13/1/2026
Director of the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) Michelle Forbes, said the transformation at the Belmont Observatory facility is "remarkable".
This, as the newly renovated and retrofitted Volcano Observatory was handed over. The observatory project was financed through a concessional loan provided by the World Bank. The total cost of the project amounted to EC$4.696 million. Construction commenced in March 2024 and was completed in December 2025 due to delays caused by weather and other unforeseen factors.
Forbes said that facility marks a significant milestone in strengthening volcanic monitoring and disaster preparedness in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).
"We started this work in 2024 and here we are now early 2026 handing over this new facility ... those of you who haven't been here for a while, it is really a remarkable facility, and I'm really happy today that the Soufriere Monitoring Unit team and the scientist that will join us from time to time here in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have a much better and more conducive environment in which to work," Forbes said.
"We may not want to see another eruption soon, but we know it will come someday. When it does, we are now better equipped, with improved facilities for our scientists and local monitoring team to do their work," Forbes added.
The NEMO Director also expressed gratitude to all stakeholders involved in the project, including the Soufriere Monitoring Unit team, designers, engineers and contractors, noting that adjustments and challenges encountered along the way were addressed through collaboration.
The upgraded Belmont Volcano Observatory forms part of the government's broader disaster risk reduction and resilience-building initiatives, aimed at safeguarding lives and infrastructure in the event of future volcanic activity. The retrofitting of the Volcano Observatory has been a multi-phase process. Initial renovation work was completed by the Building Roads and General Services Authority (BRAGSA) in early 2021, with this recent expansion and upgrade project was done under the Volcanic Eruption Emergency Project (VEEP).
The project was executed by Irvine Interior and Construction Inc., with technical support from TVA Consultants Limited. The handing over ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Disaster Management and Immigration Major Hon. St. Clair Leacock, Senior Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Naomi Shallow and Project Coordinator of the Volcanic Eruption Emergency Project (VEEP) Roxanne John.
Coverage provided by the Agency for Public Information SVG
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