Publisher's Synopsis
DEL-UGE is a story about availability of Freshwater in the Caribbean Islands. While it logs a detailed case study of a regional water transshipment enterprise, nevertheless it read more like The Anatomy of a Viable Water Strategy to solve the perennial freshwater crisis in the Eastern Caribbean. Part 1 (Chapters 1-4) explains why freshwater is such a peculiar commodity for bulk trade in our Region. Part 2 (Chapters 5-17) describes the negotiations of a commercial project to export freshwater from Dominica, where it is in abundant supply, to the neighbouring Caribbean islands where water scarcity persists. Part 3, is an exposition on how and why the principles developed in Part 2, may be applied on a universal basis to address the global issues of water scarcity.The Water Strategy delineates an algorithm that goes from water deficit as the definition of the problem, to water surplus as a conditional support source, to water importation as an asset and water portfolio as the utility management tool. The Book is the result of 8 years of engagement in structuring a business model to transship freshwater to the water-stressed Caribbean islands. This involved commercial negotiations with Water Authorities in Antigua and Dominica, potential Investors from the EU and USA and potential buyers in Anguilla, St. Lucia, Tortola (BVI) and Sint Maarten. The immense array of data on costs, prices, freshwater shipping equipment and Port facilitation, have all been woven into an effective strategy for understanding and eventually overcoming the challenge of inadequate water availability in individual islands. This teaching experience is captured in the Chapters explaining, inter alia: oWater Deficit AccountingoWater Portfolio ManagementoWhy Dominica has so much WateroLimitations of the desalination solutionoGetting the price of bulk shipments rightoCreating a Business ModeloTourism and the Demonstration EffectoDestination islands and sustainable profits oBuy-in and Re-direct from financial investorsoFalse starts and Water Mirages!DEL-UGE shares a legacy that identifies the parties and the roles they would have to play, in resolving this major Caribbean challenge of freshwater scarcity, from Water Authority, to Port facilitation, to local water truckers. Most importantly, however, DEL-UGE depicts freshwater supply as the issue with the potential to begin addressing the broader questions of data-driven governance structures, regional cooperation in trade, and economies of scale achievable by clustering our technology-demand in such areas as water, energy, communications and services.
