOs have also tapped into the funds to put in place their different projects.
Meanwhile, Minister Payet admitted that the main challenge is that districts lack the capacity to come up with viable project proposals.

He said his ministry has already conducted workshops on Praslin and La Digue for that purpose and will continue to train people at community level so they have the capacity to come up with viable project proposals which they could submit for funding.

He added that once the districts, particularly Anse Aux Pins, have formed their community groups, his ministry would step in to help them identify funding sources.

 

 

 

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