Bridgetown, Barbados, April 25th, 2014 (CDEMA) - The 5th Meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) commenced on Thursday, April 24 at the Radisson Aquatica, Barbados. Members of the TAC are Directors of National Disaster Offices and representatives of specialized regional organizations, such as those engaged in technological, meteorological and seismological fields whose programmes are directly related to the regional disaster management agenda.
Speaking to delegates at the opening ceremony of the two day meeting, the Honorable Adriel Braithwaite, Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs, noted the importance of this governance mechanism within the CDEMA system. He said, “It is arrangements such as these that strengthen institutions, keep them relevant and keep them accountable. In many ways you are instrumental in moving ideas to implementation, even in the face of the seemingly impossible,”
He highlighted and commented on matters of national, regional and international significance to be discussed at the meeting. One of the items identified was the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Strategy and Implementation Plan for the period 2014 – 2024.
He said, “CDM is a shared responsibility and we position ourselves for implementation, National Disaster Offices will be critical in articulating the salient connections between the CDM Strategy and their countries’ national development agenda. This articulation will shape and focus the resource investments by CDEMA and other partners, to ensure that they are targeted, where there are most needed. In that way, the Caribbean will not only be ahead in the Strategic articulation, but also in realizing results”
Whilst noting the need for organizational transformation for the delivery of CDM, Minister Braithwaite emphasized that response is still critical within the CDM mandate.
He further made the call for the elevation of the CDM dialogue to the level of the political leadership in the region. “The CDM Strategy has positioned itself as a leader and driver of change in disaster risk reduction influencing the global Hyogo Framework for Action 2005 and now the post HFA 2015 agenda. We therefore need to ensure that the Heads of Governments recognize the importance the CDM strategy. It is time that CDEMA is afforded the opportunity to present directly to the Heads.” He said.
The CDEMA Executive Director, Ronald Jackson also addressed the delegates and pointed to some key items that would require their recommendations for presentation to the CDEMA Council of Ministers. Among these were, the finalization on the Implementation Plan which will provide guidance to the roll out of the CDM Strategy 2014-2024, the model National Disaster Office structures, The Regional Technical Support Teams, the Market Research Study undertaken for the delivery of CDEMA Services and the Regional Response Doctrine. Other significant agenda items are the presentations of work programmes by the regional technical institutions of the TAC and other partners.
Jackson also reflected on events over the past year that would require the delegates’ attention. On the December 23rd-25th rains which affected Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Lucia, he advised, “We need also to give consideration to the significant impacts of a meteorological event occurring outside of the hurricane season and our ongoing state of preparedness. As citizens living in a very hazard prone part of the world, more and more we are observing that traditional weather events are resulting in untraditional outcomes. We must be prepared to adjust our traditional responses to effectively deal with the new risk realities we are facing.”
The CDEMA Executive Director also took the opportunity to acknowledge the continued commitment and support of development partners for the CDM implementation programme.
Note:
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is an organ of the CDEMA Governance Structure which reports to the CDEMA Council of Ministers. This organ of CDEMA recognizes the integrated approach to disaster management and the pivotal role of stakeholder contribution to the programming process of the CDM Agenda. There are four (4) Sub-Committees of TAC
- Information Communications Systems Advisory Sub-Committee (ICSAC);
- Plan Development and Review Sub-Committee;
- Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction and Environment Sub- Committee;
- Work Programme Development and Review Sub- Committee
Press briefing at the 5th Meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of CDEMA
April 25th, 2014