29th September, 2017 -- Deputy National Disaster Coordinator (DNDC) Mrs. Claricia Langley-Stevens has confirmed that NEMA is in receipt of some 100 rolls of sheeting, as a donation to Disaster Recovery efforts in the Federation. The gift was made by the United States Government based upon initial assessments conducted in St. Kitts-Nevis, which identified damaged roofs and underlying structures as a main priority, related to impacts made during the passages of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Miss Ann Jean Baptiste, Disaster Risk Management Specialist (International Resources Group (IRG) of RTI) of the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), returned to St. Kitts to assist with the offloading and receipt of the materials. The delegation also included DNDC Langley-Stevens, Mrs. Natalie Fough, Director General of St. Kitts-Nevis Red Cross Society and Ms. Alicia Collins, Community Development Officer of the Ministry of Social Services and Community Development.
Ms. Jean Baptiste was on the ground with NEMA in the NEOC when Irma passed in the proximity of the northern side of St. Kitts on September 6th and reported to her colleagues back on the US mainland, damages that would have been ascribed to the passage of Hurricane Irma.
“It is clear,” Ms. Jean Baptiste said, “that whatever damages were done by Irma, including loss of shingles, leaks and weakening of the supporting structures, were made worse by Maria’s impact.”
The supplies are intended to bring relief to community residents in the interim, until permanent repairs can be made. The Government of St. Kitts-Nevis has introduced a number of initiatives to assist homeowners in their endeavours to repair damaged properties.
According to a press statement issued by the Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister, a six-month duty-free concession initiative introduced on Saturday, September 28, will allow homeowners to purchase and/or import building materials in order to reduce their costs of renovation.
The Government is also assisting persons with additional recovery options in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and it’s Volunteer District Management Unit. For more information please contact NEMA at 466-5100 or the NEMA Volunteers in your District. (Districts are based upon the Political Constituency boundaries).
Vesta I. Southwell
Public Relations Officer
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