MITIGATION PLANS SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT

Last week Belizeans were awakened for the opening of the hurricane season with tropical storm Alex rushing to her shores unexpectedly.  However, the response from the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) was noteworthy.  The voluntary evacuation by people in the cayes demonstrated a clear appreciation of the vulnerability that those in low-lying areas are exposed to and their level of preparedness.  In Belize citizens have become accustomed to heightening their preparedness during a hurricane season only (June to November) and fail to recognize that their vulnerability and risk to disasters are a constant threat to their livelihoods.  Therefore hazard mitigation must become a central component to how the country and its people ensure their sustainable development.  A few important issues in this regard will be addressed by this writer.

In 1998 subsequent to hurricane Mitch, the Government of the day saw the need to invest in infrastructure and institutional capacity to address hurricane preparedness which resulted in an investment of some US$32M.  That ambitious undertaking by Government resulted in several notable accomplishments; the construction of regional hurricane shelters, retrofitting of some 250 existing shelters; drainage infrastructure in Belize City; and most importantly the institutional strengthening of the NEMO.  In 2006 a national hazard mitigation plan was developed that sets out a series of strategic interventions and actions necessary to enable Belize to mitigate against the devastating effects of disasters.  The main goal of reducing risk of disasters was clearly identified as the need to integrate hazard risk reduction into national development plans.  The plan speaks to several areas where such intervention and integration would be required to address natural disasters such as effects of climate change, hurricanes, earthquakes, flooding; and technological hazards or man-made disasters such as fires, oil spills and infrastructure failings.   The guiding principles enunciated in the national plan notes the following:

ü  The value of vulnerability assessment and reduction;

ü  The importance of an integrated approach to hazard risk management and development

planning;

ü  The requirement for community mobilization and public education;

ü  The need for protection of the environment, and

ü  The need for good governance.

Today some four years later several areas outlined in the national mitigation plan continue to require attention by Government.  Of note is the importance of hazard mitigation plans to address specific disasters such as flooding, fire and hazardous waste, oil spills, food security and civil unrest.  These are all disasters that Belizeans are at risk for all year around and therefore adequate preparation is an imperative.  Preparedness and risk reduction also requires collaboration between the public and private sector to accomplish this objective.  The Red Cross in Belize must be commended for their continuous efforts at developing the institutional and human capacity required as first responders to disasters.  However, this essential partnership between private and public sector must be one based on a people-centered approach with the creation of early warning systems.  Early warning and early action is what is required to save lives and reduce people’s vulnerability to hazard risk.  Risk mitigation can only be adequately addressed when there is clear understanding of the risk to Belize’s sustainable development.  This very important acknowledgement must be what underpins the formulation of Horizon 2030 or any public sector development plan.

For the private sector and businesses, their economic investment is sufficient incentive to ensure the levels of preparedness and mitigation efforts required to address any disaster.  Preparation of disaster plans is important so that businesses are certain of their response mechanism in the event of any disaster.  Investment in training staff and developing some response plan would allow for greater levels of recovery for businesses, especially those located in vulnerable areas of the country.  The dilemma for businesses under the current environment is how best to address these pressing issues of mitigation and preparedness in the face of a less than prosperous economic climate.  Nonetheless, the expense is an important investment that must compliment the efforts of the public sector.  As Belizeans maintain their readiness in high gear throughout the remainder of the current hurricane season, the call must be made on Government to make the necessary efforts to ensure that maintenance programs are addressed for hurricane shelters, the utilization of an emergency communication network is addressed and appropriate early warning systems are instituted.

Gwyneth Sydney Nah

Comments welcome at GwynethNah@gmail.com

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