China loan for road repairs

Barbados is getting a loan from China to fix some of the island’s problematic roads.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley revealed on Monday that the island was “on the verge of signing” a US$115 million loan agreement with China for rehabilitation of roads in the Scotland District.

The news, she said, should bring some comfort to those in rural areas such as Whitehill and St Saviour’s, both in St Andrew, where soil erosion has caused the collapse of roads and homes, in some instances, as well as displacement of residents.

The Prime Minister recently attended the United Nations climate change conference COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, where issues related to the impact of climate change were aired by developing countries to an audience that included the world leaders of developed countries, which have been largely blamed for the carbon emissions responsible for global warming.

Mottley said Barbados found itself having to do a financing balancing act, trying to source funding for the many projects to fight climate change issues, while trying to safeguard the food, health and economic security of Barbados. (GC)