Integrated Approach To Emergency Cash Response Strategy Needed

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(PLTM) - As representatives of various British Overseas Territories gather to prepare and implement a cash-based emergency response system, Minister of Health and Social Development, Hon. Carvin Malone is advising that an integrated approach be taken.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop that is aimed at crafting the programme, Hon. Malone reflected on the important role that cash responses played after Hurricane Irma hit the BVI in 2017.

“…Cash-based humanitarian assistance has been proven effective internationally, and the 2017 storms provided the impetus for several Territories to make use of this modality to provide direct assistance to our people when they needed it most,” he stated.

Through collaboration with organisations such as the Red Cross, UK Government, Catholic Relief Services, Caritas Antilles, Adventist Disaster Relief Agency (ADRA) and the Social Development Department, a coordinated cash response was able to be arrived at, he reminded.

“We discovered that, under the right circumstances, cash offers the opportunity to cut through and make a meaningful difference to people’s lives in a much quicker and more empowering way than before,” Hon. Malone stated.

As he reflected on the great impact of cash-based responses on the persons that suffered as a result of Hurricane Irma, Hon. Malone said, “I charge all of us to keep these themes of ‘partnership’ and ‘collaboration’ at the forefront as we build on these experiences to strengthen the nexus between humanitarianism, disaster risk management, and social protection.”

Stressing the fact that resources are limited, the Minister said that any action that will be taken must be pursued in an integrated and coherent way, “as this is the strongest approach to achieving our objectives.”

“Working together we can find creative ways to combine our resources and expertise – across various sectors in-country, among Overseas Territories, throughout the Caribbean region, and with the support of the UK Government and international development partners,” he iterated.

He also vowed that the BVI would also be working to “create a shock-responsive Social Protection System through such initiatives as our Social Protection Policy Framework, Poverty and Vulnerability Mapping, and investments towards a Social Protection Information System.”

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