It could appear that BCP is very far removed from the everyday reality of work. Continued from Page 9 The current BCP arrangements that are being put in place for the COVID-19 crisis in CARICAD member states could to some extent, distort perceptions about the importance of the more typical approach of pre-incident planning and preparedness. Further, it could appear that BCP is very far removed from the everyday reality of work. CARICAD urges all public sector Leaders/Managers to commit to and lead the BCP process within their organisations. It is important to recognise that preparedness, readiness and resilience arise from a commitment to business continuity and a constant and consistent series of actions based on continuity plans. An effort should be made by the Heads of organisations to create and maintain a culture of readiness and preparedness throughout the organisation. CARICAD continues to make the point that there needs to be a focus on building capacity for business continuity across all entities in the public sector. The effort to build capacity for continuity planning has been heavily concentrated in National Disaster Offices. This has resulted in the vast majority of public sector organisations being very poorly prepared to face hazards such as the hurricanes of 2017. Business continuity skills should be systematically developed among all public officers. Technology is a very important tool for business continuity, just as it is for modern business. However, if staff are not familiar with technical applications, software, systems and equipment, those deficiencies will become glaring in a crisis and reduce both organisational effectiveness and efficiency. Therefore, there is a great need for significant pre-event preparedness for using technology; especially for remote working. Continues on next page 10
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