Press Release

Ministry of Health & Social Development
Release Date:
Tuesday, 19 March 2019 - 5:21pm

Representatives from British Overseas Territories are meeting in the Territory this week to prepare, design and implement cash-based response for emergencies.

The three-day workshop titled, the Collaborative Cash Programming in Shock Responsive Social Protection will address and apply lessons learnt from the Joint Cash Platform operation also known as the Financial Assistance Programme in the British Virgin Islands.

Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Carvin Malone declared the workshop officially opened and stated, “It is rather encouraging to see so many persons from various local, regional and international organisations gathered in this room as we embark on this journey to learn from each other and to chart a new course of sinuous collaboration for the betterment of the people each of us serve.”

The Financial Assistance Programme was implemented by the collaborative efforts of the Government of the Virgin Islands, BVI Red Cross, Caritas Antilles, UKAID, British Red Cross, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), the Department for International Development (DFID), and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

A total of 1074 applicants benefited from the programme for a period of three months, from November 2017 to January 2018. Households received disbursements that ranged from $800.00 USD to $1200.00 USD. These funds in turn benefited the local economy during the earliest stages of recovery from the storms of 2017.

The workshop’s aim is to define the role of emergency cash intervention; provide an outline of what needs to be done to systemise the use of emergency cash within an existing social protection system; and outline an action plan for preparedness and response activities.

Honourable Malone also addressed the humanitarian efforts of all agencies involved in the Joint Cash Platform and stated that the greatest hope for a small Territory, when confronted by overwhelming challenges is to empower the people to rebuild their lives and their country with dignity.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Development, Ms. Petrona Davies; Chairman of the BVI Red Cross, Mr. Geoff Brooks; and Social and Economic Policy Specialist for UNICEF, Ms. Maya Faisal also made remarks at the opening of the workshop.

Residents who are still experiencing financial hardships, can contact the Social Development Department at 468-3650, 468-9371 or email by socialdevelopment@gov.vg for more information on getting assistance.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development aspires to provide a caring and integrated system of health and social services that facilitates human development and quality of life in the British Virgin Islands.

Note: Photograph attached.

Photo Caption: Participants, stakeholders and officials at the Collaborative Cash Programming in Shock Responsive Social Protection Workshop in the British Virgin Islands on March 21, 2019. (Photo Credit: Ronnielle Frazer/GIS)

Author

Adrianna J. Soverall

Ministry of Health and Social Development
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Email: ministryofhealth@gov.vg
Telephone: 1(284)468-2272 or 2174