Antigua & Barbuda: National Office of Disaster Services looks to complete disaster plans

As the hurricane season approaching, disaster prevention officials in Antigua & Barbuda would like to see the public and private sector stakeholders to embrace a comprehensive disaster plan, and not a common hurricane plan, reports the Observer. Comprehensive disaster plans include management framework of institutional structures and operational mechanisms and guidelines to strengthen the resilience of the private sector against all hazard types.

“We are hoping that this process will be brought to a speedy conclusion, because it is a challenge. We can be preparing for hurricanes but there can be other things that we are vulnerable to. We need to have full coverage where these are concerned and this is for both public and private sector. The time has come now for both sectors to build in that process which is the protection of businesses,” said Philmore Mullin, Director of the National Office of Disaster Services.

To update stakeholders on the new improvements and initiatives in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the region, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency will be holding its annual press conference in Barbados on May 29th.