Strengthening Risk Management Strengthening Risk Management And Social Reconstruction to And Social Reconstruction to Reduce The Vulnerability Of Reduce The Vulnerability Of Victims Of Natural DisastersVictims Of Natural Disasters

The Experience of Saint The Experience of Saint LuciaLucia

Presentation FormatPresentation Format

IntroductionIntroduction Current Structure for Disaster Current Structure for Disaster

Management in Saint LuciaManagement in Saint Lucia Current Systems and Strategies for Current Systems and Strategies for

social risk management and social social risk management and social reconstructionreconstruction

ChallengesChallenges Conclusion & RecommendationsConclusion & Recommendations

Saint Lucia – Saint Lucia – AnAn Overview Overview

LocationLocation

Saint Lucia is located Saint Lucia is located approximately 21 miles south of approximately 21 miles south of Martinique, 24 miles north of St. Martinique, 24 miles north of St. Vincent and about 100 miles north Vincent and about 100 miles north west of Barbados. More precisely, west of Barbados. More precisely, it lies between 60° 53' and 61° 05' it lies between 60° 53' and 61° 05' West longitude and 13°43' and West longitude and 13°43' and 14°05' North latitude.14°05' North latitude.

It falls into the Windward Islands It falls into the Windward Islands group, being the second largest.group, being the second largest.

LocatioLocation n

Saint Lucia, West Indies

St. Lucia - Basic FactsSt. Lucia - Basic Facts

• • Size:Size: 616 sq. km 616 sq. km

• • General Population: General Population: Approximately 164,842 Approximately 164,842 (Pop. (Pop.

Estimate 2005/06)Estimate 2005/06) Poor population Poor population (47474 = 28.8%)(47474 = 28.8%)

Indigent Population (2637 Indigent Population (2637 =1.6%) =1.6%)

Vulnerable Population Vulnerable Population (66,431 = 40.3%)(66,431 = 40.3%)

• • Main Income Earner:Main Income Earner: TourismTourism

Saint Lucia is vulnerable to many natural Saint Lucia is vulnerable to many natural and technological hazardsand technological hazards

ChairmanPrime Minister

COP, CFO, CMODeputy ChairmanCabinet Secretary

Permanent Secretaries

Director NEMO

Deputy DirectorNEMO

Ten (10) National Committees

SecretaryNEMO

Eighteen (18) District

Disaster Mgmt. Committees

Director of Met.

Comptroller Customs & Excise

Current Structure for Disaster Current Structure for Disaster Management in Saint LuciaManagement in Saint Lucia

Logistics

Operations

Saint Lucia’s Risk Saint Lucia’s Risk Management CapacityManagement Capacity

Policies, Plans & SOP’s.Policies, Plans & SOP’s. Continuous Training for all Sectors (public & Continuous Training for all Sectors (public &

private) and all Communities.private) and all Communities. Disaster Response Fund (GOSL) & Emergency Disaster Response Fund (GOSL) & Emergency

Assistance Fund (CDEMA).Assistance Fund (CDEMA). Environmental Impact Assessments & Hazard Environmental Impact Assessments & Hazard

Impact Assessments.Impact Assessments. The delimitation of Specially Vulnerable The delimitation of Specially Vulnerable

Areas.Areas. Disaster Hazard Inspections [Schools]Disaster Hazard Inspections [Schools]

Risk Management Risk Management StrategiesStrategies

Adoption of CDEMA’s Enhanced Comprehensive Disaster Adoption of CDEMA’s Enhanced Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Framework which focuses on the Management (CDM) Framework which focuses on the achievement of four main pillars to include:achievement of four main pillars to include:

The mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Management at national levels and its incorporation into key sectors of national economies (including tourism, health, agriculture and nutrition)

Enhanced community resilience in CDERA states/ territories to mitigate and respond to the adverse effects of climate change and disasters

The latter certainly speaks to the empowerment of all The latter certainly speaks to the empowerment of all populations towards the development of a culture of populations towards the development of a culture of

prevention and resilienceprevention and resilience

Risk Management Risk Management StrategiesStrategies

Implementation of physical/structural measures Implementation of physical/structural measures for risk reduction in vulnerable areas. These for risk reduction in vulnerable areas. These measures include flood mitigation works, measures include flood mitigation works, construction of sea defense structures, de-silting construction of sea defense structures, de-silting of rivers, terracing retrofitting of public of rivers, terracing retrofitting of public schools/buildings and enforcement of building schools/buildings and enforcement of building codes. codes.

Establishment of early warning systems at the Establishment of early warning systems at the community level (flood)community level (flood)

Conduct of Risk and Vulnerability assessments to Conduct of Risk and Vulnerability assessments to inform decision makinginform decision making

Risk Management Risk Management StrategiesStrategies

Implementation of non-structural Implementation of non-structural mitigation measures (public education, mitigation measures (public education, land-use zoning, community profiling)land-use zoning, community profiling)

Strengthening of community and social Strengthening of community and social networks (District Disaster Management networks (District Disaster Management Committees)Committees)

Development of community disaster plans Development of community disaster plans and community evacuation plans and community evacuation plans

Risk Management Risk Management StrategiesStrategies

Special Arrangements:Special Arrangements: Access to the use of all available resources Access to the use of all available resources

within the state (public and private) by the within the state (public and private) by the National Disaster Office/Government of Saint National Disaster Office/Government of Saint Lucia for disaster response purposes upon Lucia for disaster response purposes upon declaration of a “state of emergency” by the declaration of a “state of emergency” by the Governor General.Governor General.

The immediate conversion of the resources of The immediate conversion of the resources of the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund to an the Saint Lucia Social Development Fund to an Emergency Fund to facilitate recovery efforts.Emergency Fund to facilitate recovery efforts.

Both arrangements are enshrined in legislationBoth arrangements are enshrined in legislation

ChallengesChallenges

Difficulty of effective agency coordination Difficulty of effective agency coordination towards the implementation of general risk towards the implementation of general risk reduction measures or social risk reduction reduction measures or social risk reduction measures.measures.

Many identified risk reduction measures are Many identified risk reduction measures are general and not targeted towards vulnerable general and not targeted towards vulnerable populations who face considerable challenges populations who face considerable challenges to recovery and reconstruction during post to recovery and reconstruction during post disaster periods.disaster periods.

Inadequate resources to ensure sustainability Inadequate resources to ensure sustainability and effectiveness of measures implementedand effectiveness of measures implemented

ConclusionConclusion

The poor are extremely vulnerable to the The poor are extremely vulnerable to the impacts of hazards since they are impacts of hazards since they are typically more exposed to risk and have typically more exposed to risk and have access to fewer risk management access to fewer risk management instruments that can permit them to deal instruments that can permit them to deal with their riskswith their risks

The poor as therefore usually severely The poor as therefore usually severely affected by the effects of disastrous affected by the effects of disastrous eventsevents

RecommendationRecommendation

Critical consideration must be given to Critical consideration must be given to the design of a Social Risk Management the design of a Social Risk Management Framework for Latin America and the Framework for Latin America and the Caribbean region which would allow for Caribbean region which would allow for the design of instruments that will the design of instruments that will facilitate the minimization of the impact facilitate the minimization of the impact of exposure to risk and change their of exposure to risk and change their behaviours in ways that will help them to behaviours in ways that will help them to exit poverty and lower their vulnerability exit poverty and lower their vulnerability (Holzmann, 2000 & 2001)(Holzmann, 2000 & 2001)

RecommendationRecommendation

Use of a coordinated approach that Use of a coordinated approach that fosters collaboration among fosters collaboration among organizations at the international organizations at the international level for design of Social Risk level for design of Social Risk Management Framework. Management Framework.

Thank You!Thank You!