Groundbreaking ceremony held for CDEMA’s new multi-purpose facility

CDEMA hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on just over 13 000 square feet of land at Lower Estate, St. Michael, in Barbados earlier this week, to signal the start of work on its new multi-purpose complex, which will comprise a training facility, Regional Coordinating Centre, warehouse and the Agency’s headquarters.

Ronald Jackson, Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), told those gathered that the proposed purpose-built facility will significantly enhance CDEMA’s capabilities for emergency planning and response, as well as contribute to the growth of the regional skills base for disaster risk management.

From left: Commander Michael Long, Senior Defence Attaché
with the US Embassy in Barbados; Ronald Jackson, Executive
Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management
Agency (CDEMA); and Barbados’ Attorney General and
Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite, in talks after
the groundbreaking ceremony for the new
CDEMA headquarters complex on Monday.

“We anticipate that construction will be completed within the next twelve months,” Jackson revealed.
The executive director acknowledged the support of the United States Southern Command (US SOUTHCOM) in making CDEMA’s vision a reality, given that US SOUTHCOM has pledged US $4 million to the project.

“CDEMA and US SOUTHCOM, through its Humanitarian Assistance Programme, have had a strong partnership for almost two decades, working towards the common goal of strengthening disaster management in the Caribbean region,” Jackson remarked.

“Over this period, US SOUTHCOM has supported some key interventions in the region, including the construction of warehouses and Emergency Operations Centres in several of our participating states; training of the CARICOM Disaster Relief Unit; capacity building for urban light-level search and rescues and delivery of exercises such as Tradewinds and FAHUM that test CDEMA’s inter-operability,” he further noted.

Turning his focus to Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, Adriel Brathwaite, who would later support him as he turned the soil at the site, Jackson expressed thanks on the behalf of CDEMA to the Government of Barbados, which has leased the property for 25 years to accommodate the facilities.
“I would like to single out Minister Adriel Brathwaite for his support throughout this process, both in his role as representing the Government of Barbados, our host Government, and also representing the interest of the CDEMA Council of Ministers,” Jackson stated.

Commander Michael Long, Senior Defence Attaché with the US Embassy in Barbados, who first announced the contribution of the US $4 million contribution to the project, noted that the complex, which will contain a robust emergency operations centre, will also have some flexibility for growth and expansion.

Contractors working on the project located near the Lears Roundabout are SIGMA Construction based in Barbados and the OTAK Group out of Florida. (RSM)