Renewed call for funding for UWI Seismic Research

On the second anniversary of the explosive eruption of La Soufriere, Professor Richard Robertson of The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center (UWI SRC), has renewed the call for regional governments to meet their funding commitments to the organization.

Professor Robertson and Dr Thomas Christopher Scientist from the CRC based at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, made an appearance on VC3’s Round Table Talk on Thursday, April 13 where they discussed the monitoring of La Soufriere over the last two years.

Professor Robertson, who has been vocal over the years for governments to assist with funding the work done by the UWI SRC, said if countries with active volcanoes are to benefit from improved emergency and disaster response, there needs to be a dedicated team of scientists who are well resourced and equipped for volcano monitoring.

He pointed to this as one of the most important lessons coming out of the most recent eruption.

“This demonstrates the utility of having a resident team of experts in the region whose job it is to become experts in the field of volcano monitoring and understanding volcanoes. If you didn’t have that, St Vincent and the Grenadines and the region would not have been able to have the response that you had.”

He added that the collaboration between the seismologists and the local disaster response agency back in April 2021 saw residents in the danger zones evacuated in time.

“Within the space of a day or two or something happening, people on the ground were able to advise the government. You can’t have that unless you invest in a regional organization that has the capacity to do that. I would plug and keep on plugging, the need for the regional governments putting things in place to ensure the resourcing of that organization.”

Professor Robertson said while the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has been honouring its financial commitment to the UWI SRC, other governments in the region are taking a laid back approach with support.

“The other governments have to do that to make sure that an organization such as Seismic continues because it is needed to out the fire, basically,” the Professor pointed out.

He added through funding programmes and grants, the UWI SRC has been able to keep communities and schools engaged and informed about the hazards surrounding the volcano.