JERRY COLLYMORE, HEAD OF CDERA

Jerry Collymore, the head of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency, CDERA, was addressing Tuesday’s first ever Hurricane Preparedness conference at the Trade Center .

“The convening of this event is a signal that the Government and People of Grenada have not only identified lessons from the Ivan experience but are learning them” said Collymore. “I see it as an important and essential step in building a local culture of living with risks of hurricane, not ignoring them”.

CDERA provided major support for Grenada in the wake of Hurricanes Ivan and Emily and has partnered with the Canadian Government in helping to build capacity at NaDMA.

Collymore describes the Hurricane conference as a national rallying point for building a commitment to hurricane resilience “through sensitive development policy and practice, land use and building construction”.

“We at the CDERA Coordinating Unit are noting the signals that suggest Grenada is now ready to take Disaster Management much more seriously than prior to 2004” he said.

“The numerous reports shared for placing on the CDERA website also suggest that public education is being diversified in its scope and target audience”.

Public Education, training, emergency procedures, and the district community structure were all completely revamped in the wake of Hurricanes Ivan and Emily.

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell says, to him, the biggest accomplishment was the progress made in re-organizing the community level.

“One areas I am particular proud of is the area related to community preparedness. We had very little or no organization at the community level and I am advancing here today that to me I would say is the biggest change among all the other changes that have occurred since Ivan” Dr. Mitchell told stakeholders.

“We have improved the headquarters. We have improved communication system we have sensitized our people much more than we have done before but nothing can surpassed the importance of community organization”.

The Hurricane conference brought various stakeholders together to provide status reports on their hurricane preparedness plan.

They included presentations from service providers, Red Cross, Government Ministries, Airport and Seaport, as well as the districts. A report on outcomes will be submitted to the government for action.

Government has already taken a decision to provide a monthly stipend to District Disaster coordinators.

Caption: “ Grenada is now ready to take Disaster Management much more seriously”: title: Collymore.