BASSETERRE St. Kitts, June 15th, 2012 -- A two-day workshop on Disaster Risk Management Plan Adaptation is currently ongoing at the Old Road Community Centre, in St. Kitts. The timely exercise, which commenced yesterday, 13th June, 2012, is the result of collaboration between NEMA and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), with funding being provided by the European Union.
“What this workshop seeks to do within this very vulnerable area,” according to Districts Coordinator, Mrs. Telca Wallace, “is to reduce the level of liability along the Western coast line of St. Kitts, through the creation of a response plan that is fashioned by the very members of the susceptible community.”
In her opening remarks, CDEMA Community Specialist, and Course Facilitator, Mrs. Velda Octave-Joseph, said that the proactive nature of Old Road residents, gave her pleasure not only in returning to St. Kitts, but to the Old Road Community in particular.
“The Caribbean is the second most vulnerable region to natural hazards,” she said, “which fuels the realisation that our vulnerability can either be negatively or positively impacted by what we do or do not do.” Mrs. Octave-Joseph commended attendants for making the effort to take part in the exercise, which she stated signified their interest in their community, disaster management and the overall protection of St. Kitts and Nevis against natural hazards.
“At the end of this activity,” she said, “you would have played a role in the development of a mechanism that will reduce human suffrage and protect your community by defining specific actions to prepare for, mitigate against and respond to disasters.”
In welcoming the participants of the workshop, National Disaster Coordinator (NDC), Mr. Carl Herbert, encouraged them to apply themselves even in the face of varying opinions and beliefs.
“Disagreements bring about our diversities,” he said, “and at the end, if we do not allow it to divide us, debate can lead to consensus.”
In thanking the community for helping to strengthen preparedness and response measures in Old Road, Mr. Herbert reminded participants that the process intends for the outputs to come about as a result of interaction. “No one is handing you this framework on a platter,” he said, “ it must come about as a result of your experiences and your inputs.”
Over the last two years, NEMA has collaborated with CDEMA on a Community Disaster Risk Management Sub-Regional Project, a Vulnerability Assessment Exercise and a Disaster Planning and Telecommunication Workshop.
*************************
DISCLAIMER
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKNVibes.com. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical error within press releases and commentaries. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNVibes.com, its sponsors or advertisers
