– CDC workshop hears
THE Civil Defence Commission (CDC) which is the national body tasked with preparing Guyana to respond to and manage disasters, hosted a one-day workshop with varying stakeholders at its conference room, CDC Headquarters, Thomas Lands.
The workshop’s objectives were to present and discuss the inventory of exposed assets database for three main cities and for crop areas located within the coastal plain of Guyana, discuss and verify economic values and areas of housing and crops used in the analysis; present the precipitation hazard analysis using the available data in the country, limitations and recommendations; and present results for the IDB system of indicators of disaster risk and risk management calculated for Guyana.

The preliminary reports and preliminary findings were compiled by Evaluacion de Riesgos Naturales- America Latina (ERN), the consulting firm contracted by the CDC to apply the Disaster Risk Indicators to Guyana.
The reports presented were: Development of Disaster Risk Indicators and Flood Risk Evaluation of Guyana- Progress Report- DesInventar update and Evaluation of the Local Disaster Index(LDI); Development of Disaster Risk Indicators and Flood Risk Evaluation of Guyana- Progress Report-Evaluation of the Prevalent Vulnerability Index (PVI) and Risk Management Index (RMI).

Colonel Chabilal Ramsarup, Director General of CDC, in his opening remarks said these reports form part of an integrated disaster risk management plan geared at dictating future developments for Guyana, and will raise awareness as to the types of development to be undertaken for the future.
“Depending on how much information and the accuracy of information given in the consultancy, we will know where the pitfalls are. If this does not happen it will mean that we will have to rely on alternative sources of information where we will refer to reports and the use of averages to derive at conclusions…therefore, during this workshop, all gaps and other information contained in the findings will be corrected so that the consultancy can possess accurate information,” Ramsarup said.

The CDC has implemented and coordinated a number of initiatives which cover a spectrum of disaster risk reduction, from strengthening disaster preparedness and response to building disaster resilience at the national, regional and community levels.
Thursday’s workshop falls under the Government of Guyana-Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Technical Cooperation project which is being implemented in coordination with the GOG/UNDP project.
The project, titled ‘Design and Implementation of an Integrated Disaster Risk Management Plan’, focuses on the prevention, mitigation and transfer of risk.  

The activities include, among other things, application of the IDB’s disaster risk indicators to Guyana and a flood risk evaluation; preparation of a national integrated disaster risk management plan; design and implementation of a national public education campaign on flood risk management; a pilot community-based disaster risk management programme and design of an investment programme in flood prevention and mitigation.
Another initiative is the GoG/ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) project titled: “Strengthening National and Local Capacities for Disaster Response and Risk Reduction”.
This project focuses mainly on building capacities of key stakeholder agencies at the national and local levels for disaster preparedness and response. It involves activities such as the establishment of a post-disaster damage assessment and needs analysis system; strengthening the early warning system for floods and droughts, development of a multi-hazard preparedness and response plan, preparation of a draft disaster risk management policy; enhancement of the emergency communications system; strengthening search and rescue capacity and establishing minimum acceptable standards for emergency shelters. (GINA)