In order to adequately address the question of why Sustainable Development is important in the context of the Small Island Developing State of Grenada it is important to first understand what Sustainable Development is and what it entails. Secondly, the characteristics of Grenada must be described in terms of the most viable approach for achieving Sustainable Development.
According to the Brundtland Report (1987), sustainable development is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” The commission also emphasizes that whether a country is considered developed or developing (in the context of Grenada) “the goals of social and economic development must be defined in terms of sustainability”.
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According to the CIA World Fact Book (2010), Grenada relies heavily on tourism as its main means of foreign exchange. The tourism industry contributed 72.98 % of Grenada’s overall GDP in 2008 (World Bank Statistics, 2008), which underpins the importance of this industry to the economy. Therefore, sustainable development as it pertains to Grenada should be examined within the framework of tourism since it is Grenada’s principal income generator and in essence what fuels the economy. However, it must be noted that tourism is not the only industry that can be looked at in terms of sustainability in Grenada. Agriculture, construction, textiles and food and beverages are also other industries. However, these also feed into the tourism sector.
According to Joseph (2010), tourism utilizes the historic, economic, socio-cultural and environment to grow and develop. The concept of sustainability as it relates to tourism put forth by McKercher (2003) further strengthens this point since its approach is very holistic and encompasses four main pillars; economic, ecological/environment, cultural and local. All four pillars are recognized as being paramount in order to achieve any form of sustainability. Therefore each pillar will be examined in the in the context of Grenada.
According to McKercher (2003) economic sustainability is geared at profiting the country in both the immediate and long term. Tourism affords the Small Island Developing State of Grenada the opportunity of improving its economic well-being (Joseph, 2010). Grenada derives many economic benefits from the tourism industry. The tax revenues collected as a result of accommodation, restaurant taxes, airport and sales taxes all provide the government with much required tax revenues. The jobs created are spread across the economy, such a retail, construction, manufacturing and communications (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 1999). Additionally, it earns the country valuable foreign exchange. This new money which is brought into the country in turn creates a multiplier effect, thus circulating many segments of the economy (Joseph, 2010). Tourism also attracts additional businesses and services as a means of support.
Grenada is currently experiencing tough economic times as a result of the global financial crisis. As a result, unemployment and poverty levels are increasing creating the need of employment opportunities for locals. According to the International Monetary Fund (2010), the Gross Domestic Product of Grenada is estimated to have declined 7.7% with a 13% drop in tourism. Therefore, one of the economic concerns for tourism in Grenada that this brings to the forefront is the diversity of the local economy. According to McKercher (2003) the diversification of the products by developing a wide range of tourism activities is part of economic sustainability. This should be taken into consideration since the tourism sector in Grenada is seasonal thus being unable to provide steady streams of income. Also, Grenada is susceptible to natural disasters particularly hurricanes which have a devastating effect on tourism infrastructure. Therefore, the adoption of sustainable tourism development could serve to create diversity and thus mitigate against economic vulnerability in the tourism sector. Another economic consideration that pertains to sustainable tourism in Grenada is the minimization of leakage. McKercher (2003) promotes the formation of partnerships throughout the entire supply chain from micro-sized local businesses to multinational organizations. A major form of leakage in the context of Grenada is that many of the profits generated from the industry are exported since many of the major tourist operations are owned by foreigners. For Example, many villas are being built in Grenada by foreign investors who later sell these villas to individual owners, thus not significantly contributing back to the local economy. The Port Louis project is a perfect example. Although the lagoon is much more picturesque than it was before Peter De Savary invested in it. Grenadians haven’t directly benefited from this development since Mr. De Savary has made his profit by selling the property to Camper and Nicholson, another foreign owner, and left with his money. Consequently, the occurrence of leakage results in the local population bearing the environmental and cultural costs of tourism while retaining relatively little of the economic benefits and thus reducing the multiplier effect.
Over the last few years Grenada has experienced a tremendous amount of development as a result of tourism. However, many of these developments were not executed in an economically sustainable manner. Bhola (2010) emphasizes that economically sustainable tourism should ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income, earning opportunities and social services to host communities and contributing to poverty alleviation. The Brundtland Report (1987) further stresses the integration of economic and ecological considerations in decision making because these concerns need no necessarily have to be in opposition.
McKercher (2003) purports that when it pertains to ecological/environmental sustainability that any form of development must be compatible with the maintenance of essential ecological processes, biological diversity and biological resources. However, in the context of Grenada’s tourism industry, according to Kelly (2008) the Grenadian government is sacrificing the island’s pristine [environment] to the fast buck of resort development. The Mount Hartman estate development is one such project identified as a potential threat to a tract of pristine dry forest and swampy mangroves and also the Grenada Dove which Mount Hartman happens to be a nesting site for. According to Dr. Clare Morrall (as cited by Kelly, 2008) “Grenada’s mangroves are incredibly important to the ecosystems of the surrounding area and what is happening in Grenada will have an impact on fishing stocks…which are at the point of collapse.”
The environmental characteristics of Grenada are one of the main reasons that it is such an attractive tourist destination. These include the lush green vegetation, white sandy beaches and exquisite marine and terrestrial life. However, tourism puts added strain on these resources through excess demand and unbalanced economic development (Bhola, 2010). Some of the environmental problems associated with tourism are deforestation, water and air pollution, poor solid waste management practices and coastal destruction of coral reefs, mangroves etc (Joseph, 2010). The development of hotels, marinas and harbours along our coastline has served to damage shoreline ecosystems, coral reefs and mangrove systems. According to Burke, Greenhalgh & Prager et.al (2008), “the valuable goods and services provided by ecosystems such as coral reefs are often overlooked or underappreciated in coastal investment , development and policy decisions, resulting in short-sighted decisions that do not maximize the long-term economic potential of coastal areas.” Therefore, not only is the environment affected but the viability of Grenada as a tourist destination is also compromised which in turn threatens economic well being since these resources are depended upon to support Grenada’s main industry. World Bank Statistics (2008) shows that Grenada currently has 3 mammals and three plant species that are threatened. The Caribbean region and by extension Grenada has been listed as one of the top hotspots for endemic species worldwide, yet “the Caribbean retains only 11.3% of its primary vegetation” (Myers et al, 2000). This exemplifies the lack of concern for the environment and how development has been allowed to significantly contribute to the reduction of our natural resources. According to Gardiner (2009), “ever form of life on this planet does not stand on it’s own but is supported by, and supports, other living things.” He further goes on to state that to lose one species is equivalent to losing an important part of the ecosystem. This therefore underscores what is at stake if these mammal and plant species identified by the World Bank as being endangered in Grenada are allowed to become extinct. As a result, both environmental and economic vulnerability of Grenada is being exacerbated by unsustainable development.
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Another very important aspect of sustainable development is cultural sustainability. According to McKercher (2003), cultural sustainability increases people’s control over their lives and is compatible with the culture and values of those affected and strengthen the community identity. Grenada’s history of colonialism has created a very unique and diverse culture and history which serves to enhance its marketability as a tourist destination. Colonialism has facilitated a movement of people to the Caribbean and by extension Grenada from Africa and Asia with has greatly influenced the formation of the culture through the mixture of experiences from these different Diasporas (Smyth, 2010). Carnival, Parang, Maroon festival, Folklore, string band music, big drum dancing and patois are a few of the cultural aspects of Grenada that adds to the attractiveness of the tourism product (Joseph, 2010). Although tourism could serve to reinforce the preservation and conservation of heritage and traditions, it can also degrade the cultural environment through the commercialization of the culture, religion and arts (Joseph, 2009). Many observers believe that tourism has negatively impacted the Grenadian culture and society.
According to McKercher (2003), cultural sustainability should “guarantee the protection of nature, local and the indigenous cultures and especially traditional knowledge.”One of the key ways in which tourism negatively impacts society is through the conflicting lifestyles and ideas between the tourist and the locals. In the Grenadian context, the locals try to imitate these lifestyles and ideas which lead to a dilution of the culture and value systems on the island. This in turn increases social problems such as theft and prostitution, and increased alcohol and drug use. In addition, the divisions between the tourist and the local population can cause a lot of tension. This tension arises from the fact that small communities where poverty, unemployment and overcrowding are pervasive are sometimes located near to hotels and other developments specifically designated for the tourist. As a result, locals become aggravated since they feel a sense of inequality in their own country. Sometime locals are even displaced in order to accommodate a tourist. This was exemplified during the development of the Port Louis project where many of the locals were relocated to La Sagesse in St. David’s in order to make room for the villas. In this case the new development was once where the locals depended on their livelihood through fishing.
Local sustainability is also a key aspect of sustainable development. According to McKercher (2010), local sustainability should “be designed to benefit the local communities and generate and retain income in those communities”. The provision of quality employment to community residents and the equitable distribution of financial benefits throughout the supply chain are identified as being important aspects of local sustainability. Local industries such as farming and fishing should employ sustainable practices, which should also be developed to meet the needs of the tourist. This could in turn minimize the effects of leakage. Many of the goods used by the tourism industry are bought outside of the country because many times the local suppliers cannot adequately meet demand or provide the right quality. A locally sustainable approach would provide incentives and training to local suppliers (farmers, craftsmen, fishermen etc.) to improve their standards and also to find other avenues to benefit from tourism. The Gouyave fish Friday is an example of how a local fishing community was able to benefit from tourism not by directly supplying to the hotels but through their own initiative and thus directly benefiting. However, Tourism puts added strain on local industries such as fishing and farming, therefore, a sustainable approach must be employed in order to ensure that the locals continue to benefit. The Levera turtle protection group is another example of how the locals were diverted from exploiting the turtle, by killing them for meat, to protecting them. This is more sustainable because a protected turtle will be around for a longer period to generate income for the locals, whereas the previous approach would have eventually resulted in them becoming extinct.
The importance of sustainable tourism in the context of Grenada must be emphasized since the benefits that can be derived from it are numerous. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (1999) further underscore this point by stating that “the sustainable development of tourism is of importance for all countries, in particular for Small Island Developing States.” The economic, environmental, cultural and local security of Grenada is at stake if sustainable development is not adequately adopted in Grenada’s approach towards tourism. If a sustainable approach is not employed there is much at stake. The cost of repairing damages to the marine as well as the terrestrial environment could put added strain on the economy. Also, at stake is possibility of loss of endangered plant and mammal life and biodiversity. The country will also continue to experience and increased state of vulnerability towards the effects of climate change since according to AOSIS (2009), “climate change poses the most serious threat to our survival and viability and that it undermines our efforts to achieve sustainable developmental goals and threatens our very existence”. Also at stake is the degradation of Grenada’s culture and traditions. Nettleford (1977) emphasizes the importance of culture by stating that the issue of cultural identity is of great significance…and as such should be treated with the same level of importance as economic self sufficiency. In addition, the welfare of the local population could be significantly compromised since there is a possibility of increased poverty. The Brundtland Report (1987) stresses that “poverty reduces people’s capacity to utilize resources in a sustainable manner which intensifies the mount of pressure placed on the environment”. Therefore, every aspect of life in Grenada can be affected if a sustainable approach to tourism in not immediately employed.
Therefore it can be concluded that, since tourism is such an integral part of Grenada’s economy, if a sustainable approach is adopted it can significantly contribute to environmental protection, conservation and restoration of biological diversity and the sustainable utilization of natural resources (UNEP, 2003). A sustainable approach to tourism in Grenada should employ a holistic approach encompassing the economic, environmental, cultural and local aspects since all these different segments of the country serve to benefit. The adaptation of a sustainable approach in the economic sense would improve the diversity and functionality of the sector while at the same time providing a wide range of economic benefits. The goods and services provided by the environment will be preserved through ecological sustainability. Cultural sustainability would serve to promote the preservation and celebration of the local culture and beliefs. And, local sustainability provides the locals with rewarding and immediate work and income opportunities. Consequently, ever aspect of life would be positively impacted and the Small Island Developing State of Grenada could secure a more viable future.
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