Barbados has a new national Comprehensive Disaster Management policy to guide disaster risk reduction and recovery as the island continues to anticipate more frequent and severe hazards.
The policy, which was accepted by Cabinet at the end of September last year following a lengthy consultation process, is to be published soon by the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) and officials are expected to have ongoing stakeholder sensitisation.
Director of the DEM Kerry Hinds provided an overview of the policy document on Tuesday, as she addressed the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) risk management and crisis recovery breakfast discussion at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.
The event was held under the theme Powering Through Crisis: Effective Risk Management and Crisis Recovery Strategies for Business Resilience.
Hinds noted that the last national audit done in 2018 revealed that the country scored low in recovery from a disaster.
“So it tells us we need to do a bit more work there in terms of our continuity plans, in terms of our national recovery framework.
“We need to get up to speed. We are very good when it comes to preparedness and response but definitely, there needs to be work done as it relates to our recovery. So it is very important as a sector that you focus on your continuity plan,” she told the business leaders.
Indicating that the policy was aligned with relevant legislation and other national frameworks, the DEM head said she was satisfied that progress was being made across the country in relation to recovery strategies but there was still “much work to be done”.
Stressing the need for continued implementation and review of disaster risk management, she said the policy provided guidance for the private sector while speaking to institutional arrangements, resource mobilisation, monitoring and evaluation.
“It is important that there is an articulated plan of action for the sector by the sector. The Government will be there to provide that level of expertise and interaction but it is important that you own any plan that you have,” she said, although acknowledging that from time to time a situation may require an on-the-spot decision.
The policy, which speaks to the concept of shared responsibility, outlines the vision and goal for comprehensive disaster risk management for the Government and is intended to serve as a strategic guidance framework for comprehensive disaster management for private sector programmes and policies.
“The policy aligns the strategic directions for disaster risk reduction with international and regional reforms,” said Hinds.
“It has a vision for safer communities, more resilient people, protected environment, stable society and sustainable economy through comprehensive disaster management.”
There are several priority areas that are articulated in the policy, including the need to build a robust and well-resourced governance system that supports accountability and achievement of results at all levels; disaster mitigation and risk reduction based on data and analysis; to ensure the operational readiness at all levels of society; integration and mainstreaming of the policy in key sectors; the building of community resilience; research; and organised national and community recovery that includes all stakeholders.
Hinds said the Comprehensive Disaster Management policy was necessary as the country continued to adapt to environmental and other changes and put more relevant systems in place.
“We have seen increased complexities. We have seen the need for that change and innovation in the way we deal with crises, and not just one hazard at a time but multiple hazards,” she said. (MM) ]]>
