St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago, November 27th, 2019 (UWI) – Caribbean policy makers, practitioners, scientists and community representatives are set to meet in Sint Maarten this Sunday, December 1, to learn lessons from recovery efforts after two major disasters.
At the upcoming 11th Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM), the Caribbean Resilience and Recovery Knowledge Network (CRRKN) will host a pre-conference event titled: ‘Learning from disaster recovery: a forensic analysis’. This workshop will bring together different stakeholders involved in recovery efforts after the eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat and Hurricane Maria’s devastation of Dominica. The meeting aims to: (1) improve recovery planning, (2) translate lessons from past events into policy, and (3) change the fundamental understanding of recovery across the Caribbean.
A forensic approach to knowledge generation is the key reason for this gathering. Participants will systematically reflect on both the root causes of disaster impacts and the effects of actions meant to address these impacts. Decision making, i.e. the priority given to certain actions and the level of participation by different stakeholders, will receive particular attention. Wide ranging discussions are to be had on whether or not recovery occurred equitably among societal groups and the impact of recovery actions on business continuity, economic recovery and community self-sufficiency.
Ph.D. researcher Ms Michal Camejo will represent The UWI Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC) at the meeting. UWI-SRC Director, Dr. Erouscilla Joseph believes forums like these play an important role in moving disaster management in the Caribbean forward. “We see this network as a great potential vehicle for not only providing a mechanism to improve dialogue around post-disaster recovery in the Eastern Caribbean, but to influence recovery planning practices in the future”. This event is the brainchild of Dr. Donovan Campbell, Head of Geography and Geology, UWI Mona and ODI Senior Research Fellow Dr. Emily Wilkinson. Organisers maintain that in a region beset by serial disasters, effective recovery from hazardous events is not just a worthy goal, it is an imperative. The event is a collaborative effort between the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), The University of the West Indies, The University of Portsmouth, and The University of East Anglia.