LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT

Jamaica Debates Commission

The International Monetary Fund lists Jamaica among the top 20 most exposed countries to natural disasters, based on its low-lying coastal zones and major fault lines. The earthquakes that jolted Jamaica in the last quarter of 2023 underscored the value and importance of disaster risk management, which includes four elements. They are disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
While the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management is the principal Government agency responsible for disaster management in Jamaica, municipal corporations also play an essential role. Local authorities help to strengthen disaster risk reduction through the regulation of the built environment. By law, the municipal corporation for each parish is the local building authority, with responsibility for administering and enforcing the Building Act and National Building Code. By ensuring the structural integrity of buildings – both commercial and residential, municipal corporations help to reduce the risks posed by natural disasters in a sustainable way.
Parish disaster coordinators are employed by municipal corporations and they oversee programmes and projects related to disaster preparedness and response. Key activities undertaken by municipal corporations include cleaning drains, preparing emergency shelters and mobilising emergency response teams to respond, if and when necessary.
Looking to the future, an important objective of the National Natural Disaster Risk Financing Policy (2021 – 2026) is to ensure that there is appropriate budgeting that enables disaster risk reduction at both the municipal and sectoral levels. This will facilitate better coordination within and across the Government.

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