PRECEUP II : a project for urban and popular environmental economy

Its general objective was to contribute to the formulation of intervention policies for the popular areas of the city, through the development of urban management of the environment. The idea was to help mobilising popular areas so as to create community-based enterprises that would offer, with the active participation of municipal authorities, a collection and disposal service for household waste management.

The organisational aspect was approached through actions aiming at compensating for the institutional weaknesses (stronger co-ordination of actions, mutual participation…). As for community-based management, two stations for the disposal and separation of waste were opened and became research and information bureaux.

The main activity conducted within PRECEUP II consisted in setting up an integral waste management system in the zone. This initiative was welcome by a majority of the population. However, its good implementation was prevented by external factors, especially hindrances from municipal authorities since the political context strongly influenced the whole course of the activity.

Regarding training, members and leaders of community groups followed sessions on sanitation and the environment (treatment and use of water and solid waste, individual and collective hygiene…). Besides, several workshops presented the multiple possible uses of recyclable material.

In terms of communication and diffusion, activities are currently being carried out (exchange of documents and experiences throughout the country and the whole Caribbean zone).

However, hurricane George disrupted the programme and imposed new priorities that were rapidly assimilated. Actions were reoriented toward providing housing and medical assistance, finding and distributing food supplies. Then, sanitation works in victims accommodation centres had to be carried out and existing lodgings had to be rebuilt or improved.

The following study goes back over the different steps of the project, underlines its achievements and gives keys to understanding the encountered limits.

The project however ended promisingly: an agreement was indeed reached with the National District Mayor in order to create community-based enterprises which shall take responsibility of solid waste collection and disposal.