The Government of Barbados in partnership with local and international organisations have been working over the past decade to implement measures that help to build capacity and resilience against natural disasters.
This is according to Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, who was speaking this morning during the opening ceremony of the Sub-Regional Tsunami Evacuation Mapping Workshop, being held from today, Monday, August 8 until Friday, August 12, at the Radisson Aquatica Resort Barbados.
Minister Abrahams highlighted that in the face of “ever-increasing potential perils” the Government has not “stuck its heads in the proverbial sand, but has moved vigorously to transition our national disaster management architecture and machinery through the embrace and employment of enhanced institutional mechanisms, legislative framework, policy development and capacity-building through training and other activities such as this workshop.”
Barbados has partnered with such agencies as the Caribbean Tsunami Information Centre (CTIC), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission (UNESCO/IOC) in its efforts to help mitigate the impacts of tsunamis and other coastal hazards.
Focusing on some of the measures that government already put in place, Minister Abrahams shared that a Hazard Mitigation Committee was established to enhance and promote effective multi-hazard mitigation planning among all levels of government. He added that the work of the Committee allows for a more proactive approach to disaster management and facilitates the integration of hazard mitigation into all policies, programmes, plans and ongoing activities at the national level.
Another measure is the US$42 million Coastal Risk Assessment and Management Project which is managed by the Coastal Zone Management Unit. He noted that part of the project’s mandate is to complete the hazard assessment process for all coastal hazards, including tsunamis, around the entire island. Additionally, it has the responsibility for controlling shoreline erosion, improving coastal infrastructure resilience, and boosting public access to beaches.
The Minister also highlighted that along the south coast of the island, a Tsunami Ready programme is being implemented in the community stretching from St. Matthias to Rendezvous.
This, he stated, is made possible by way of technical and financial assistance from the Government of the United States of America, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service International Tsunami Information Center Caribbean Office (NOAA NWS ITIC-CAR) and the USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance.
Alluding to the training being provided in the Sub-Regional Tsunami Evacuation Mapping workshop, Minister Abrahams noted that such training which fuses “practical and case study approaches as well as community engagement, not only reflects the very essence of critical programming such as Tsunami Ready but augurs well for successful implementation and the establishment of intrinsically resilient communities.”
The Home Affairs Minister challenged participants to grasp the knowledge and skills that would be imparted during the week and to give their full commitment to the aspect of application on return to their various institutions.