The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) has a new Chairman.

He is St. Lucia’s Minister of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science,Technology and Vocational Training, Shawn Edward.

The minister’s elevation to the role occurred during the organization’s ninth extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers held via the Zoom platform on August 22, 2022 a release from CDEMA said.

He takes over the chairmanship from former attorney general and Minister of Legal Affairs and Justice in St. Kitts and Nevis, Vincent Byron Jr, who held the post for two years.

Minister Edward, a veteran educator, has been involved in Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM), having ably led in its advancement in the education sector in St Lucia through CDEMA’s Caribbean Safe Schools Initiative, the release states further.

Prior to entering active politics, Edward held several leadership positions in both national and community-based organizations and has shown a vested interest in lifelong learning, poverty alleviation, youth empowerment and disaster management with a focus on relief and recovery.

Commenting on the appointment, minister Edward said: “It is both an honour and a privilege to serve the region’s lead disaster agency as Chairman of the Council. I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by my Prime Minister, Honourable Philip J. Pierre to take on this responsibility on behalf the government and people of St Lucia, and by extension the people of the Caribbean. I give the assurance that I will execute my duties as diligently and effectively as possible to advance the development of a more responsive and resilient region in the management of natural disasters.”

CDEMA is a regional inter-governmental agency for disaster management in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and is the highest decision-making body is the Council of Ministers.