BEYOND LESSONS LEARNED from POST-DISASTER RECOVERY: the CARIBBEAN NARRATIVE July 27, 2020
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BEYOND LESSONS LEARNED FROM POST- DISASTER RECOVERY: THE CARIBBEAN NARRATIVE CARIBBEAN EXPERIENCES ON RECOVERY PLANNING ONLINE FORUM BACKGROUND This VC Forum provides a reflection on the • Whilst the Caribbean has invested heavily in approaches to recovery disaster preparedness, especially response, planning in the the evidence suggests that this is seldom the Caribbean, the processes case for recovery. and institutional • Notwithstanding the model recovery arrangements for ex ante guidelines developed in 1999, post hurricane driven interventions that Lenny, reviews of recent impacting events in facilitate the transition the last 15 years present recovery as a pathway from recovery reactive exercise. to resilience • Whilst the notion of building back better surfaced in Grenada post Ivan 2004 the 2017 events of Irma and Maria and Dorian 2019 have catapulted this concept in the lexicon and thinking of policy makers platformed on the value proposition of the Resilient State. COVID-19 has presented another lens for reflecting on Recovery in the Caribbean VC FORUM OBJECTIVES The main objective is to highlight cross-country and regional lessons learned from post-disaster recovery operations within the Caribbean with the intent of exploring synergies, complementarities and good practices within the region. Specifically, the Regional Recovery Forum is a learning event that: Exchanges and shares lessons learned on Caribbean post-disaster recovery operations (building back better and more resilient) Reflects on existing initiatives being implemented that can achieve efficient and effective post-disaster resilient recovery outcomes With assistance from the Organized by Government of the The University of the Commonwealth of West Indies Bahamas ORGANIZERS AND FUNDING Hosted Funded by the United National Development by UWItv Programme AGENDA OPENING REMARKS Setting the stage for Resilient Recovery Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice Chancellor, The University of the West Indies Denise Antonio, UNDP Resident Representative for Jamaica, Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Hon. Iram Lewis, Minister, Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction AGENDA CASES STUDIES ON LESSONS LEARNED FROM POST-DISASTER RECOVERY Recovery Lessons The COVID-19 Supporting National 2008 and After Recovery Lens Recovery Efforts: • Dr. Virginia Clerveaux, • Mr. Richard Carter, The Regional Lens Head Department of COVID-19 Czar, • Ms Elizabeth Riley, Disaster Management, Barbados Executive Director (ag), Turks and Caicos Islands Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) AGENDA LESSONS LEARNED: REVISITING INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND MECHANISMS FOR RECOVERY Mainstreaming and 2020-2030 Climate Setting the Stage for Resilience and Economic Imperatives for Resilient Recovery: Recovery Plan: From Recovery Overcoming the Concept to Action Implementation Challenges Ms Gloria Joseph, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Planning, Minister Iram Lewis, Ministry of Resilience, Sustainable Disaster Preparedness, Dr. Justin Ram, CEO GSec Development, Management and Reconstruction Telecommunications and – Bahamas Broadcasting – Commonwealth of Dominica MODERATOR Jeremy Collymore is the Adviser, Disaster Resilience, Office of the Vice Chancellor, University of the West Indies (UWI). A Geographer with training in Environmental Design and Planning he served as the Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) from 1991 until 2013. He has enjoyed over 35 years of service in the field of Disaster Risk Management functioning in various capacities that involved research; teaching; programme design, implementation and review; policy development and advocacy. He was an architect of the Regional Strategy for Comprehensive Disaster Management which champions resilient development. He has also served on a diversity of national, regional and international working groups and task forces focusing on resilience, climate change and disaster risk management. In his current capacity he is coordinating the efforts of the UWI to become a resilient institution and in championing resilience in the Caribbean. Recognition of his work includes the inaugural CDEMA Ministerial Council Award (2015), Barbados National Honors for work in DRM at regional and international levels (2016); the Department of Geography Golden Anniversary Trail Blazer Award (2017) and the International Award of the US National Hurricane Conference (1993). In 2013 the University of the West Indies designated him an Honorary Research Fellow in its Institute of Sustainable Development. • The evidence suggests that the investment in recovery planning is not commensurate with hazardousness of the region and impacting events experienced. Though model recovery guidelines were developed in 1999, post hurricane Lenny, reviews of impacting events in the last 15 years, suggest that recovery is a reactive exercise. • However, since the 2017 events of Irma Moderator’s and Maria and Dorian in 2019 we are beginning to see more investment at the national level, with donor support, at Opening mainstreaming recovery in DRM programming and Resilience thinking. Statement COVID-19 has presented another lens for reflecting on Recovery in the Caribbean. • I wish to posit that the value proposition, in CARICOM, of the Resilient State has created the fuel for shifting from recovery as a reactive exercise to one that is proactive and strategic. • This VC Forum provides a space for reflecting on the approaches to recovery planning in the Caribbean, the processes and institutional arrangements for ex ante driven interventions which facilitate the transition pathway from recovery to resilience. • FORUM OBJECTIVE: The main objective is to highlight cross-country and regional lessons learned from post-disaster recovery operations within the Caribbean with the intent of exploring synergies, good Moderator’s practices and gaps. Opening • It is a key part of the UWI’s ongoing efforts in assisting the Government of the Statement Bahamas in shaping a resilient recovery agenda with the support of UNDP and the collaboration of the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness Management and Reconstruction. The key outputs include a Draft Resilient Recovery Policy, Strategy/Plan and Recommendations for the institutional arrangements to deliver and sustain these. • The six panelists who provide reflections come from recently impacted CDEMA Participating States, including by COVID- 19, CDEMA CU. We will also receive the perspective of a finance and resilience economist who has extensive practice in the region. • The FORUM will have two key parts, in addition to the opening and closing sessions. The first looks at recover cases Moderator’s at the national and regional levels and the 2nd looks at the efforts at the Opening institutionalization and financing of recovery. Statement • At this time, I would to begin the proceedings by hearing from the principal collaborating partners in this VC Forum – The University of the West Indies, UNDP and the Government of the Bahamas. PRESENTERS Mrs. Denise Honourable Iram Dr. Virginia Antonio; UNDP Lewis; The Clerveaux; Director Professor Hilary Representative in Bahamas’ Minister at the Department Beckles; 8th Vice- Jamaica, Belize, of Disaster of Disaster Chancellor of The Bermuda, Cayman Preparedness, Management and UWI. Islands, The Management and Emergencies Bahamas and Turks Reconstruction. (DDME) and Caicos Islands. Mrs. Gloria Joseph; Permanent Secretary for Economic Affairs, Mr. Richard Carter, Ms. Elizabeth Riley; Investment, Dr. Justin Ram; COVID-19 Czar, Executive Director Planning, CEO, GSEC Barbados (ag), CDEMA Resilience, Sustainable Development, Telecomms and Broadcasting Professor Hilary Beckles; 8th Vice- Chancellor of The UWI. Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, the 8thVice- Before assuming office as Vice-Chancellor in Chancellor of The University of the West Indies 2015, he served the university as Professor of (The UWI) is a distinguished academic, Economic History, Pro-Vice Chancellor for international thought leader, United Nations Undergraduate Studies, and Principal of its Cave committee official, and global public activist in Hill Campus in Barbados for thirteen years the field of social justice and minority (2002-2015). empowerment. The issues of resilience and sustainability are As Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West visible in the UWI’s 2017-22 Strategic Plan built Indies, Sir Hilary conceptualized the university’s upon the pillars of Access, Alignment and Agility. Triple A Strategy which is committed to Alignment is very relevant to our mission today leveraging the resources and capabilities of the as it seeks to create value-added relationships university in the quest for the revitalization of with partners to ensure that the university Caribbean development. meets the needs of the community it serves. His stewardship is anchored on a commitment to the globalization of the University. Under his watch the UWI debut in the prestigious Times Amid all of this, Sir Hilary is an accomplished Higher Education Ranking, in which it is now playwright with six of his staged works receiving ranked in the top 1% of the world’s best age popular acclaim in the Caribbean. aligned universities. “The UWI has done in a few years what other universities have taken decades or centuries” Mrs. Denise Antonio; UNDP Representative in Jamaica, Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands. Denise has more