The Dominica Cancer Society (DCS) may solicit for operational funds in the future if the country experiences a downturn in the economy. This fact was revealed by Yvonne Alexander, president of the DCS during a DBS radio interview with Leroy “Wadix” Charles.
Alexander said the COVID-19 pandemic has affected businesses and government projects globally, and Dominica is not left out. She said the economic and financial impacts of the situation are not lost on the DCS, and this has made the future look bleak for the cancer society in terms of operational funds.
She credited the Skerrit-led administration with assisting the society with subventions, but noted that it is uncertain if the financial aid will continue far into the future. The cancer society president said the organization might resort to soliciting for funds from members of the public if the society’s finances get threatened in the future.
“COVID has just begun to affect us over the last two months or so, but we recognize that going forward in the future, that there will be economic and financial implications for the Dominica Cancer Society,” she said. “And so we recognize that in the future funding will be much more limited because of the fact that we are all anticipating that the offset of COVID will result in a downturn in the economy.”
Alexander made it clear that the society is currently in good financial standing and well able to keep their office running and staff salaries paid.
“We are able to meet the cost of our admin, keeping our office functional, pay our office rent and our utilities and for this, we are grateful to the government of Dominica from whom we do receive a subvention that assists us in meeting our day-to-day operational cost,” she said. The cancer society leader disclosed that most of DCS’s programmes for this year remain suspended since it is uncertain if the coronavirus situation will allow them to hold. She said it is not clear if the fundraising event earlier scheduled for the coming months will still hold, and if the Cancer Survivors Month planned for June will proceed as is done every year. She however urged all DCS members to keep faith and to keep protecting themselves from the coronavirus.
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