#Barbados, January 14, 2021- The CDEMA Coordinating Unit has received funding from the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK FCDO) in the amount of £51,000 through the Memorandum of Understanding on the ‘UK Support for the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) Response Teams programme’. The funds will cover the cost of a rotary helicopter aircraft, which will be used to support access to sampling of the extrusive materials, air lifting equipment to the flanks of the volcano, surveillance/reconnaissance to analyse changes in the volcano and other relevant support to the monitoring of the volcanic activity.
The
request for a rotary aircraft was made by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph
Gonsalves to CDEMA through the National Emergency Management Office (NEMO), St.
Vincent and the Grenadines. The aircraft will support the ongoing monitoring by
the University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Centre’s (SRC)
scientists on the ground.
“The
Government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines are grateful to CDEMA
and the UK Government (Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office) for their
kind assistance in organising and financing the rotary helicopter service,
which is necessary to facilitate the SRC and NEMO in conducting vital work in
respect of the effusive volcanic eruption at La Soufriere in St. Vincent and
the Grenadines. Thanks to CDEMA’s Executive Director (ag), Liz Riley and the
Coordinating Unit team, who have been magnificent in coordinating the efforts”,
expressed Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.
The United Kingdom’s Resident High Commissioner in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, His Excellency Steve Moore, said he is delighted that the UK FCDO is able to facilitate this request at short notice.
“The CDEMA Coordinating Unit is pleased to facilitate a
timely response to this request from the Government of St. Vincent and the
Grenadines. We wish to thank the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office (UK FCDO) for its prompt financial support at a critical
juncture in this volcanic event”, said CDEMA’s Executive Director (ag),
Elizabeth Riley.
“The CDEMA CU team stands in solidarity with the Government and
People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and remains committed to providing
additional support as this event unfolds”, added Riley.
Professor
Richard Robertson of the UWI-SRC has indicated that the initial aircraft is
required for a minimum of seven (7) days, and subsequently on an as needed
basis by the scientists. This support is extremely urgent to allow the
scientists to analyze the data and present to the Government of St. Vincent and
the Grenadines an informed interpretation of the current volcanic events.
The
CDEMA Coordinating Unit is liaising with CalvinAir, a
private helicopter company, based in Antigua and Barbuda, with significant
relevant operational expertise, to provide these services. The company has
previously provided services to the University of the West
Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Centre (SRC) and to the Montserrat
Volcano Observatory (MVO).
The CDEMA CU urges all Participating States and members of the
Regional Response Mechanism to continue to monitor the progress of this
volcanic event. The public should continue to monitor the releases from their
local national disaster management office for updates on the situation as it
develops.
Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.
#Palestine#Guyana, April 24, 2024 – A cheque of over GY$110 million which is USD$500 thousand, was presented to President Irfaan Ali, at a handover ceremony on April 23, in support of Palestine for Humanitarian efforts, according to reports.
The money, raised by Muslims and non Muslims, comes after an appeal by the National Ramadan Village during the month of Ramadan.
It will be sent to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) to help the victims of the ongoing war.
#Riu#Jamaica, April 25, 2024 – Jamaica’s tourism product is being enhanced with a new all inclusive Riu Resort called the Riu Palace Aquarelle, scheduled to open on May 4 at White Bay Beach in Falmouth. As reported by Caribbean Journal, the destination will house 750 rooms and will promote the country’s green transition, having 800 solar photovoltaic panels, saving up to 10 percent of the hotel’s energy use.
#Haiti#RoyalCaribbean, April 26, 2024- Royal Caribbean has decided to cancel all of its trips to Labadee, a popular destination in Haiti due to the worsening crisis, putting further strain on the country’s tourism sector. Cancellations were initially set to last until mid March but now they have been extended through the summer into September, according to a post by Royal Caribbean. A spokesperson for the organization is reported saying the Global Security and Intel team is monitoring the situation in Haiti, further expressing that the cancellations come as the safety and security of its guests are top priority.