Coordinator of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), Jeremy Collymore, is urging Caribbean countries to step up their preparedness to guard against the lurking threat of natural disasters.
FEBRUARY 1, 2005
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC - Coordinator of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), Jeremy Collymore, is urging Caribbean countries to step up their preparedness to guard against the lurking threat of natural disasters.
Collymore told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that given the increasing threats of floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and landslides, it was necessary for regional Governments to put in place the comprehensive disaster management strategy which has been agreed.
"What is clear to us from recent events, is that we need to build more support for the implementation of the comprehensive disaster management strategy which the region has adopted," he said. "This recognises that we
live in a multi-hazard environment and that management of risk is very strongly linked to our sustainable development plan."
Collymore also disclosed that CDERA is currently working with its international partners to strengthen warning systems for any natural disaster, which could affect the region.
"We are developing, with the support of the Government of Japan, the capacity for what we call integrated hazard management to include community early warning systems," he said.
With respect to volcanic activity in the region Collymore said that there are monitoring systems in place but there are still improvements to be made.
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