Disaster risk management policy provides assurance

Disaster risk management policy provides assurance – Dr. Luncheon

May 29, 2013 News

“This occasion allows you participants, you activists, you the Guyanese who succumbed, who experienced the consequences, to be able to perfect a policy that is as comprehensive as is possible for us to render most effective and most efficient disaster management in Guyana.”
This notion was expressed by Dr. Roger Luncheon, Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Natural Disaster Coordinator.
Speaking at the final national consultation held last week by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) on disaster risk management, Dr. Luncheon posited that a comprehensive policy platform to deal with disaster management in Guyana would be generated.
“Our comprehensive approach to addressing particular hazards encompassed not how well we respond to a disaster event, but how organized we are in putting into play policies and guidelines in disaster management. Interventions addressing sea and river defences, drainage and irrigation, flood waters and water management are being enacted day by day. However, these interventions do not provide us with the certainties that a policy does. It is the policy that offers us the assurance and the certainties. We have it on paper.”
Hence, the Disaster Risk Management Policy, by means of inputs from national stakeholders, is being revised so as to make the document relevant and useful in managing disaster risks in Guyana. The policy addresses mainly coordination, collaboration and communication with agencies involved, to disseminate information to individuals exposed to take necessary precautions. It also encompasses preparation, planning, mitigation, response, recovery and reconstruction. Other issues that are addressed include research and development, financial arrangements and regional and international cooperation.
The CDC has, for the past several weeks, been holding national consultations designed to strengthen its current Disaster Risk Management Policy, rendering it effective in the mitigation of the possible impacts of disaster risks, through prevention and preparedness, before submitting it to Cabinet for adoption later this year.
Colonel (Retired) Chabilall Ramsarup, CDC’s Director General and Ms. Chisa Mikami, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), also speakers at the event, made reference to the memorable 2005 floods which saw most of Guyana’s coastal areas inundated with floodwaters.
Ramsarup also spoke of two major overtopping of the seawalls that occurred over the past year. He highlighted that when disasters strike, all are affected. It was stressed that although some do not live in the vicinity of the affected areas, because of the economic consequences, all citizens are impacted.
UNDP Representative Mikami also noted that “given the high cost of disaster to individuals, business and governments, it is critical that we set up means to minimize the chances and the possible impacts through prevention, mitigation and preparedness”.

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Disaster risk management policy provides assurance – Dr. Luncheon

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