Caribbean Disaster Management Project: Barbados

Transcription

1 1 Caribbean Disaster Management Project: Barbados GENERAL INFORMATION Implementing Institutions: Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) and Central Emergency Relief Organization (CERO) Heads: Jeremy Collymore, Regional Coordinator, CDERA Judy Thomas, Director of Emergency Services, CERO Details of Institutions: Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) Address: Building #1 Manor Lodge, Lodge Hill, St. Michael, Barbados Tel.: (+1 246) Fax: (+1 246) Website: Central Emergency Relief Organization (CERO) Address: Department of Emergency Management, 30 Warrens Industrial Park, Warrens, St. Michael, Barbados Tel.: (+1 246) / Fax: (+1 246) Website: 15

2 16 VOLUME 12: EXAMPLES OF NATURAL DISASTER MITIGATION IN SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES Implementation Period: The Caribbean Disaster Management (CADM) project began in August 2002 and ended in March 2006 after having received a funding extension to continue beyond the original end date of July Costs: US$3 million, provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to the socio-economic impact on the area of Speightstown following a number of recorded flood events in 1984, 1994, 1997 and In addition, the pilot study in Barbados is currently the most advanced, so it forms the main subject of this case study. The main outputs of the CADM project included: S U M M A R Y In 2001, a study on the Status of Disaster Preparedness in CDERA Participating States revealed that floods were the most common natural disaster events, occurring in more than 90 per cent of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) participating States and territories in the five years prior to the start of the Caribbean Disaster Management (CADM) project. In addition, only four of these 16 countries had any plans in place to guide disaster management activities for this hazard. The overall goal of the CADM project, implemented from August 2002 to March 2006, therefore, was to mitigate the damage caused by natural disasters in CDERA participating States and territories, particularly by floods. Three countries Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago had recorded high incidences of flooding and, as a result, they all had some flood management procedures in place. Floodhit areas in these three countries, therefore, were chosen for pilot studies. Barbados in particular was selected owing the establishment of regional and national mechanisms for the preparation of hazard maps and community disaster plans; the establishment and strengthening, through the support of regional and national stakeholders, of a flood-hazard mapping system based primarily on technology transfer, flood simulation and geographic information systems (GISs); the enhancement of community disaster-management planning through the development of community disaster plans and the training of community members in disaster management planning; and the improvement of the capacity of the CDERA Disaster Information Warehouse, which now collects and disseminates information in a systematic and timely manner. During the CADM project, both national and regional professionals were trained in flood hazard mapping and community disaster-management planning. Another feature of the project was

3 Caribbean Disaster Management Project: Barbados 17 the collaboration with regional institutions and the efforts made to establish formal partnerships with institutions such as the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), the University of Technology and the University of the West Indies (UWI) in an attempt to enhance the delivery and sustainability of the project. B A C K G R O U N D A N D J U S T I F I C AT I O N A study carried out in May 2001, Status of Disaster Preparedness in CDERA Participating States, revealed that, in the five previous years, flooding had been the most common hazard in the majority of CDERA participating States and territories (table 1). In addition, only four of the 16 CDERA countries and territories had any flood management procedures in place. Stakeholder discussions following this study resulted in the Caribbean Disaster Management (CADM) project, a fouryear initiative conceptualized as a plausible disaster reduction initiative to mitigate flood hazard damage in all CDERA participating States and territories. To facilitate the design and the development of the CADM project, a Japanese delegation, including representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), visited the Caribbean in July and December 2001 and two workshops were held to develop the project proposal. Workshop participants were drawn from national disaster offices and national planning, water resources and drainage departments in the project countries and included experts from the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, CDERA and UWI. D E S C R I P T I O N Under the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)-Japan Technical Cooperation Agreement, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Table 1 Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) participating States and territories. Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize British Virgin Islands Dominica Grenada Guyana Jamaica Montserrat Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos

4 18 VOLUME 12: EXAMPLES OF NATURAL DISASTER MITIGATION IN SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES Agency (CDERA), with the support of JICA, implemented the Caribbean Disaster Management (CADM) project in August Following the development of the project plan for CADM, three countries Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago were selected to host pilot sites. Selection of the pilot sites themselves Speightstown in Barbados, Mesopotamia in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and San Juan/Arrangues in Trinidad and Tobago was based on historically high incidences of flooding in the areas. Individual pilot countries were responsible for selecting the sites for the implementation of the project but were required to provide justification of the selection criteria to the Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC). The JCC was established at the regional level to oversee the management of the CADM project, to establish the framework for sustainability and to manage the transfer of technology, especially from Japan to the Caribbean region. The committee comprised representatives from the CDERA Coordinating Unit, the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), the Ministry of Economic Affairs (Barbados), UWI, the national focal points of the pilot countries (in the case of Barbados, this was the Central Emergency Relief Organization, CERO, represented by the Director of Emergency Services; for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, it was the National Emergency Management Office; and for Trinidad and Tobago, it was the National Emergency Management Agency/Water and Sewerage Authority), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and an expert team from JICA. In Barbados, the flood plain in Speightstown, St. Peter parish, was selected as the project site owing to its vulnerability to floods; the economic losses suffered in past floods, especially during the 1980s; and current development pressures. The site was selected in collaboration with the Drainage Unit of the Ministry of Public Works, which was responsible for the technical input and management of the pilot project. The project also coincided with flood mitigation work being carried out by Barbados Tourism Investment Incorporated. The Speightstown project is also currently the most advanced of the three pilot studies, so it forms the main subject of this case study. A D M I N I S T R AT I O N A N D M A N A G E M E N T F R A M E W O R K The CADM project was implemented through the establishment of a regional Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) that included the national focal points of the countries hosting the pilot projects. The JCC was established as an advisory group to oversee the management of the project, to establish the framework for the sustainability of the project and to ensure the transfer of the results to the rest of the Caribbean region. As the national focal point, CERO acted as the contact point for the project and all in-country project activities were

5 Caribbean Disaster Management Project: Barbados 19 implemented through its secretariat. In addition, a regional team acting as a technical body was established to serve CDERA participating States and territories on a long-term basis to promote flood hazard mapping and community disaster-management planning. It comprised representatives from CIMH, UWI, the University of Technology and other regional institutions identified as being able to advance the work of the project. For each pilot project, a national team was also established to support the national focal point in the implementation of the in-country activities. The Barbados National Team comprised representatives from Barbados Meteorological Services; Barbados Tourism Investment Incorporated; the Barbados Water Authority; CERO; the Coastal Zone Management Unit; the Community Development Department; the Drainage Unit of the Ministry of Public Works; the Lands and Surveys Department; the Ministry of Housing, Lands and the Environment; the St. Peter District Emergency Organization (one of 30 community disaster-management volunteer groups that form part of the wider disaster management mechanism in Barbados); and the Town and Country Planning Department. P R O J E C T A C T I V I T I E S The project team proposed the following activities at the pilot sites to ensure successful implementation: holding seminars and training courses on hazard mapping and community disaster-management planning; improvement of the capabilities of project participants for hazard mapping; preparation of a manual for flood hazard mapping; development of local flood hazard maps; preparation of a manual for community disaster-management planning for floods; preparation of community disastermanagement plans based on the hazard maps prepared by the CADM model project in partnership with the local communities, the national team, a regional team and an expert team from JICA; provision of hardware, including information technology equipment; and strengthening the database and communication networks. Output 1: Establishment of a national mechanism for the preparation of hazard maps and community disaster-management plans The achievement of this output depended on the successful implementation of a number of activities, including: Project launch. Owing to differing local circumstances, the CADM project was launched at different times in different pilot countries. In Barbados, the launch was helped by the fact that flood mitigation and community disaster-

6 20 VOLUME 12: EXAMPLES OF NATURAL DISASTER MITIGATION IN SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES preparedness initiatives had attracted political support and had been identified as areas of national priority. Establishment and organization of national teams. National teams were established in each pilot country under the auspices of the national focal point. Delineation of the pilot community. The national teams, in consultation with the regional team and members of community organizations, developed a general boundary for the pilot communities. The selection and delimitation of the Speightstown pilot area were completed between August and October Preparation of a sustainability plan. In order to sustain effectively the outputs of the project, a sustainability plan, prepared by a consultant contracted by CDERA, was presented to CDERA in February The plan outlined preferred approaches for sustainability after the termination of the CADM project, such as the continued evaluation and monitoring of areas experiencing flooding, the institutionalization of the collaborative frameworks and training initiatives that were developed during the project, the promotion of partnerships established during the project, the frequent review and updating of the community disaster-management plan, and the operation and maintenance of equipment. It was intended that this sustainability plan would be adapted at the national level to suit the situation in Barbados (documentation for this plan is currently being prepared). Although the plan is not yet in place, owing to the critical nature of flood hazards in Barbados, CDERA has begun an initiative at the national level that will complement and enhance the CADM project. This is a follow-on project that looks at telephonic community flood early-warning systems and involves the production and installation of community-operated flood earlywarning systems. Output 2: Establishment and strengthening of the flood-hazard mapping system through the support of regional and national stakeholders The achievement of this output relied on support from both regional and national stakeholders, primarily CIMH, the Drainage Unit of the Ministry of Public Works (Barbados) and UWI. The main focus was on flood simulation and geographic information systems (GISs). As part of the input from Japan, hydrological and meteorological observation equipment valued at more than US$45,000 was provided to the Drainage Unit of the Barbados Ministry of Public Works and CIMH, which has been situated in Barbados since This transfer of technology has been effective as the national organizations participating in the projects have received training in its use. Now, the responsibility for the maintenance and operation of the equipment has been transferred totally to the recipient agencies. To date, the equipment has been utilized and maintained. In Barbados, the collection of hydrological data, a series of flood analyses, a GIS database, relevant flood mapping and the creation of maps have been com-

7 Caribbean Disaster Management Project: Barbados 21 2-year return period 6-year return period 10-year return period 20-year return period 60-year return period 100-year return period Figure 1 Flood plain maps for Speightstown, Barbados. pleted for the Speightstown pilot area (fig. 1). A hazard mapping manual for floods has also been prepared and can be used for future projects. The exercise of mapping flood hazards involved the collection of scientific flood data as well as historical data based on oral history. Community participation involved the identification of safe evacuation routes and critical facilities, especially in relation to shelters. Output 3: Enhancement of community disaster-management planning through the development of community disaster plans and the training of community members Throughout the implementation of the initiative, the community was keen to participate and to be involved in all its aspects. This partnership with the community has been critical to the success of the initiative. Notably, community members have maintained active membership in the national team. In particular, the collection, assessment and evaluation of hazard information, local population data, and information on socio-economic conditions and critical facilities such as hospitals and shelters as well as the identification of existing community groups and any existing disaster management plans pertaining to the identified project area have been executed by community members with guidance from national and regional teams (fig. 2). Information gathered during the data collection phase has been utilized for the development of the Community Disaster Management Plan for the Speightstown area by the community, with technical assistance from CERO. Towards the end

8 22 VOLUME 12: EXAMPLES OF NATURAL DISASTER MITIGATION IN SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES Training workshops targeted at both community and national levels have also been held locally and in Japan. Five people were provided with training opportunities in Japan. In 2004, these included two people who received training in hazard mapping and community disastermanagement planning and one person who received training in river and dam engineering. In 2005, one person was trained in GISs, while another received instruction in community disaster-management planning. In Barbados, a wider cross section of people (such as representatives from the National Disaster Office, engineers and technicians from the Drainage Unit of the Ministry of Public Works and community persons in the pilot areas from the St. Peter District Emergency Organization) undertook awareness training in regional flood hazard mapping during the project. In addition, in June 2005, training was provided through a disaster imagination game, a participatory disaster management technique developed in Japan that involves tabletop exercises designed to raise awareness among local residents. Figure 2 National and regional team members assisting members of the local community to evaluate flood hazards and draw up community disaster plans. of the project, community drills and exercises were carried out based on this plan. Output 4: Improvement of the capacity of the CDERA Disaster Information Warehouse The CDERA Disaster Information Warehouse is an electronic storage and retrieval facility for disaster information concerning CDERA participating States and territories. In 2004, Japanese experts spent a short time at CDERA to provide the technical assistance required to improve the capacity of the CDERA Disaster Information Warehouse. Computer and multi-media equipment has now been installed and, by the end of 2005, technical training had been provided to improve the collection, maintenance and dissemination of information on disasters at the regional level. The enhanced capacity of the CDERA Disaster Information Warehouse to collect and disseminate information in a systematic and timely manner is beneficial to Barbados in its capacity as a CDERA participating State, and access to this central information database now provides valuable support to comprehensive disaster management planning in Barbados as well as the wider Caribbean region. P A R T N E R S H I P S Multi-stakeholder participation and solid partnerships were a constant, cross-cutting feature of the project. Partnerships at the international, national, regional and community levels contributed significantly to the successful implementation of all stages of the CADM project. As an exam-

9 Caribbean Disaster Management Project: Barbados 23 ple, the national team was composed of people from both the private and public sectors as well as the local community. The project also provided for international-national-regional partnerships where institutions such as CDERA, CIMH, JICA and UWI partnered with national government agencies such as the Drainage Unit of the Barbados Ministry of Public Works, the National Disaster Office and community organizations to ensure that the flood mapping system was developed. The partnerships forged between the Japanese and national and regional counterparts in the Caribbean were apparent throughout the project in the training exercises, the preparation of community disastermanagement plans and the transfer of technologies. R E P L I C A B I L I T Y The threat of flooding is common to the Barbadian landscape. The adoption and implementation of mitigation and preparedness measures to tackle this hazard and to reduce its effects have been welcomed as a proactive initiative in Barbados. Local flood events in November 2004 and during the 2005 hurricane season reinforced the relevance of and the need for the replication of the project in other areas of Barbados. Indeed, a mid-term evaluation of the CADM project concluded that the project was a worthwhile initiative suitable for replication in other Caribbean island States. In this regard, a proposal was developed to extend the initiatives of the CADM project to the wider Caribbean region over the next 10 years. The CADM project model and methodology developed could also readily be used in other countries that suffer from similar problems. It has also been proposed that the methodology developed during the project could be replicated in other areas of disaster management within Barbados and the wider Caribbean region such as the development of an early-warning system for coastal hazards, including storm surges and tsunamis. P O L I C Y I M P L I C AT I O N S Implementation of the CADM project is in keeping with the Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy endorsed by the Government of Barbados. Such political support is an important factor underpinning the successful implementation of any project of this magnitude. Large, multi-stakeholder projects such as the CADM project not only challenge traditional methods of dealing with disaster mitigation but they may also precede and/or effect change in policy and recommended procedures. The implementation of the CADM project has advanced the disaster management programme in Barbados and it has contributed to the comprehensive disaster management strategy adopted by the country. This strategy recognizes and encourages disaster-mitigation and preparedness measures through the use of hazard information for decision-making purposes as well as encouraging and enhancing research and education. In

10 24 VOLUME 12: EXAMPLES OF NATURAL DISASTER MITIGATION IN SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES itself, the CADM project is an example of a best practice relating to disaster management strategy and is in concert with the strategy s aim to achieve sustainable development in Barbados. I M P A C T Barbados has been involved in a number of disaster management projects aimed at reducing the island s vulnerability to hazards and building hazard-resilient communities. This is owing, in large part, to the Government of Barbados having taken the initiative to support the comprehensive disaster management strategy adopted by the CDERA participating States and territories. The CADM pilot project has captured and addressed important aspects of this strategy. Thus, the implementation of the project has contributed significantly to the implementation of adopted policy in the country. During its implementation, a major output of the CADM project was the establishment of a standard framework for flood hazard mapping and community disaster-management planning through the development of manuals that provide practical advice suitable for the whole Caribbean region. Another result was the establishment of a framework for standardization of methodologies for flood hazard mapping and community disaster planning in Barbados. Consequently, the country has been able to enhance its hazard mapping capability. Such hazard maps provide important baseline data that can be used for disaster-management and land-use planning. The draft Community Disaster Management Plan for the Speightstown pilot area is another indicator of the success of the pilot project. Just as important is the multi-stakeholder participation process by which project activities were carried out. This multi-stakeholder participation will be an integral factor in the sustainability of the innovative experience within the pilot area as well as other areas of Barbados suitable for the replication of the project. Technology and knowledge transfer to the country has also been effective, thus ensuring that in-country capacities have been enhanced. Personnel at both the community and national levels, such as members of the St. Peter District Emergency Organization and personnel from the Drainage Unit, National Disaster Office and Ministry of Public Works, have been trained in hazard mapping and GIS techniques as well as in community disaster planning. Personnel have also been able to participate in cultural exchanges with Japan, to attend training and technical workshops, and to observe relevant disaster reduction initiatives employed in Japan that could be used in the CADM Barbados project. It is expected that the CADM project will be replicated in other flood-prone areas of Barbados. This in itself would have a positive environmental impact on the landscape. In both the near and the long term, the implementation of the

11 Caribbean Disaster Management Project: Barbados 25 project will reduce the economic losses (for example, to agricultural production and damage to property and infrastructure) caused by floods in the pilot area and other designated project areas. L E S S O N S L E A R N E D S TA K E H O L D E R C O L L A B O R A- T I O N AT T H E C O M M U N I T Y, R E G I O N A L A N D N AT I O N A L L E V E L S I S K E Y. Cooperation among stakeholders during all stages of the project has been a significant contributing factor to the successful achievement of the desired outputs. This collaboration has facilitated the establishment of a solid foundation and enhanced the capacity for the continued implementation and sustainability of this and other disaster management projects in Barbados. In addition, the project has strengthened existing partnerships and introduced new players at all levels through which additional strategic alliances may be developed. G O V E R N M E N T S U P P O RT I S C R I T I C A L F O R P R O J E C T I M P L E M E N TAT I O N A N D S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y. The CADM project in Barbados requested and received the necessary endorsement from the Governments of Barbados and Japan. Once governments have committed their support to a project, other entities are usually more responsive to the initiative. Such government support not only fuels the participation of the general public and the private sector but also can reinforce it. This will have positive implications for the implementation of the project and the sustainability of the project beyond its planned duration. B U I L D I N G A N D E N H A N C I N G C A PA C I T Y AT VA R I O U S L E V E L S C A N E F F E C T I V E LY M I T I G AT E T H E I M PA C T O F H A Z A R D S. This project has been instrumental in building capacity at the national, regional and community levels. The Speightstown community in Barbados now has the necessary tools to enable it to assist in community disaster planning, namely, the community plan and the flood mitigation manual. Hydrological equipment installed during the project can be used as part of a flood early-warning system for the area that can be monitored by designated persons from the community as well as officials from national agencies responsible for monitoring meteorological and hydrological activity. The use of these tools can significantly reduce the effects of the flood hazard on the community and in so doing increase the resilience of the community. The project has also built and enhanced capacity at national and regional levels with the aim of reducing vulnerability to natural disasters. Sharing the results of the project with relevant organizations outside the pilot project area can assist in minimizing flood damage elsewhere, thus increasing the

12 26 VOLUME 12: EXAMPLES OF NATURAL DISASTER MITIGATION IN SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES scope of disaster mitigation efforts and resilience to the impact of flood hazards. F U T U R E P L A N S The CADM pilot project has been tremendously successful and there are, therefore, plans to replicate it in other flood-prone sites in Barbados that have already been identified. The draft sustainability plan, which is a work in progress, will also be used to ensure the sustainability of the current project and in the execution of any related future projects. As a result of the critical nature of flood hazards, the pilot community of Speightstown has embarked on a followup project titled Production and Installation of Community-operated Flood Early Warning Systems. The Drainage Unit of the Ministry of Public Works, having benefited from new equipment and additional training and expertise, will conduct its flood mitigation operations within other communities in Barbados. Products such as the GIS database, the Community Disaster Management Plan and the Flood Hazard Mapping Manual that have derived from the project will be shared with other relevant national organizations in order to minimize damage caused by floods. Notably, this project, which has been implemented in Barbados as well as in two other CDERA participating States, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, benefits from the establishment of formal collaboration between regional institutions, such as CIMH and UWI. This collaboration has enhanced project delivery and is expected to contribute to the sustainability of its outputs. These outputs will be shared with all CDERA participating States and territories for adoption and adaptation where appropriate. P U B L I C A T I O N S Opadeyi, J. (draft). Flood Hazard Mapping Manual. Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency, Barbados. Spence, B. (draft). Community Disaster Management Planning Manual. Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency, Barbados. Case Study Prepared by: Kerry Hinds Central Emergency Relief Organization BNB Building Cr James and Coleridge Street Bridgetown, Barbados cero@caribsurf.com Balfour Spence University of the West Indies Mona, Jamaica balfour.spence@uwimona.edu.jm Project Participants: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA): Funded the project, was a principal partner in its development, and provided experts in flood hazard mapping, GISs, community disaster planning, information management and project management.

13 Caribbean Disaster Management Project: Barbados 27 The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA): Responsible for advancing disaster management in the Caribbean region and for the regional management of the CADM project. National Disaster Management Offices in Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago: Acting with the Central Emergency Relief Organization (CERO) in Barbados, these entities were responsible for facilitating the national disaster management programme in the pilot countries and acted as the national focal points for the project. The Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC): Established at the regional level to oversee the management of the project, this committee consisted of representatives from CDERA, the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Development (Barbados), the University of the West Indies, the national focal points of the pilot countries, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and an expert team from JICA. The regional team: A technical body established to serve CDERA participating States and territories on a long-term basis to promote flood hazard mapping and community disaster-management planning. Representatives on the team were from CIMH, the University of Technology and UWI. The national team: The coordinating mechanism responsible for supporting the national focal point in the execution of the in-country project activities. The Barbados national team was composed of representatives from Barbados Meteorological Services; the secretariat of Barbados Tourism Investment Incorporated; the Barbados Water Authority; CERO; the Coastal Zone Management Unit; the Community Development Department; the Drainage Unit of the Ministry of Public Works; the Lands and Surveys Department; the Ministry of Housing, Lands and the Environment; the St. Peter District Emergency Organization; and the Town and Country Planning Department.

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