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Office of Gender Affairs Launches Programme to Combat Domestic Violence in the Virgin Islands

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The Office of Gender Affairs in the Virgin Islands has commenced the 20th cycle of its flagship initiative, the Partnership for Peace (PfP): A Violence Intervention Programme.

Over the past fourteen years, this programme has been instrumental in maintaining a zero-tolerance policy towards domestic violence in the region. Under the leadership of Director of Gender Affairs, Ms. Patricia Hackett, more than one hundred and fifty men have already benefited from the programme.

The Partnership for Peace programme is designed to provide a psycho-educational framework that encourages and supports men in achieving a violence-free lifestyle. It follows a 16-session curriculum called Partnership for Peace, based on the UNIFEM Manual from 2009. Referrals to the programme are court-based, with all participants being referred from the Magistrates’ Court.

The primary objective of the 20th cycle is to eliminate violence from the lives of participants. It aims to help them understand that violence is a choice and to take responsibility for their behavior. The programme also focuses on teaching new behaviors that are free of violence and equipping participants with skills for addressing conflicts and responding to stress in a non-violent manner.

The Partnership for Peace programme is a result of a partnership between the Office of Gender Affairs and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), now known as the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UNWOMEN). UNWOMEN has provided technical and financial support for the development of the programme.

The Programme Director for the violence intervention programme is the Gender Affairs Coordinator, supported by trained facilitators from UNWOMEN, Clinical Supervisors, and a Programme Coordinator. Each session of the programme runs for two hours and is delivered by both a male and a female facilitator. The Clinical Supervisor closely observes the classes throughout the cycle to ensure its effectiveness.

Ms. Hackett emphasized that the Office of Gender Affairs is committed to creating a Virgin Islands where gender equality and equity are at the forefront of everyone’s minds. The Ministry of Health and Social Development shares this commitment, striving for a violence-free life for all residents and visitors. The aim is to improve conversations and actions surrounding gender equality and equity.

The success of the Partnership for Peace programme has led to its implementation in other Caribbean countries, including Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. The Office of Gender Affairs continues to promote and conduct programmes that foster healthy and non-violent intimate partner relationships between men and women in the Virgin Islands.

Health

Virgin Gorda Residents Petition UK Governor for Urgent Healthcare Reforms

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A group of concerned Virgin Gorda residents, represented by the Ad Hoc Committee for the Urgent Enhancement of Virgin Gorda Health Care, has taken their healthcare grievances directly to His Excellency Governor Daniel Pruce, seeking intervention and remedies for what they describe as a crisis in the island’s medical services.

Earlier today, the committee presented a petition signed by over 800 individuals, calling for immediate action to address the ongoing healthcare challenges on Virgin Gorda. Among the key issues discussed with Governor Pruce were the potential for UK grants, visiting medical staff from the UK, increased funding in the 2025 budget for healthcare on the sister islands, and the critical shortages of medical supplies. They also raised concerns over the incomplete construction of healthcare facilities, a leaking roof, and an aging generator, as well as the operational status of the North Sound Clinic and medivac options for emergencies.

While the petition garnered significant support both in-person and online, there were reports that others who share the same concerns refrained from signing due to fears of victimization.

In a statement, the committee highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that the petition outlines several critical healthcare issues affecting Virgin Gorda. “The community hopes Governor Pruce will facilitate swift and meaningful dialogue with the Government of the Virgin Islands to address these urgent shortcomings,” the statement read. “The interaction was constructive, with a great exchange of ideas.”

The Ad Hoc Committee reaffirmed its commitment, along with the broader Virgin Gorda community, to ensure the well-being of residents and visitors, and looks forward to collaborating with the relevant authorities for long-term improvements.

Religious Leaders Rally Behind Healthcare Petition

The petition was bolstered by the support of Virgin Gorda’s religious leaders, who offered their prayers and full backing. In a joint statement, the island’s pastors expressed their solidarity with the committee. “We, the pastors of Virgin Gorda, stand in unwavering support of the healthcare proposal on behalf of the residents of the sister islands.”

The clergy emphasised that healthcare is not just a basic human right but a key factor in ensuring a stable economy and a healthy society. “For too long, the healthcare needs of the sister islands have been treated as secondary, leaving our communities with inadequate services that have dire consequences for our well-being,” they said.

Calling the situation urgent, the pastors urged the Deputy Governor and all relevant authorities to recognise the severity of the crisis. “We hope for swift and decisive action to ensure that the residents of Virgin Gorda and the sister islands receive the healthcare services they deserve,” they added, pledging their continued support and prayers for a prompt resolution to the healthcare challenges.

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Public Health and Environmental Teams Launch Community Effort to Combat Mosquito Breeding in High-Risk Areas

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To tackle rising mosquito populations and the associated health risks, officials from the Public Health Unit and the Environmental Health Division have joined forces with local communities to curb mosquito breeding in key areas of the British Virgin Islands.

Chief Environmental Health Officer, Lionel Michael, emphasised the importance of community action in reducing mosquito breeding grounds. “We’re focusing on the community level, particularly in areas with high mosquito indices, to identify and eliminate breeding sites,” Michael said. “Our goal is to work hand-in-hand with residents to mitigate vector-related issues.”

Health officials are targeting communities such as Sea Cow’s Bay, East End, Lower Estate, Huntum’s Ghut, Purcell and Baugher’s Bay, where mosquito breeding has become a pressing issue. The collaboration aims to provide residents with the knowledge and tools needed to manage the ongoing vector problem in their neighborhoods.

National Epidemiologist Harmonie Brewley-Massiah stressed the importance of managing mosquito populations to reduce the risk of vector-borne diseases. “We’re particularly concerned about the spike in Dengue Fever cases as the numbers continue to rise,” she said.

The first community meeting will take place in East End on Saturday, September 28, and Sunday, September 29, at the Francis Lettsome Primary School from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Topics will include mosquito-borne disease prevention, control measures, and the importance of community engagement in managing mosquito populations.

“We encourage the community to partner with us in this effort,” Brewley-Massiah added. “It’s only through full participation that we can reduce the risk of disease and lower mosquito indices.”

The Ministry of Health and Social Development reaffirmed its commitment to managing environmental factors that could negatively impact public health, aiming to ensure that all residents of the BVI can maintain optimal health and well-being.

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Healthcare Crisis Looms in Virgin Gorda as Government Fails to Act on Critical Funding Requests

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A committee dedicated to improving healthcare on Virgin Gorda is sounding the alarm over the government’s failure to act on critical funding requests made by the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA). The Committee for Urgent Enhancement of Healthcare to the Virgin Gorda Community has expressed growing concern about the lack of attention and resources allocated to their community’s health services.

According to the committee, despite repeated appeals through the formal Standing Finance process and independent meetings, key requests made by the BVIHSA to the Minister of Health and Social Development, as well as the Government of the Virgin Islands, have gone unheeded.

The funding requests, submitted during the 2023/2024 budget discussions, were intended to address severe operational deficits and capital needs affecting healthcare facilities throughout the territory, including those on Virgin Gorda. Specifically, the BVIHSA requested:

  1. An annual subsidy of $2 million to cover operating deficits at community clinics, including the one on Virgin Gorda. Without this funding, the BVIHSA warned, health services in the outer islands could be severely compromised.
  2. Capital expenditure assistance of $384,400 to repair the leaking roof of the Nurse Iris O’Neal Clinic, Virgin Gorda’s primary health facility. The leaks, which have caused water to pool on the second floor and disrupt operations below, pose serious risks to both patient care and staff safety. The situation has also halted planned renovations to the second floor.

Despite the urgent nature of these requests, there has been little movement from the Ministry of Health or the Virgin Islands Cabinet to resolve these issues, the committee claims. They argue that the Ministry and the BVIHSA failed to properly communicate the gravity of the situation to the Ministry of Finance, leaving the clinics without the necessary funds.

“We are extremely concerned that our healthcare needs are being ignored,” said a spokesperson for the committee. “The lack of action is having a direct and harmful impact on the quality of care available in Virgin Gorda. We need immediate explanations as to why these essential funds were not prioritized.”

The committee is also anxious about the upcoming 2024/2025 budget submission, fearing that without urgent attention, healthcare for Virgin Gorda and other outlying communities may continue to fall by the wayside. They are now calling for transparency in the budget process, including a breakdown of healthcare funding by island and clinic.

“We cannot afford for our health clinics to be an afterthought,” the committee said. “The community of Virgin Gorda remains committed to advocating for better healthcare, and we expect the government to address these needs without further delay.”

The committee also noted that they have yet to receive any follow-up from a community meeting held on Virgin Gorda on September 6, 2024, where these issues were discussed. They are demanding another meeting by October 2, 2024, to receive updates on the situation and the government’s plan of action.

For now, the residents of Virgin Gorda are left waiting, while their healthcare services hang in the balance.

For further inquiries, the Committee for Urgent Enhancement of Healthcare to the Virgin Gorda Community can be contacted at: vgpetitionforhealthcare@gmail.com.

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