The BVI Red Cross and BVI Department of Disaster Management on yesterday June 1st, 2020 signed a Memorandum of Understanding to define the areas of cooperation between the agencies, hence strengthening the disaster response.
The MOU signing took place on the first day of the 2020 Hurricane Season, at the BVI Red Cross Headquarters.
Director of BVI Red Cross Ms. Stacy Lloyd said, “The MOU signing is right on time as the entire Territory prepares for the 2020 hurricane season. The MOU specifically relates to the DDM’s containerized satellite warehouses located in each district. The BVI Red Cross, as outlined in the MOU, will now have access to, and allocated space within the warehouses for the storage of emergency supplies.”
Ms. Lloyd added, “The BVI Red Cross is continuing to work alongside the DDM to help individuals and communities enhance capacity to prepare for, deal with and recover from crisis.”
The MOU outlines the following objectives: “to promote a spirit of cooperation and understanding in the execution of the Territory’s disaster management programme; allow for the construction of concrete bases to mount the containerized Satellite Warehouses; and to allow for the storage of contingency stocks belonging to both the Red Cross and DDM”.
The Red Cross Movement is a volunteer based international humanitarian organization. The BVI Red Cross was established in 1956.