Tuesday, December 1 – After giving verbal support to the renaming of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) to Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE has affixed his signature to the agreement giving effect to the name change.
In doing so, Premier O’Neal has joined several of his Caribbean colleagues who have also signed the agreement to establish CDEMA, which according to the agency’s website will have “an expanded mandate, a broader stakeholder base and an improved governance structure.”
When the name change took effect on September 1, Premier O’Neal told the Department of Information and Public Relations, “The new mandate and governance structure for CDEMA means that the agency is responding to the changing needs of the Caribbean with regard to disaster management.”
Honourable O’Neal added, “Disaster management in the BVI has evolved over the years, we started with preparedness for hurricanes only and now we are prepared to deal with other disasters like earthquakes and oil spills. We have to keep improving our disaster management and prevention as much as possible.”
The agreement establishing CDEMA lists a number of objectives including mobilising and coordinating disaster relief; mitigating the immediate consequences of disasters in member states; providing coordinated emergency relief to affected members, securing, coordinating and providing reliable and comprehensive information on disasters in member states.
The agency also intends to encourage the adoption of disaster loss reduction and mitigation policies at the country and regional levels as well as coordinate the establishment of adequate emergency disaster response capabilities among member states.
In signing the CDEMA agreement, Premier O’Neal reiterated the Territory’s commitment to work with the regional agency in its disaster management efforts. “The BVI is very much prepared to work with CDEMA and help them to continue the good work that has been going on for some years and the BVI looks forward to participating fully,” Honourable O’Neal stated.
As the regional inter-governmental agency responsible for disaster management, “CDEMA will fully embrace principles and practices of Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) which is an integrated and proactive approach to disaster management. CDM seeks to reduce the risk and loss associated with natural and technological hazards and the effects of climate change to enhance regional sustainable development.”
British Virgin Islands News