Local Government Minister Pleased With Readiness Of Shelter In Hanover

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says he is pleased with the state of readiness of the designated shelter at the Esher Primary school in Hanover, for the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane season.

“This is a state-of-the-art shelter with a layout of what the shelter will look like, with an isolation unit that was built by the school, and I want to thank the school, the principal and the staff and Board for the buy-in and for making the quality shelter,” he told journalists, following a tour of the facility on June 10 along with senior officials in the Ministry.

The shelter will be able to house up to 250 persons if its use becomes necessary during the 2021 hurricane season, which commenced on June 1 and ends on November 30.

Mr. McKenzie noted that the shelter has been properly equipped with the necessary resources and urged residents to utilise the facility if the need arises.

For his part, Acting Deputy Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Horace Blaze, said the agency continues to provide support to all municipal corporations and volunteers who lend themselves as shelter managers.

“We not only provide training for our shelter managers but we also ensure that they receive the necessary sensitisation in the COVID-19 protocols and how to operate at the shelter facilities, and… to ensure that a COVID-19 monitor or a protocol officer is included as part of the shelter team,” he said.

He noted that the ODPEM is pleased with the work that has gone into preparing the Esher Primary school as a shelter.

Meanwhile, Principal of the school, Antoinette Wright, said the school administration is happy to play their part in serving the community.

“Our team members really put in the hard work to ensure that we were able to instal the necessary COVID-19 protocols. Hanover Charities is one of our major sponsors and actually assisted in funding the construction of the isolation centre and to build additional handwash stations,” she said.

There are 54 designated shelters in Hanover for the 2021 hurricane season.