The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) yesterday received equipment from the US worth over US$1 million to boost the agency’s ability to respond to disasters.
A release yesterday from the Office of the Prime Minister said that Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who is performing the functions of President, attended a handing over ceremony of a US$1.124 million deployable multi-purpose field hospital, facilitated through the United States Government – Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) to the Civil Defence Commission, at Playfield, Base Camp Ayanganna.
Phillips expressed the Government of Guyana’s appreciation for the donation, which he described as a form of continued support in the area of security cooperation with the aim to boost resilience of disaster preparedness. He also acknowledged the “invaluable role” of SOUTHCOM in identifying and addressing the capability gaps in humanitarian assistance and disaster management, particularly after hosting the recent TRADEWINDS exercise. He told the gathering that the donation was not just about disaster, but has the capacity to assist in the country’s development
“This is not just about disaster; this is about contributing to the development of Guyana. Our deepest appreciation to SOUTHCOM and to the Government and people of the United States of America for this donation, and for being with us as we continue on this path of security cooperation that will only lead to the improvement of the lives and livelihood of the people of Guyana”, he said.
The release noted that current commander of SOUTHCOM, General Laura Richardson, also came in for praise for spearheading the ongoing engagement and his dedication in delivering on identified needs to bridge capability gaps in Guyana, citing previous collaborations such as the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at Base Camp Stevenson, a Disaster Risk Management facility in Region Nine and the expected establishment of an EOC/Warehouse complex at Mahdia in Region Eight.
Prime Minister Phillips who holds responsibility for disaster management in Guyana, while highlighting the importance of the field hospital, outlined the donation’s role in advancing Guyana’s implementation of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) strategy.
“This facility here will help us to greatly advance in our implementation of comprehensive disaster management in Guyana, making us more effective and more able to bring relief to the people.”
US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, who was also present at the ceremony remarked, “As Guyana works to improve its emergency disaster response in the near and long-term, the United States government is committed to supporting the people of Guyana and to strengthening our partnership”.
According to the release, the handing-over ceremony also featured an incident simulation exercise.
