In training sessions, Frankie has often shared with participants his own real-life experiences — how disasters impact peoples’ lives in the Caribbean in terms of death, damage, destruction, delay, disorder and disruption. Continued from previous page We understand that you are very passionate about Disaster Management, why is that? In answering this question my mind immediately goes to an extract from the work of Dr. Asha Kambon – Disaster Risk Reduction Consultant. It says: Since 1950, the region has been hit on average, by seven disasters per year that have killed hundreds of thousands of people and affected millions more. Annual damage in the Caribbean accounts for 40 per cent of global damage. Caribbean small states have suffered more damage at greater frequency than both other small and larger states. Climate Change is expected to exacerbate these effects by increasing the frequency and severity of natural disasters, affecting the livelihood of the populations, and harming the essential assets their insufficiently diversified economies rely on. While that is what the distinguished Caribbean expert said, I have seen with my own eyes, how disasters impact peoples’ lives in the Caribbean in terms of death, damage, destruction, delay, disorder and disruption. I have seen and experienced the despair that disasters induce. Lives are lost and livelihoods are destroyed. Some people are made poor for life after a disaster. I have seen disaster events in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, the British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis. And I only just referred to locations in which I have personally seen the effects or experienced the events for myself. I am also aware of the global significance of disasters. Currently 400 000 people are refugees from a volcano in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That is more that the population of any Eastern Caribbean island. My family and I have experienced massive financial and material losses because of a disaster. We lost our home and most of its contents without a dollar of compensation paid to us by insurance during the volcanic crisis in Montserrat. I have been a Disaster Coordinator, a Disaster Management Consultant, a trainer, a full-time Continues on next page 15
16 Publizr Home