This evaluation examines the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Country Engagement Strategy (CES) for Saint Lucia for the period 2020–23, including activities designed and implemented until December 2024. The evaluation uses a mixed-methods approach, combining document reviews, portfolio analysis, and stakeholder interviews, to inform the next CES. The evaluation process supported participation, reflection, and co-creation. During the inception phase, feedback was collected from CDB staff and Government of Saint Lucia (GOSL) counterparts to refine the focus and ensure evaluation questions would generate insights aligned with both CDB’s strategic needs and GOSL priorities. A Theory of Change workshop was conducted with CDB and GOSL stakeholders to reconstruct the underlying logic of the CES and identify key assumptions and change pathways. This collaboration provided a shared foundation for assessing progress and strategic alignment. Validation of emerging findings was carried out via an online workshop. A hybrid co-creation workshop was held with Saint Lucia-based stakeholders and CDB staff to collaboratively develop recommendations and ensure proposed actions are useful, specific, and actionable, with the aim of increasing the success of the next CES.
Student Loan Scheme - Grenada (2016)
Education
Project Completion Validation Report
Grenada
Summary
The Grenada Development Bank (GDB) has been involved with CDB’s Student’s Loan Scheme (SLS) programme for over 15 years. In July 2001, GDB submitted an application for funds to finance its student loan programme. Following discussions between the Government of Grenada (GOGR), GDB and CDB, concerning the performance of GDB, and negotiations with GOGR, the Board of Directors (BOD) of CDB approved a loan October 10, 2002 to GOGR not exceeding the equivalent of 3.548 million (mn) United States dollars (USD3.548 mn). The loan comprised USD3 mn from CDB’s Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR) and USD0.548 mn from CDB’s Special Funds Resources. USD3 mn was to be used for the traditional SLS. USD0.5 mn or 14 per cent (%) of the total funds were designated to provide educational loans to students from poor and vulnerable households who satisfied the educational criteria but not the financial criteria of the SLS programme. Grenada is a tri-island state with a population estimated at 101,000. A labour survey done in October 2014 year showed a drop in unemployment rate from 32.5% in 2013 to 28.9% in 2014. However, the survey also showed that the highest unemployment rate was among persons between the ages of 15 to 24. CDB assessed that GDB needed institutional strengthening and strategic planning to improve its competitiveness. A component of the loan included Technical Assistance (TA) to facilitate the preparation of a strategic plan. It was also a condition of the loan that all posts of managerial and auditing functions be held by persons whose qualifications and experience are acceptable to CDB.
