I n July 2021, shortly after the release of CARICAD’s 2021 Hurricane Preparedness Horizon Newsletter, Programme Specialist at CARICAD Franklyn Michael shared his thoughts on Disaster Management with the media. What is your primary role at CARICAD? In many ways I am considered the generalist on our team. My lead responsibilities are in the areas of Strategic Planning, Communications and Disaster Management. However, I provide support to colleagues in our Organisation Development, Capacity Development and training initiatives and assignments. You mentioned Disaster Management – Is there a relationship between your role and the subject of Disaster Management? Yes there is. The Caribbean is regarded by experts as the second most vulnerable region to natural hazards in the world. Hazard-impacts interrupt our development thrust. Money spent repairing an existing hospital cannot be used to build a new school. Public officers don’t get new equipment if the economy slumps after a hurricane event. CARICAD’s work in Public Transformation is ultimately aimed at supporting Sustainable Development. So, promoting public sector Transformation must include a strong emphasis on making our organisations more Resilient. We need organisational as well as community and household Resilience. Resilience is a pillar of the development strategy of CARICOM as stated in the CARICOM Strategic Plan. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and CARICAD are committed to Resilience. That commitment to Resilience is the foundation for the cooperation that we have between CARICAD and CDEMA. CARICAD and CDEMA have had a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for five years now. Resilience is at the core of CDEMA’s CDM strategy. Resilience is also an aspirational outcome of CARICAD’s Charter for Caribbean Public Services. I take the operational lead for CARICAD with CDEMA under the MOU and also in delivering CARICAD’s tools and techniques that support Disaster Management in our general work setting. Continues on next page 14
15 Publizr Home