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  • 11 months ago

A few disaster preparedness agencies in the country are now more equiped to treat with possible disasters.
It comes as the United States Southern Command has donated one piece of equipment to the country valued at one hundred thousand U-S dollars .
Alicia Boucher has the details.
Transcript
00:00The donation of disaster preparedness and response equipment from the United States
00:05Southern Command is being viewed as another symbol of the strengthening bond between both
00:10the U.S. and TNT.
00:12Head of South Com Admiral Alvin Halsey says Trinidad and Tobago and the region are open
00:18to natural disasters.
00:19Today, it's my pleasure to present these donations, which represent a total investment
00:24of approximately $100,000.
00:27And our commitment to building an enduring partnership for the people of Trinidad and
00:31Tobago.
00:32It's Admiral Halsey's first official overseas visit since being at the helm of South Com,
00:38and he is in the country for South Com's hosting of the Caribbean Nations Security Conference,
00:43CANSEC 2024.
00:45Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hines says disasters, apart from causing devastation,
00:51also impact the economy.
00:52They sometimes lead to social upheaval, matters of national security in that pure sense.
01:03So I especially welcome your thoughts and the handover of these items to the ODPM and
01:14the other beneficiaries here today as part of our preparedness and response to deal
01:22with these real issues when they come.
01:25The recipients are the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management, the Saparibor
01:29Corporation, of which Cedrus Disaster Management Unit has been factored in, and the Tobago
01:35Emergency Management Agency.
01:37A targeted approach was taken in the distribution of the items, for example, gloves, coveralls,
01:43boots, vests and respirators for TEMA, and tools, tents, generators and protective equipment
01:49for the Cedrus DMU, and televisions for the ODPM to enhance its monitoring capability.
01:56Lastly, the Hyundai truck will support ODPM operations in the Meira, Ria, Claro region
02:06of Trinidad, which frequently experiences heavy rains, flooding, putting lives at risk.
02:12This truck will increase ODPM's ability to respond to crises that endanger nearly 36,000
02:18people in the area.
02:19According to United States Ambassador to TNT Candace Bond, they all play a crucial role
02:24in keeping the people of the country safe.
02:27Let us reaffirm our commitment to working together in the face of adversity by supporting
02:33each other and sharing our resources, our expertise.
02:38We truly can overcome any challenge that comes our way.
02:43Head of the ODPM, retired Major General Rodney Smart, refers to the donation as high-end
02:48demand resources as he makes a call to Admiral Halsey.
02:51We ask you to continue to engage with this office, who has a serious responsibility for
02:59Trinidad and Tobago.
03:00And when I say this office, I include the other offices that are here present today.
03:05But also to add to that is the fact that Trinidad and Tobago has a responsibility to the southern
03:13sub-region of Caricam.
03:16Chair of the Siparia Borough Corporation, Dudnath Meru, is also expressing gratitude.
03:21He says the donation will go a long way.
03:24Today is really an exciting day for the borough of Siparia.
03:28More so, it's the very first time that Siparia Borough is receiving such a donation from
03:35anywhere or any part of the world.
03:38We appreciate your efforts, the United States government effort, in trying to keep our citizens
03:43in Siparia safe.
03:45Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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