3 NOTE: (CARICAD’s Supplementary Associate Franklyn Michael was deputed by the Executive Director to write this article.) T he advent of the 2025 Hurricane season reminds us that we will not only be challenged by the headwinds of global trade changes and the fall-out from various conflicts but potentially, by the real winds of storms and hurricanes. In his book, Crunch Point: The 21 Secrets to Succeeding When It Matters Most (AMACOM, 2006), management and personal success expert Brian Tracy writes: “It is estimated that every business has a crisis every two to three months that, if not handled quickly and effectively, can threaten the very survival of the enterprise. And each person has a crisis — personal, financial, family or health — every two or three months that can knock you off center as well.” The information in the bullets below was shared recently in a webinar by CARICAD’s strategic partner Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility — CCRIF SPC. • Apart from natural hazard risks, Caribbean countries are also subject to a myriad of other risks. • These risks oftentimes do not stop at individual island national borders but are part of a complex globally interconnected system – for example, the risks associated with climate change are borderless. • Adaptation to this compendium of risks places enormous pressure on regional governments, who are charged with the responsibility of maintaining critical infrastructure while balancing lives and economic livelihoods under increasing budgetary constraints. • Within this context, prioritising risks and the actions necessary for effective adaptation becomes a point of concern. Risk management is a process which governments can harness to determine their priorities in advance and in order where possible to minimise risks. • Risk Management involves a thorough examination of current situations, as well as a constant awareness of the ever-changing risk landscape, and offers insight into opportunities and mechanisms which can be used to anticipate, adapt to and mitigate against present and future risks. We often make the assertion that Risk is of greater concern to the private sector than the public sector but is that really so? Think of the experiences that our region has gone through since 2020. Start with the COVID-19 pandemic and then continue to volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, high temperatures, droughts and Hurricane Beryl. I invite you to reflect on the tariffs imposed on trading partners by the USA and the implications of the repatriation of Caribbean nationals from the USA. Those reminders should be enough for us to take time to ponder the importance of Risk for the Public sector. We are moving into an era in which Risks are not only highly probable but have great potential negative impacts. We are indeed in the era of polycrises. That term "polycrisis" has been attributed to French philosopher Edgar Morin in his 1993 book, Terre-Patrie, and has been popularised by historian Adam Tooze. Devon Rowe, Executive Director CARICAD CARICAD is advocating for a renewed emphasis on Leadership and Management for Mindset Change. Our new realities require a new mindset in the public sector. The polycrisis realities are different, the implications and consequences of risk-driven work are different. We are rapidly moving away from a peoplefocused world to a technology-dependent world. Clearly, advances in technology have brought great efficiencies to all aspects of life but our level of Risk may now be even greater. Constant exposure to storms and hurricanes is part of that Risk. CARICAD continues to produce our special hurricane season edition of our newsletter in the hope that we will be stimulating thought and promoting a commitment to action on the part of public sector leaders/managers. Those leaders/managers may not decide on policy, but they research and present information and advice to Ministers as individuals and Cabinet as a whole that may ultimately determine policy stances on matters relating to Risks. The Leadership/Management interface is what often determines how much we are able to reduce the negative consequences of risks and how quickly we can resume our journey on the road to Resilience. When it comes to preparing for storms and hurricanes each year we must embrace our responsibilities at every level — individual, family, organisational, neighbourhood, community and country. This 2025 edition of our newsletter seeks to promote and reinforce the importance of readiness at all levels. However, I invite us to consider using a similar mindset to that with which we prepare for storms and hurricanes as the foundation for the mindset we need to face and respond to all Risks. We must not only Prepare but we must Perform and Transform.
4 Publizr Home