BY JULIA RAWLINS-BENTHAM | JAN 11, 2023
Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, (right) listens attentively to Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency Chairman, Shawn Edward, during their meeting yesterday. (C. Pitt/BGIS)
Efforts are under way to address existing challenges with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency’s (CDEMA) headquarters at Resilience Way, Lower Estate, St. Michael.
This was the main item up for discussion when Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, met with CDEMA Chairman, Shawn Edward, and his team on Tuesday at the Ministry’s Wildey, St. Michael office.
They were joined by acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Marva Howell; acting Deputy Permanent Secretary, Curtis Gilkes; Executive Director of CDEMA, Elizabeth Riley, and her Deputy Executive Director, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig.
During the meeting, Mr. Abrahams outlined that Barbados hosted CDEMA in its temporary accommodations at Manor Lodge Complex, Green Hill, St. Michael, after it experienced challenges with its headquarters, and welcomed discussions to facilitate repairs.
In response, Mr. Edward expressed his gratitude to the Government of Barbados for coming to the assistance of the agency, which plays a critical role in the region.
He added that the matter relating to the CDEMA headquarters would occupy the Council’s attention over the next couple of weeks. “I want to report to the Council on June 29 the progress of restoring the building,” he said
Mr. Edward also expressed the hope that matters relating to the regional agency would be placed on the agenda of the upcoming Heads of Government meeting slated for next month in The Bahamas.
CDEMA is a regional inter-governmental agency for disaster management in the Caribbean Community. It was established in 1991 as the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency, with its primary responsibility being the coordination of emergency response and relief efforts to participating states that require such assistance. It transitioned to CDEMA in 2009 to embrace the comprehensive disaster management principles.
