Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems among areas to be addressed
Georgetown - Guyana, like Small Island and Developing States (SIDS) face the effects of climate change and has realised the increasing need for an efficient hydro-meteorological operating center and, multi-hazard early warning systems which are important tools in disaster risk reduction management.
Finland, recognizing the challenge of these states has embarked on a programme titled, Strengthening Hydro-Meteorological Operations and Services in the Caribbean SIDS (SHOCS), which focuses on the development of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the Caribbean, and has taken on a round tour through SIDS to Assess capacities for MHEWS and DRR in Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Belize, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Suriname and the Bahamas.
Speaking at the commencement of the two-day seminar in Guyana, which is being held in the boardroom of the Ministry of Agriculture, SHOCS Project Coordinator Dr. Martti Heikinheimo, said that whilst preparedness for natural disasters in Guyana like other Small Island and Developing States is at a high level, however there is room for improvement.
“Every country has their own disasters to cover as such SHOCS does not have a regional approach in solving all the problems…we are going from country to country and trying to find out the local features and the preparedness settings that exist…through training workshops with stakeholders involved in Disaster Risk Reduction we offer the technical capacity to guide capacity-building to improve the systems that are in place…through our analysis of the investments made by countries we would have visited thus far, we have realised that the significant investments made on early warning systems save the society in the long-run,” Dr. Heikinheimo said.
Minister of Agriculture Dr Leslie Ramsammy said governments have recognised the need to deal with climate change realities therefore are ensuring that the mechanisms are in place for early warning systems and disaster response.
“We certainly now need to re-examine our attitude of developing an effective hydro-meteorological service which is imperative as it is more than predicting what the weather will be …it is also about looking at climate change over the years and looking at longer term forecasting so that we can be able to respond to weather patterns and ensure that any negative impact of weather will not be experienced to its fullest extent as we will be more prepared,” Minister Ramsammy said.
He added that one of the mistakes developing countries have made in the past has been the non-investment in early warning systems and not placing enough emphasis on hydro-meteorological services.
“Over the last several years Guyana has been making significant efforts in changing the paradigm and ensuring that the hydro-meteorological services are placed high on the development agenda and, we have benefitted from several partnerships from our eagerness to further develop this service in Guyana… Finland has been cooperating with SIDS on various environmental and climate change projects in recent years,” Minister Ramsammy said.
He added that this partnership and engagement in the SHOCS project is important because it allows Guyana to further improve its meteorological service, as it is critical for agriculture which is an important sector for the country’s economical development.
“Agriculture today accounts for more than 33% of direct overall employment in Guyana…it is likely that agriculture will retain its significance in our development trajectory even with oil on the horizon,” the Agriculture Minister said.
The SHOCS project is supported by the Association of Caribbean States, and has as its objective strengthening regional cooperation and integration, with a view to creating an enhanced economic space in the region; preserving the environmental integrity of the Caribbean Sea which is regarded as the common patrimony of the peoples of the region and, promoting the sustainable development of the Caribbean.
The project which is being funded by the Finnish Foreign Affairs Ministry to the tune of 0.5 Million Euros commenced in September 2010 and, is expected to conclude in December this year.
The two-day assessment meeting will see the following major assessment themes being discussed; observation, hazard detection, monitoring and forecasting; incorporating risk information in emergency planning and warning messages; dissemination and communication of risk information and early warnings and national and community level response to early warnings.