Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin addresses representatives of community councils.
PHILIPSBURG–Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin met with representatives of community councils in the Government Administration Building on Thursday in preparation for the annual Hurricane Season which starts on June 1.
Community council representatives shared their ideas and thoughts about how Government can improve its response leading up to the hurricane season and in any disaster situation in the future.
The representatives will be invited in May to a Disaster Coordinators Conference that will bring minds together from all sectors in the community to shape the Hurricane Season Operation Plan 2018.
Romeo-Marlin said that in preparatory meetings leading up the one on Thursday she had emphasised that Government must improve its response to any disaster, specifically hurricanes. The meeting, she said, sought to engage community councils “as willing stakeholders to be a part of the emergency response going forward.”
For this to be effective, the Prime Minister requested that the community councils make sure they are fully organised, established and prepared for when Government calls on them following a disaster. “I am calling on you to organise your boards, reignite your membership and start holding regular meetings in the community.”
Her vision for a properly-functioning community council in disaster management involves coordinating and participating in clean-up campaigns, organising community volunteers to assist in clean-up efforts, protection of the vulnerable persons in the community and distribution of relief goods via Government or international donors.
Disaster Management Section Head Paul Martens in Thursday’s session made a presentation on the structure and functioning of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC).
Community Development, Family and Humanitarian Affairs head Aida Holaman and Mark Schloss of Public Health Ministry Social Development Section made a joint presentation on the role of Emergency Support Function 7, which is responsible for shelter management, registration of people in need, distribution of primary necessities for life, and mass burials.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/75267-romeo-marlin-meets-community-councils
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