WHO: The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) requests coverage for the following event:

WHAT: Discussion with the leaderships of Parish Councils on Strengthening Partnerships for Disaster Risk Reduction Workshop (an initiative of the ODPEM/CIDA Building Disaster Resilient Communities Project)

WHERE: Hilton Kingston Hotel, Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5

WHEN: Friday, 9 October 2009, 10.00 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

The Strengthening Partnerships for Disaster Risk Reduction workshop is part of a series of activities being undertaken by the Building Disaster Resilient Communities (BCRC) project, currently being implemented by the ODPEM, with the support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The overall objective of the BDRC project is to support greater civic responsibility and action to reduce the impact and risks posed by disasters in Jamaica.

The workshop is jointly hosted by ODPEM and the Department of Local Government and will engage Mayors, Secretary Managers and Parish Disaster Coordinators in a discussion on their roles and responsibilities in Jamaica’s disaster management framework and identify what needs to be done to strengthen the working relationships in order to mainstream disaster risk reduction in local authorities. This meeting will set the stage for further discussions with Parish Disaster Committee members in a series of regional workshops to be held in October and November. These consultations will help improve disaster management and emergency response partnerships at all levels: community, parish and national, and ultimately the country’s disaster mitigation and response capacity.

The Minister of State, Department of Local Government, the Hon. Robert Montague, will address the meeting at 11.30 a.m.

The workshop will:

• Review a situational analysis of the current disaster management and emergency response partnerships that is being prepared through the BDRC Project.
• Engage Mayors, Secretary Managers and Parish Disaster Coordinators in a discussion on their roles and responsibilities in facilitating strong partnerships for disaster risk reduction at parish level.