CDEMA has new chairman

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) says St. Lucia's Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training Minister, Shawn Edward, has been appointed chairman of the Barbados-based agency.

It said Edward was appointed during a recent virtual meeting of the ninth Extraordinary Meeting of Council of Ministers and he replaces the former attorney general and minister of legal affairs and justice in St. Kitts-Nevis, Vincent Byron Jr, who held the post for two years.

CDEMA said Edward has been involved in comprehensive disaster management, having ably led in its advancement in the education sector in St. Lucia through CDEMA's Caribbean Safe Schools Initiative.

“It is both an honour and a privilege to serve the region's lead disaster agency as chairman of the Council. I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by my Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre to take on this responsibility on behalf of the government and people of St. Lucia and by extension the people of the Caribbean," he stated.

“I give the assurance that I will execute my duties as diligently and effectively as possible to advance the development of a more responsive and resilient region in the management of natural disasters,” Edwards added.

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