The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will once again ensure that Haiti has insurance coverage to limit the impact of catastrophic hurricanes and or earthquakes. CDB is providing a grant of USD $2.57 million to cover Haiti’s premium to the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) for the period June 1, 2014 to May 31, 2015.

The decision to provide the grant was taken at the 263rd meeting of the Board of Directors of CDB which was held in Barbados on 16th October 2014.

“On behalf of the Haitian government and Haitian people I thank CDB for agreeing to make this payment to the CCRIF. This will ensure that the government is covered in the event the country is hit by a natural disaster during the coverage period,” said Mr. Hancy Pierre-Louis, Haiti’s Director for CDB.

CDB also provided a grant to USD $2.57 million to Haiti in 2013, for payment of its CCRIF premium for the period June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014.

CCRIF was developed through funding from the Japanese Government, and was capitalised through contributions to a multi-donor Trust Fund by the Government of Canada, the European Union, the World Bank, the governments of the United Kingdom and France, CDB and the Governments of Ireland and Bermuda, as well as through membership fees paid by participating Governments. CDB in August lauded the inception of CCRIF’s excess rainfall insurance package and commending the countries in the region that have purchased a policy for 2014-15