Country Document for Disaster Risk Reduction: Barbados, 2014
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Country Document for Disaster Risk Reduction: Barbados, 2014 Country Document for Disaster Risk Reduction: 1 Barbados, 2014 Country Document for Disaster Risk Reduction: Barbados, 2014 Country Document for Disaster Risk Reduction: Barbados, 2014 December 2014 Department of Emergency Management (DEM) National coordination: Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Judy Thomas, Director Danielle Skeete, Programme Officer Regional coordination: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Alexcia Cooke and Sandra Amlang Author: Danielle Evanson Design: Jeicos - Cover page designed based on design from Maria Camila Gracía Ruíz / Content pages designed based on the design from Orlando Isaac Dipp and Santiago Rivera (Country Document for Disaster Risk Reduction for Dominican Republic, 2012). This document covers humanitarian aid activities implemented with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of the European Union, and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. ECHO UNISDR European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid United Nations Office for Disaster Risk and Civil Protection department Reduction Regional office for the Caribbean Regional office for the Americas Santo Domingo, República Dominicana Ciudad del Saber (Clayton), Panamá Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] URL: http://www.eird.org/ URL: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/ http://www.unisdr.org/americas http://www.dipecholac.net/ Acknowldegements In supporting the consultative development of this document, the author would wish to recognise the valuable contributions of the following persons and organisations: Barbados Fire Service Terry Griffith, IT Officer Barbados Meteorological Service Sonia Nurse, Deputy Director Jonathan Platt, Technical Officer, Engineering and Barbados National Standards Institution Building (Standards) Caribbean Institute of Meteorology Shawn Boyce, Hydrologist and Hydrology Cédric Van Meerbeeck, PhD, Climatologist Lorna Inniss, PhD, Director (Ag) Coastal Zone Management Unit Kareem Sabir, Research Officer Kerry Hinds, Deputy Director Department of Emergency Management Danielle Skeete, Programme Officer (Ag) Margo Nicholls, Assistant Accountant Anthony Headley, Director (Ag) Ingrid Lavine, Deputy Director (Ag) Environmental Protection Department Ann-Marie Eversley, Senior Marine Protection Officer (Ag) Donna Gittens, Senior Marine Protection Officer (Ag) National Disabilities Unit Waple Brathwaite, Director (Ag) Barton Clarke, Chief Agricultural Officer Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Ralph Farnum, Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer Water Resource Management Charleston Lucas, Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer Denise Carter Taylor, Senior Health Promotion Officer Ministry of Health Denise Jordan, Surveillance Officer Nicole N. Alleyne, Chief Tourism Development Officer Ministry of Tourism and International Transport Shanise Taylor, Tourism Development Officer (Ag) Pan-American Health Organisation Lealou Reballos, Specialist, Disaster Risk Reduction Clifford Bostic, Deputy Chief Telecommunications Officer Telecommunications Unit Renee Evelyn, Senior Telecommunications Officer George Foster, Telecommunications Officer I Mark Cummins, Chief Town Planner Town and Country Development Planning Office Rudy Headley, Senior Town Planner (Ag) Theron Sealy, GIS Technician Country Document for Disaster Risk Reduction: III Barbados, 2014 Country Document for IV Disaster Risk Reduction: Barbados, 2014 Table of contents Executive Summary ................................................................................. XV Acronyms ......................................................................................... XXXIV 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose .................................................................................... 1 1.2 Objective and Scope ........................................................................ 2 1.3 Methodology ............................................................................... 2 2 INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION ...................................... 5 3 NATIONAL CONTEXT ............................................................................ 11 3.1 Physical environment ....................................................................... 11 3.1.1 Geographic location .................................................................. 11 3.1.2 Geology and topography ............................................................. 11 3.1.3 Climate and hydrology. 11 3.2 Socioeconomic context ..................................................................... 12 3.2.1 Population and demographics ........................................................ 12 3.2.2 Economic growth and performance ................................................... 16 3.2.3 Poverty and unemployment .......................................................... 19 3.2.4 Most vulnerable groups .............................................................. 20 3.3 Governance structure ....................................................................... 24 3.3.1 Political structure and organisation ................................................... 24 3.3.2 Local government and levels of decentralisation ....................................... 24 3.3.3 Coordination mechanisms between State and non-State actors ........................ 24 3.4 Development context. 25 3.4.1 Human development. 25 3.4.2 National development objectives ..................................................... 28 4 LEGAL, NORMATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE COUNTRY ........................ 31 4.1 Legal framework ............................................................................ 31 4.1.1 The Constitution ..................................................................... 31 4.1.2 Laws and legally binding provisions ................................................... 31 4.2 Regulatory Framework ...................................................................... 35 4.2.1 Regulatory instruments for policy and technical decision-making on DRR .............. 35 4.2.2 Public policy .......................................................................... 38 4.3 Institutional framework .................................................................... 40 4.3.1 Organisation of the national system and mechanisms at all levels ..................... 40 4.3.2 National plans and their implementation ............................................. 45 Summary ...................................................................................... 48 Country Document for Disaster Risk Reduction: V Barbados, 2014 5 THE STATE OF DISASTER RISK .................................................................... 51 5.1 Historic analysis of disasters ................................................................ 51 5.2 Hazard threats .............................................................................. 54 5.2.1 Of natural origin. 54 5.2.2 Of anthropogenic origin .............................................................. 64 5.2.3 Emergencies affecting health and livelihoods. 68 5.3 Vulnerability ................................................................................ 71 5.3.1 Analytical criteria and methodology .................................................. 71 5.3.2 Components ......................................................................... 72 5.3.3 Vulnerability analysis based on selected criteria ....................................... 73 5.4 Capacities .................................................................................. 85 5.4.1 Analytical criteria and methodology .................................................. 85 5.4.2 Institutional and coordination mapping ............................................... 114 5.4.3 Mapping of DRR programmes, initiatives and plans .................................... 115 5.4.4 Tool inventory ........................................................................ 118 5.5 Reduction of underlying risk factors ......................................................... 123 6 DISASTER RISK ANALYSIS ........................................................................ 131 6.1 Analytical criteria and methodology. 131 6.2 Definition of risk scenarios .................................................................. 133 6.3 Prioritisation of risk scenarios and areas for intervention ..................................... 134 7 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION ......................................... 139 8 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS. 145 References ......................................................................................... 153 Annex I: Stakeholder consultations .................................................................. 164 Annex II: EMAC Standing Committees ............................................................... 167 Annex III: Historical Hazard Impacts in Barbados. 170 Summary ....................................................................................... 170 DROUGHT ...................................................................................... 170 FLOOD .......................................................................................... 171 STORM ........................................................................................