By Olivia Rose From TC Weekly

A TCI Government minister has been called on to head a regional disaster management body.

Hon. Vaden Delroy Williams, Minister Home Affairs, Agriculture and Human Services, has assumed the role of chairperson of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). more}}

The responsibility was awarded at the agency’s eighth Ministerial Council Meeting in Montego Bay, Jamaica on July 4.

Williams expressed his gratitude to the outgoing chair for their contribution to the council as well as members for the opportunity to serve in this capacity.

He also sought the support of members during his tenure which he noted is vital to achieving the goals and objectives of the council.

The minister further thanked CDEMA and countries in the region that supported recovery efforts in the Turks and Caicos Islands in the immediate aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria.

As chair, the Turks and Caicos Islands will be hosting the ninth CDEMA Ministerial Council Meeting next year.

Other delegates representing Turks and Caicos Islands at the meeting were Clara Gardiner OBE, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Transportation and Communication, and Dr Virginia Clerveaux, Director for the Department for Disaster Management and Emergencies.

CDEMA is the regional intergovernmental agency for disaster management in the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

The agency was established in 1991 as Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency with primary responsibility for the coordination of emergency response and relief efforts to its 18 participating states when assistance is required.

It later transitioned to CDEMA in 2009 to fully embrace the principles and practice of comprehensive disaster management.

A statement was released by Caricom on Saturday (July 7) after the 39th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom in Jamaica.

It said that Caricom leaders stressed the key role CDEMA plays in helping governments to have full control of the emergency response and early recovery phases of a disaster.

They further emphasised the need for CDEMA to be sustainable given its mandate and the range of post-disaster support Caricom member states require.

For more on this story go to: http://tcweeklynews.com/tci-heads-caribbean-disaster-control-group-p8868-127.htm

IMAGE:
Hon. Vaden Delroy Williams, Minister TVI From Gov.TC