Cabinet Approves CDB Appraisal for Coastal Protection Project
Cabinet has approved the appraisal process by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for the proposed Coastal Protection Project, taking another step towards assessing investment in shoreline protection in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The decision was taken at the September 4 Cabinet meeting. The announcement did not specify the proposed project’s construction cost, financing arrangements, implementation timetable or final list of locations.
The proposal comes against a background of earlier cooperation between the government and CDB on coastal protection. In May 2017, the bank approved a technical assistance programme with an estimated value of US$780,250 to support feasibility studies, engineering designs and shoreline management planning.
According to CDB’s project paper, that sum comprised a US$441,000 loan, a US$50,000 grant and US$289,250 in government counterpart funding. The allocation covered preparatory activities and should be distinguished from any future budget for construction under the proposed Coastal Protection Project.
The earlier programme focused on coastal protection designs for Grand Turk, Providenciales and Salt Cay, alongside a Shoreline Management Plan intended to strengthen the government’s capacity to monitor and manage beaches and related coastal assets.
CDB identified coastal erosion and climate hazards as threats to settlements, infrastructure, tourism sites and livelihoods. Its announcement emphasised that coastal and marine resources underpin the territory’s tourism industry, making their protection significant for economic and social development.
Three locations were identified as priorities in the original technical assistance documentation: Front Street in Cockburn Town, Grand Turk; the ferry terminal area on Salt Cay’s west coast; and a section of South Dock Road on Providenciales.
On Grand Turk, the project paper described frequent overtopping of the Front Street seawall, which affected access along the adjoining road and to nearby residential and commercial properties. Erosion also continued immediately beyond the wall.
On Salt Cay, the identified concern was the failure of an older seawall near the ferry terminal. On Providenciales, high tides and storm surges inundated sections of South Dock Road, interrupting access to the commercial port and settlements.
These locations formed part of the earlier study. The September 4 announcement does not establish whether the proposed project now awaiting appraisal will include all three sites or whether its scope has changed.
The original programme also provided for climate vulnerability, social and gender assessments to inform infrastructure designs and the arrangements for a subsequent investment project. Its intended outputs included detailed designs, shoreline management planning and training for government personnel.
The distinction between preparation and construction is central to understanding the latest decision. The historical US$780,250 package financed studies and planning; Cabinet’s September 4 approval concerns the appraisal of a proposed project. Neither figure nor decision, on the information available, establishes a construction contract or commencement date.
Further details would clarify the extent of the proposed investment, including the shoreline sections to be protected, the engineering measures under consideration and the funding required to deliver them.
For residents and businesses in vulnerable coastal areas, those details will determine what the project could mean in practical terms. The immediate development is Cabinet’s approval for CDB appraisal, with the proposal’s final scope, cost and delivery schedule still to be confirmed through further official information as the project progresses.
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