24 T he vulnerability of CARICAD member states to natural hazards in general and hurricanes and tropical storms in particular means that the planning environment across the entire public sector will be subject to the reality of the constant annual threat of storms and hurricanes. CARICAD member states are all developing states. Many of them are Small Island Developing States. This means that resources and capacity are limited by small size, small economies and small populations. Additionally, there is a growing scientific consensus that Climate Change will result in stronger storms and hurricanes. In many ways, the 2017 hurricane season was unprecedented and may well be a manifestation of the forecast about stronger storms. In September 2017 several of CARICAD’s member states suffered devastating effects from two immensely powerful hurricanes, Irma and Maria. It was obvious to the team at the CARICAD Secretariat that for the affected member states, the greatest value that CARICAD could provide in the short-term would be to contribute to the Recovery process in ways in which other strategic partners might not. In that regard and under the general intention of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDEMA), it was decided that CARICAD could use its in-house expertise in Comprehensive Disaster Management to provide a management guide for public sector managers engaged in Recovery and subsequently to develop a framework for Recovery management. It is recognised by the CARICAD Secretariat that almost all CARICAD members states are at risk from the effects of hurricanes and that the Guide for Public Sector Managers for Post-Hurricane Recovery in CARICAD Member States would be of value to all member states; especially as many of the principles, practices and tips discussed in the Guide are applicable to situations other than the passage of hurricanes. Flooding caused by Hurricane Tomas in central Castries, Saint Lucia. The CARICAD Secretariat had for many years made the case that effective Disaster Management in the region was heavily dependent on a public sector that was prepared to play a critical leadership role in all phases of the disaster cycle. The effects of hurricanes Irma and Maria have made the point forcibly. We hope that the Guide will contribute to what we advocate should become a sustained effort to build capacity in the public sector of CARICAD member Continues on next page
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