Our Governance
The ZHTF is governed by a multi-sectorial board of trustees.
Our Board of Trustees
Chairman
Derry Williams
Mr. Williams has in excess of 12 years’ executive leadership experience in commercial banking and has also served as a non-executive director on a number of Boards, locally and regionally.
Director/ CEO
Safiya Horne-Bique
Safiya Horne-Bique, is an international development expert, trained in Economic, Management and International Relations, and possesses over twenty (20) years of experience and expertise in the areas of International Development, Trade, and Regional Integration. She has a diverse skillset and training in areas of Project Management, Negotiations, Results-Based Management, and Diplomacy.
She is a career Public Servant and has work in Public Sector Reform, Regional Integration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. Regionally, Safiya has worked at the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Association of Caribbean States (ACS).
She also lectured part-time at the University of the West Indies Open Campus. Her volunteer work has been focused on grass-root community development.
P/S Ministry of Sustainable Development
Dr. Resa Noel McBarnett
Dr. Resa Noel-McBarnett was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture on November 15, 2022. Dr. Noel-McBarnett has accumulated experience in the teaching service, and in the civil service at the senior management level. She has also gained experience in the areas of Research, Project Management and Human Resource Management.
She possesses a Doctorate in Education from the University of Auckland and a Master’s in Education from the University of Cambridge. She also holds various professional certificates including a Certificate in Project Management from the University of the West Indies and is an alumna of the Caribbean Leadership Project’s Leadership Development Programme.
P/S Ministry of Social Development
Mrs. Merissa Finch-Burke
Merissa Finch-Burke is a social development practitioner for the past fifteen (15) years,
specializing in the areas of social action research, social impact analysis and social protection
(social assistance, child care & justice, youth and gender development).
Representative, P/S Ministry of Agriculture
Mrs. Currel Thompson-Fergus
Currel Thompson graduated from the University of the West Indies (St. Augustine Campus) with a BA in History and Sociology 1st Class Honours. She also holds the Master in Rural Planning and Sustainable Development from York University (Canada). Her thesis was entitled, “Land Use Planning and Rural Development in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.” She also holds a Certificate in Education from the University of the West Indies and taught for several years.
She is the Senior Technical Officer in the Rural Transformation Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, where she is also the Head of Department. Among her major achievements in these posts are the writing of the Strategic Plan for Rural Development; Introduction and spearheading of the National School Garden Competition; and coordination of several technical funded projects.
She is also a member of the Zero Hunger Board of Directors.
Representative, P/S Ministry of Education
Mrs. Jocelyn Blake-Browne
Representative, Director General of Finance & Planning
Denece Pompey
Denece Pompey represents the Director General of the Ministry of Finance. She is an Economist in the Economic Research & Policy Unit of the Ministry.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with Accounting from the University of the West Indies, and Master’s degrees in Applied Economics and Operational Research & Management Science from the Universities of Nottingham and Lancaster.
Representative, Ministry of Health and Wellness
Ms. Nicole France
Representative, Sustainable Development Unit
Mrs. Janeel Miller-Findlay
Civil Society Nominee Administration Director, Mustique Charitable Trust
Mrs. Dularie Malcolm
Current Administration Director of the Mustique Charitable Trust and a former Accountant at the Mustique Company Limited, Dularie Malcolm also previously worked with American Express, Grenadine Airways, American Eagle and BWIA International. With this diverse background, she comes with a wide range of knowledge and experience in Project Management, Accounting, Banking and the Private & Commercial Airline Industry.
She is dedicated to the nation building of St. Vincent & the Grenadines with a focus on those who are most in need.
Civil Society Nominee, Managing Director -Hotel Alexandrina
Mrs. Ruth Stevens
Ruth Stevens is the Managing Director of Hotel Alexandrina located at Prospect. She is a returning national who spent over three decades in the USA. Ruth worked in senior management positions in Finance in Corporate America and in the Educational field at the College and High School levels.
Civil Society Nominee, ‘Aunty G’ - Beauty of SVG
Ms. Georgietha Nanton
Ms. Seleana Georgietha Nanton better known as Aunty G, hails from the community of Georgetown and is strongly involved in community development. Ms. Nanton attended the Georgetown Government School where she obtained a school evening certificate. She has years of experience in waitressing and bartending and has worked in both capacities on the Caribbean Cruise Line.
Ms. Nanton is the founder of Aunty G’s Charitable Children Organization, an organization that assists vulnerable children in Georgetown and surrounding communities. Further, her strong involvement has afforded the opportunity to serve in other capacities, notably hosting the Singing with the Stars programme, membership within the SVG Calypsonian Association and leading the Windward Calypso Tent.
Additionally, Ms. Nanton is a Calypsonian, member of ‘Grudges’ Calypso organization and a proud member of ‘N- Drado’, a drum group in Georgetown. Ms. Nanton is widely known as a social media blogger on the Facebook page, ‘The Beauty of SVG with Aunty G’.
Civil Society Nominee Representative, The UWI Open Campus
Ms. Lecia Kaye Quow
Civil Society Nominee, Community/Church Representative
Mr. Henry Snagg
An ordained minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who had the privilege to serve in Dominica, St. Lucia and Trinidad. He is now serving as President and Family Ministries director of the SVG Mission of Seventh-day Adventists.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in theology and a Master’s degree in Educational and Developmental Psychology. He is fully committed to fulfilling his purpose in life which involves helping his fellowmen to experience the best of life in this age and ultimately to live forever with God who is the Source of life.
Advisor
Mrs. Laura Anthony-Browne
Laura Anthony-Browne is an Economist in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. She served as Director of Planning in the Ministry of Economic Planning from 1995 to 2018 and served as Director of the Zero Hunger Trust Fund from inception April 2016 to June 2018. She holds Master’s Degrees in Economics, Marketing and Linguistics.
She now serves in the role as Advisor to the Board.
The Organizational Chart
Act – Designated
- Policy guidelines for the management of the Fund.
- Evaluate the performance of the Fund.
- Resource Mobilization.
- Facilitate Amendment of the ACT.
- Lay the Fund’s report in Parliament.
- Facilitate the appointment of.
Act – Designated
- Report to and advise the Board.
- Provide leadership and strategic guidance.
- Mobilises Resources.
- Manages the Fund’s day to day operations.
- Coordinate, monitor and evaluate project and programmes.
- Support the development of partnerships.
- Maintain the financial records.
- Manages and supervise the finances.
- Prepare financial reports.
- Maintaining office systems.
- Manage and maintain the fund’s record.
- Supports organization operations.
- Maintains the office.
- Supports office systems.
- Facilitates services outside of the office.
Our Staff
Project Officer
Francine Ballantyne
Ms. Francine Ballantyne is a career public servant, with the majority of her experience in finance and planning. Ms. Ballantyne holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Studies with a minor in Economics. Additionally, she has a diploma in public sector management and was formally Officer-in-Charge at the Fund from 2021 to 2022. Ms. Ballantyne is currently a project officer at the ZHTF.
Project Officer
Kimmette Robertson
Ms. Kimmette Robertson is a Clinical and Counseling Psychologist who has varied experience in counseling, teaching and project management with local and regional stakeholders. She is committed to providing service at the grassroots level.
Accountant
Dimitri Jocelyn
Mr. Dimitri Jocelyn is an accountant with 10 experience in various aspects of the field including auditing and has served as the ZHTF accountant since 2019. Mr. Jocelyn holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and is currently pursuing a master’s in business administration (MBA).
Office Attendant
Rachel Kirby
Ms. Rachel Kirby has been the office attendant at ZHTF since 2021. She hails from the urban community of Largo Height and currently support the operations of the office.