9 emergency shelters to be repaired with EU grant of 2M Euros
This was revealed today, October 29, 2019 at the launch of the Emergency Shelter Repair Project at Central Administration Complex on Wickham’s Cay I.
Keynote speakers were Acting Premier and Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities Honourable Kye M. Rymer (R5), Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone (AL), Governor of the Virgin Islands His Excellency Augustus J. U. Jaspert and EU Representative Luis Maia. A message by PAHO’s Representative Dr Jean Marie Rwangabwoba was read.
Shelters identified for repairs
According to Acting Premier Hon Rymer, the EU responded favourably in record time, “Agreeing to give us a grant of 2M Euros to assist us with the rehabilitation of emergency shelters across the territory which have been damaged by the hurricanes.”
Hon Rymer said the shelters to be repaired under the grant are the community centres at West End, Cane Garden Bay, Sea Cows Bay, Purcell, East End/Long look, North Sound, Brewers Bay and Long Trench, in addition to the Anglican Church Hall.
The request for the grant was made in November of 2017 by the previous administration and a response was received early 2018.
Relief supplies & training
The funding will also provide emergency relief supplies for the said shelters, training for the public and private sector in resilient, safe and green building strategies and standards and training in shelter management inclusive of psychosocial care, according to Honourable Rymer.
The government is also keen on ensuring the shelters are built to withstand harsh weather conditions.
“At the completion of this project, the community centres which serve as emergency shelters during weather events will not only be repaired but they will be repaired to SMART standards, ensuring that they will be more resilient for future weather events.” said the Acting Premier.
PAHO will be providing technical oversight for the implementation of the project. They will also provide financial contributions toward the project by covering salaries for their technical staff assigned to assist the technical overseeing.
“This means that more of the EU’s funding will go towards actual repairs of the shelters,” Hon Rymer stated.
It was not disclosed when the actual repairs will commence.
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The following is a list of projects for repair, improvement and upgrade using the EU funds: West End Community Centre, Cane Garden Bay Community Centre, Sea Cow’s Bay Community Centre, Anglican Church Hall, Purcell Community Centre, East End/Long Look Community Centre, North Sound Community Centre, Brewer’s Bay Community Centre and the Long Trench Community Centre. Hurricane protection is no longer based mostly on wind but also storm surge.
These structures must be structurally sound and must be certified by a license wind storm engineer as to what minimum hurricane category they can withstand, ie, Cat 1-5. It is a false sense of security to put people in buildings that are not structurally sound enough to withstand the approaching storm. Due to storm surge, the location of the facilities is also important. Further, the structure can be well-constructed but if the shuttering of openings ( doors, windows, skylights) is poor, this is a major weakness.
Reparations YES