THE Civil Defence Commission (CDC), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Guyana, yesterday, hosted the last in a series of national consultations on the Disaster Risk Management Policy (DRMP).

Conducted in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Club, on Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown, the theme was ‘Strengthening National and Local Capacity for Disaster Response and Risk Re-education’.
The objective was to present the DRMP and strengthen it, through revision, with inputs by participating national stakeholders, resulting in a strengthened document before submitting it to Cabinet, later this year.
Speaking at the forum, Deputy UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Chisa Mikami said she is looking forward for the programme to be practical and, most importantly, to be reviewed from time to time, so that areas for improvement can be seen.
She said having the strategy on paper will definitely help Guyana in case of a disaster emergency.
Mikami assured that the UNDP will continue to support Guyana in this regard.
National Disaster Coordinator and link between the Government and the CDC, Dr. Roger Luncheon said that, in the aftermath of the 2005 flood, it was recognised, also by concerned agencies, that there was need for the design and implementation of a comprehensive disaster risk management programme.
Also Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), he  pointed out that there are no fortune tellers in developing countries and, therefore, it is not known when a disaster will strike and people must be prepared for such happenings.
Luncheon said, moreso, with the recent overtopping of the local seawalls, these consultations are definitely timely.
A draft of the DRMP, circulated on the occasion yesterday, said, in part, that the vision is to improve the quality of life in Guyana, by adopting and supporting a proactive, holistic approach, multi-hazard orientated and technology driven, ensuring the involvement and participation of all stakeholders and directed towards reducing exposures to hazards and vulnerability and building resilience, thus ensuring a protected, safe, secure and disaster resilient Guyana.