ODPM CEO represents the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at the Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva
Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management CEO Represents the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at the Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr. Stephen Ramroop, Chief Executive Officer of The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) is currently representing the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at The Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction being held in Geneva at the International Conference Centre from 19 May to 23 May 2013. The Global Platform for Disaster Reduction was established in 2007 as a biennial forum for information exchange, discussion of latest development and knowledge and partnership building across sectors, with the goal to improve implementation of disaster risk reduction through better communication and coordination amongst stakeholders.
The Global Platform is organized by UNISDR, the UN's office for disaster risk reduction and secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. The Fourth Session will provide an opportunity to attain progress and consult on the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA). The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) has accomplished significant achievements toward Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in planning, which includes the development of a National Comprehensive Disaster Management Plan guiding implementation of the National Comprehensive Disaster Management Policy to align DRR related activities across agencies. For e.g. the Ministry of Public Administration is embarking upon a National Business Continuity Management (BCM) Initiative, which will build institutional capacity for BCM and Planning across Trinidad and Tobago. Additionally, Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) initiatives have been initiated through the assessment of future and probable risk by several stakeholder agencies, including the Institute of Marine Affairs through the Coastal Conservation Programme, and the University of the West Indies Geomatics Department through several projects in collaboration with the Life Sciences Department to measure climate change impacts.
The National Disaster Office has sought involvement at all levels of intervention, and has received broad support across all sectors of government through agency participation on the National Disaster Risk Reduction Committee. At the Regional Level, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Corporations have engaged in the ODPM’s Readiness Project, and the ODPM is working to improve community readiness through the development of CERT Teams as part of an ongoing IDB-Funded Project: “Improving the Delivery of Comprehensive Disaster Management”. Interventions at the National Level include the implementation of a Daily Operational Brief for understanding the daily DRR Priorities and Readiness Levels of all Stakeholders in the National DRR System; establishment of a National Public Education Campaign “ Let’ Get Ready”; completion of a baseline National Preparedness Survey; implementation of the National Volunteer Programme; and Phase 3 of the Communities Organized and Ready for Emergencies (CORE) Programme. The ODPM continues to engage stakeholders in Disaster Readiness and Risk Management initiatives to increase their capacity to assume their roles in national disaster management through focused activities such as BCM, Egress and Evacuation Planning, CERT Evaluation Certification for Disaster Management Units & Emergency Services Functions, and further community resilience building initiatives across the country.
The Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster risk Reduction is now the world's foremost gathering of stakeholders committed to reducing disaster risk and building the resilience of communities and nations; which aims to continue the momentum of the prior Global Platform meetings, into a durable and sustained effort from all actors (governments, NGOs and civil society, international agencies and organizations, academic and technical institutions, and the private sector) to take shared responsibility in reducing risks and reinforcing resilience in our communities. The ODPM’s participation on behalf of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’s comes at an ideal time to discuss methods of strengthening resilience in communities across our nation, in anticipation of a projected active Rainy and Hurricane Season 2013.