Press Release

Suzette Moses Burton wins the Juanita Altenberg Award for Excellence

The Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) today announced Suzette Moses-Burton as the winner of the inaugural Juanita Altenberg Award for Excellence.

In making the announcement, CVC Executive Director, Dr. Robert Carr detailed that Moses Burton stood out in the region as a defender of the human rights of person living with HIV and AIDS. She has worked regionally to help set up national groups and to build the capacity of members of the PLWHIV community. Additionally she has done extensive work with members of other populations most at risk for HV.

On the international scene, Burton is well respected as an activist who is unapologetic in making these demands. She has lobbied many different groups not least among which are Caribbean Parliamentarians; international AIDS programs Managers and funders.

As the National AIDS Programme Manager of St. Maarten, Suzette has among other things, worked hard to train a broad cross-section of key stake holders in integrating HIV into their sectors.

Dr. Robert Carr, Executive Director of the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition making the announcement

Carr explained that the back ground to this award by describing Juanita Altenberg as “a pioneer in the Caribbean region in HIV Advocacy, Care, Treatment and Prevention for communities both hard hit by the HIV epidemic and by social stigma and exclusion.” He explained that in addition to serving as the Executive Director of Maxi Linder, one of the region's most respected leaders in services to most vulnerable populations especially sex workers, “Altenberg also served as the Founding Co Chair of the Board of the CVC which now names this award in her honour in order to celebrate her work”.