Red Cross Director-General Jean-Christophe Combe. (France-handicap-info.org photo)
MARIGOT--French Red Cross Director-General Jean-Christophe Combe will be visiting St. Martin on Friday and Saturday, January 11-12, in a continuation of monitoring Red Cross actions to help vulnerable populations in the French Antilles.
It will be his second visit to St. Martin following the visit of Red Cross President Jean-Jacques Eledjam in November 2017. Combe’s visit will be an opportunity to visit Red Cross teams on the island and assess the situation 16 months after the hurricanes of 2017.
Combe will begin his trip with the inauguration of the St. Martin branch of the French Red Cross Professional Training Centre at 23 Rue Griselle, Cadisco Building, Orient Bay, at 9:00am Friday, January 11. This will be an opportunity him to meet the team and open the “Insertion Training” for more than a dozen trainees from all districts of the French side.
Expected to be present for this inauguration will be Employment Office Assistant Director-General Nathalie Courtat, and Third Vice-President of the Collectivité Annick Pétrus.
At 11:00am, in the presence of Association Les Liaisons Dangereuses President Ketty Karam-Fischer, Combe will formalise the takeover by the French Red Cross of the three medical and social structures managed by Karam-Fischer until December 31, 2018.
Alongside Karam-Fischer will be Combe, Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS) Délégué Territorial Pascal Godefroy, Vice-President Annick Pétrus, and Préfecture Interim Secretary-General Dominique Jane.
Finally, Combe will officially launch the “Get Ready” Mobile Prevention of Risks initiative in Howell Center, Marigot, at 1:45pm in the presence of President of the Collectivité Daniel Gibbs and Jane, who will represent Préfète Sylvie Feucher.
The objective of this vehicle is to spread awareness of risks to the population through awareness-raising activities taking place during public events and through local sessions with residents.
After Hurricane Irma, the French Red Cross reassessed and increased its pre-positioning of emergency resources in St. Martin and St. Barthélemy to respond more effectively to the populations’ essential needs. Preparedness not only concerns Red Cross workers, but also all inhabitants of the territory exposed to major risks. This is why the Red Cross is developing a complete disaster risk reduction programme for the French West Indies.
