Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 29, 2016 (SKNIS): The St. Kitts and Nevis National Disaster Mitigation Council, which is comprised of representatives of public and private, and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) met on Thursday, July 28 at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Conference Room to discuss matters relative to natural disasters.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable Shawn Richards, in his capacity as chairman of the Mitigation Council. The chairman explained the aim of the meeting.
“It was basically bringing together all of the different Government ministries and some umbrella organizations outside of Government, which will play a critical role in the first instance, in ensuring that the general community is in a state of preparedness in the event of any disaster and secondly to deal with any issues relative to recovery,” said the Deputy Prime Minister. “I think yesterday’s session was very informative. It gave an idea as to the departments within Government which have already put a disaster plan together; those which are yet to update their plan; and those which are to get one in place. Additionally, it provided information as to the readiness of the Red Cross and other agencies to assist in the event of any disaster.”
Carl Herbert, National Disaster Coordinator, pointed out a few things that were discussed.
“During the meeting, we were able to look at some of the challenges, for example, ghauts that overflow and drains that are usually hosed out to ensure that there can be free flow of water in the event of heavy rainfall,” said Mr. Herbert. “There were also certain issues raised in relation to transportation and that heavy equipment is needed in both preparedness and response to the impact of hazards.”
Mr. Herbert noted that much emphasis was placed on the need for close attention to some of the bad practices within the construction sector and the need for greater monitoring by building inspectors, as well as the need for individuals to comply with the required rules and regulations to help make St. Kitts and Nevis more resilient to the impact of natural hazards.
Deputy Prime Minister Richards urged attendees to give focused attention to the preparedness, the updating of their plans and meeting of their various entities to ensure that procedures are clear or refined and that persons understand their roles and responsibilities. He also used the opportunity to remind all in attendance that besides hurricanes, special attention should also be paid to other disasters such as earthquakes and fires.
Stakeholders including the St. Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Association; the St. Kitts and Nevis Contractors Association; the St. Kitts Electricity Company Ltd; the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service (SKNIS); the Department of Public Works; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Health, Community Development and Social Services; the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF); the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services (SKNFRS); and the Hotel and Tourism Association (HTA) were in attendance.
A follow-up meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 25, 2016.
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