Community Response Mechanism for District #4 is advanced through CDEMA ACP-EU Enhanced Community Resilience Project

Mrs. Wallace passes on the plaque to Azilla Clarke

Basseterre, St. Kitts — 27th May 2013 — District Managers, ministry and other public service officials joined with Old Road community residents yesterday, to honour and to give credence to regional and international donor agencies for supporting their disaster management efforts.

Old Road was selected as a part of a Pilot CDEMA ACP-EU Enhanced Community Resilience Project and has benefited from several outputs. The project had several components namely: Emergency Communications Training, Risk Assessment Training, Hazard Mapping, provision of emergency equipment and some enhancement repairs to the Old Road Community Centre. A 20 foot storage container was also acquired and is to be retrofitted to house the equipment and accommodate meetings of the Old Road NEMA District Management Committee. The container is located in close proximity to the Community and Health centres.

As the project recently ended, a Plaque, in recognition of the CDEMA ACP-EU-leadership, has been placed in the Centre and a symbolic Handing over Ceremony of the outputs of the project, was made to the community, on Thursday, May 23rd, 2013, in Old Road.

Districts Coordinator, Mrs. Telca Wallace oversaw the ceremony, which was chaired by Mrs. Corrine Small, who is a trained Shelter Manager. NEMA Districts Volunteer, Pastor Uriel Hensley said the prayer, which was followed by Welcome remarks and a project overview by the Districts Coordinator.

Remarks were made on behalf of Parliamentary Representative for the area, Hon. Glen Phillip by his Permanent Secretary, Mr. Kurt Lewis, who was born in the community of Old Road.

Mr. Lewis reminded attendees of the passage of Omar, a tropical storm that directly impacted the coastline from Old Road through Half Way Tree and beyond, in October of 2008.

“Many homes in these coastal communities suffered tremendous damage putting the lives of the residents at risk. Monster waves crashed in our yards and over rooftops causing much fear and distress”, he said.

Left to Right – Melvin Agard, President C.U.E.T. ; Corrine Small, Shelter Manager; Derrick Boone, District Manager #4; Azilla Clarke, Community and Social Development; Anthea Earle-Farier, NEMA; Kurt Lewis, Permanent Secretary to Hon. Glen Phillip, M.P.; Telca Wallace, Districts Coordinator

Mr. Lewis recognized the communities for their herculean efforts, combined with those of NEMA, that returned them to a state of normalcy. He said that building on the resolve of the people, training opportunities shared by the regional disaster management fraternity, such as the Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) facilitated through CDEMA, will enhance the response capabilities of districts, going forward.

“I am happy we are here to successfully bring to a close the CDEMA ACP-EU Enhanced Community Resilience Project that will provide our communities with the skills and plans to mitigate risk in times of emergency”, he said.

A vote of thanks was given by the District Manager for #4, Mr. Derrick Boone.

CDEMA ACP-EU – (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency African Caribbean Pacific-European Union)