ACTING PRIME MINISTER DR. HANLEY CONVENES URGENT PRE-STRIKE MEETING AT NEMA HEADQUARTERS

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, August 12, 2024 (SKNIS) – Acting Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, convened an urgent pre-strike meeting at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) headquarters this morning (August 12, 2024), where updated information on preparatory activities and response mechanisms were shared by relevant stakeholders.

The meeting was convened as St. Kitts and Nevis is currently under a tropical storm warning as a result of the impending weather system Invest 98L that is expected to develop into a tropical depression later today and then a tropical storm by tomorrow.

Monday’s meeting therefore underscored the government’s commitment to ensuring all necessary measures are in place to maintain citizen safety and ensure proper and effective responses before, during and after the passing of the weather system.

The meeting allowed for the relevant partner agencies and organisations in the public and private sectors to apprise of their level of preparedness to ensure the protection of lives and livelihoods across the Federation. This included reports from the National Disaster Sub-committees, district volunteers, communications providers and more.  

Dr. Hanley thanked all for their diligent responses to the impending weather system, noting that the safety of its citizens remains the government’s top priority. 

Acting Prime Minister Hanley was joined at the head table meeting by Cabinet Secretary Dr. Marcus Natta; Chair of the NEMA Board, Mrs. Claricia Langley-Stevens; Commissioner of Police, Mr. James Sutton; Major Kayode Sutton of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force, and Kennyate Tyson, Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of National Security. National Disaster Coordinator, Abdias Samuel was also present at Monday’s meeting.

The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has since advised that all government offices will be closed on Tuesday, August 13.  

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