Contact:  Natasha Lettsome, Information Training Manager
Telephone:  494-4499
E-Mail:  [email protected]

DEPUTY GOVERNOR ATTENDS CDERA COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday 26th June 2007 – The 16th Meeting of the CDERA Council was held last Friday, June 22nd in St. Michael Barbados.  Deputy Governor Mr. Elton Georges represented the BVI at this meeting. Other Caribbean Participating States in attendance included, Anguilla, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts/Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, the Turks and Caicos Islands and a representative from CARICOM.

According to a communiqué issued by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), Coordinator, Mr. Jeremy Collymore, in his opening remarks, referred to the Council as an opportunity for Participating States to re-affirm their commitment to the principles of hazard sensitive development, rationalized programming, effective resource utilization and the development of strong national capacity for disaster risk reduction.  He also alluded to the increasing investment in disaster management, and informed the Council that all of CDERA Participating States now have enhanced National Emergency Operation Center facilities, increased staffing, emerging national warehouses and supporting disaster legislation.  Collymore also noted that the issue of climate change raises significant questions regarding the future of climatic impacts.  He made mention of the newly formed Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility that will now allow for access to early recovery financing resources for countries impacted by hazard events.

Outgoing Chair Hon. G.A. Dwyer Astaphan, Minister of National Security of St. Kitts and Nevis urged the Participating States to endeavour to improve their contributions to the Agency as this financing mechanism impacts its day to day operations and hence the implications for the effective execution of its mandate.

The Council received and approved several important documents including the Policy Contextual Framework guiding the revision of the CDERA Agreement, the enhanced Comprehensive Disaster Management Framework, a report on Cricket World Cup 2007, and the Coordinating Unit’s Work Programme 2007-2010.

 
Several regional and international cooperation issues were also discussed including the ISDR Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, the OAS Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation, and the actions of CDERA and the Coordination Centre for the Prevention of Natural Disasters in Central America (CEPREDENAC).  The meeting concluded with a discussion on the hurricane forecast and preparations for 2007.

The CDERA Council comprises the Heads of Government (or designates) of the Participating States and meets annually to review the work of the Agency, approve the Work Programme and Administrative Budget and make any other major policy decisions.

DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT
#3 Wailing Road MacNamara
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Ph. 284-494-4499 Fax: 284-494-2024
E-Mail: [email protected]