Press conference re: COVID-19 and national cleanup updates – April 16, 2021. (PMO)

The Ministries of Economic Affairs and Home Affairs will take the lead in a damage assessment and needs analysis exercise to determine the level of fallout in Barbados from the April 9 eruption of the La Soufriere volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams, made this disclosure as he addressed a virtual press conference to give an update on the progress made in the clean-up process.

That assessment is expected to commence on Monday, April 19, and will cover the areas of agriculture, infrastructure technology and utilities, as well as every sector affected by the ash fall.

“This will provide both qualitative and financial costing of the impact of the hazard, identifying and detailing our resource needs and allow us to be very specific in our request for assistance to deal with our post event recovery,” he said.

Mr. Abrahams noted that the team conducting the assessment comprised a task force that drew on both public and private sector experts.  

“We want to thank our private partners, who have agreed to assist us, as well as the UN System, who are also providing technical expertise, so the team can hit the ground running on Monday [April 19],” he stated.

julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb

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