Devon Rowe, Executive Director of CARICAD T his edition of our Horizon Newsletter appears at a time that is symptomatic of the VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) environment in which we work at CARICAD. I refer specifically to the following: • There was an explosive eruption of La Soufriere volcano in St. Vincent in April. That event deposited a large volume of ash in Barbados where our Secretariat is located • The COVID-19 crisis persists with a resurgent second wave being a reality in some member states Ash settled on many homes after the explosive eruption of La Soufriere volcano in St. Vincent. (Screenshot provided by a resident of St. Vincent) • The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1st. The forecast is for yet another active hurricane season, and in early July, Hurricane Elsa caused flooding and loss of major utilities in some islands • Many governments of member states are facing severe fiscal challenges • There is escalating anxiety about gun crimes in some member states The fall-out of the protracted COVID-19 crisis continues to affect all spheres of life, especially economic activity, education, sports, entertainment and travel. We of the CARICAD family remain committed to innovation, change, transformation, resilience and adaptation for our own environment. We accept that these are challenging times. These are high-stress, high-pressure and anxiety-inducing times. We understand that visionary leadership, competence and commitment will be needed now even more urgently than before. In that regard we continue to focus on Leadership through our CLDP–Mid-Level-Leadership programme. We will also continue to use our webinars to promote innovative thinking with a focus on solutions to current and emerging challenges. We are deepening our partnerships with all strategic partners, especially CDEMA. We remain convinced that dealing effectively with our region’s vulnerability to so many natural hazards requires a whole of government, all sectors and all agencies approach. This edition of the Horizon is yet another illustration of CARICAD’s commitment to producing value for our people – our stakeholders and partners. We have continued to transform our own institution while we promote, support and assist Public Sector Transformation efforts in member states. Continues on next page 2
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