HURRICANE RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES IN THE WINDWARD ISLANDS: PUBLIC AND PRACTITIONER’S PERSPECTIVES Grenada after Hurricane Ivan 2004 IDELIA M.A. FERDINAND A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Business, Environment and Society, Coventry University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a MSc (by research) in Disaster Management November 2006 June, too soon, July stand by August, beware you must September remember, October all over. (Crawford, W.P. 1992:152) ABSTRACT There is a hurricane season every year in the Caribbean from June 1st to November 30th; however it is possible for hurricanes to occur outside this period. There are different perspectives of hurricanes held by experts to that of the public and this often create discrepancies in implementing risk reduction measures. Perception of hazards plays a role in how people will respond and make decisions. The Windward Islands are not in the direct path of hurricanes when compared to the Caribbean Islands in the north of the Island Arc, however they are often affected even by the presence of a storm in the region which may cause major devastation. While a lot of preparations are done to reduce the effects of hurricanes on a short term basis long term risk reduction strategies are minimal or maybe done in isolation to the community. There is therefore need to refocus the goals of Disaster Management to encompass risk reduction in the Windward Island and the Caribbean region as a whole. This can be done more effectively by incorporating the community on a greater level into planning and policies design aimed at risk reduction. Hence there is need for the promotion of a participatory community approach, improvement in early warning systems and greater collaboration in the Caribbean region to make use of the limited resources. i LIST OF ACRONYMS AOSIS – Alliance of Small Island States BGA – Banana Growers Association CARICOM – Caribbean Community CDB – Caribbean Development Bank CDERA – Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency CDM – Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Strategy CDMP – Caribbean Disaster Mitigation Project CIMH - The Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology CIA – Central Intelligence Agency CIDA – Canadian International Development Agency CRED/EM–DAT – Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters /Emergencies Database CUBiC – Caribbean Uniform Building Code CWSA – Central Water and Sewerage Authority DFID – Department for International Development ECHO - European Commission Humanitarian Office EEC – European Economic Community EWC – Conference on Early Warning EU – European Union GDP – Gross Domestic Product IADB – Inter-American Development Bank IFRC – International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies ISDR – International Strategy for Disaster Reduction ii NDO – National Disaster Office NEMO – National Emergency Management Organisation NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration OAS – Organisation of American States OCHA – UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs OECS – Organisation for Eastern Caribbean states OFDA – Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance PAHO – Pan American Health Organisation PCDPPP – Pan Caribbean Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Project SVG – St Vincent and the Grenadines SIDS – Small Islands Developing States SPSS – Statistical Program for Social Sciences SWOT – Strengths Weaknesses Opportunity Threats UNDRO – United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation USAID – United States Agency for International Development VINLEC – St Vincent Electricity Company WINFA – Windward Islands Farmers Association WHO – World Health Organisation WMO – World Meteorological Organisation iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ……………………………………………………………………….…… ……i List of acronyms ……………………………………………………………….…..........ii Table of contents …………………………………………………………….…….. …..iv Acknowledgement ……………………………………………………...........................xi 1 INTRODUCTION TO STUDY ………………………………………………...…1 1.1 Chapter introduction ………………………………………………...………............1 1.2 Background to study …………………………………………………………….......1 1.3 Aim and objectives ……………………………………………………………….....2 1.4 The windward island: study area ……………………………………………............3 1.4.1 Geography of the islands ………………………………………………….3 1.4.2 St Vincent and the Grenadines ………………………………………........5 1.4.3 Kingstown …………………………………………………………….......6 1.4.4 Georgetown ……………………………………………………………….8 2 RISKS AND PERCEPTIONS OF RISKS ………………………………………10 2.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………...10 2.2 The Windward island society ………………………………………………….......10 2.1.1 Hurricanes ………………………………………………………………..11 2.2.2 Political structure ………………………………………………………...15 2.2.3 Socio-economic structure and vulnerability ……………………………..15 2.2.4 The evolution of disaster management in the Caribbean: Windward Islands………………………………………………………19 2.3 Hazards, vulnerability and disasters ……………………………………………….21 2.3.1 Hazards and disaster ……………………………………………………..21 iv 2.3.2 Vulnerability ……………………………………………………………..26 2.4 Risks: perception and communication ……………………………………………..29 2.4.1 Risk perception …………………………………………………………..29 2.4.2 Risk... ………..…….………………………………………………….….32 2.4.3 Risk communication: warning and information dissemination ……………………………………………………...……..34 2.4.4 Risk reduction: preparedness and mitigation …………………………….37 2.4.5 Preparedness and mitigation ……………………………………………..38 3 METHODOLOGY ……………………………………………………………….40 3.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………. ….40 3.2 Research approach …………………………………………………………………40 3.3 Rationale for selection of locations ……………………………………………. ….42 3.4 Analysis of frequency and impacts of hurricanes ………………………………….44 3.4.1 Limitations ………………………………………………………….…....45 3.5 Sampling …………………………………………………………………………...45 3.5.1 Practitioners sub sampling approach ………………..…………………...48 3.5.2 Questionnaires for the public and sub sampling approach ……………....51 3.6 Interviews ………………………………………………………………………….52 3.6.1 Choice of method...…………………………………………………….…52 3.6.2 Ethics and consent form ………………………………………………….53 3.6.3 Designing interviews .................................................................................53 3.6.4 Conducting interviews ...............................................................................54 3.6.5 Process of analysis .....................................................................................54 3.6.6 Limitations and bias....................................................................................54 3.7 Questionnaires ..........................................................................................................55 v 3.7.1 Choice of methods .....................................................................................55 3.7.2 Ethics and consent .....................................................................................55 3.7.3 Designing questionnaire ............................................................................56 3.7.4 Issuing questionnaires................................................................................57 3.7.5 Process of analysis ....................................................................................58 3.7.6 Limitations and biases................................................................................58 3.8 Focus groups .............................................................................................................58 3.9 Researcher’s Positionality ……………………………………..…………………..61 4 RESULTS FINDINGS ............................................................................................62 4.1 Historical analysis 1984 – 2004…………………………………………………….62 4.1.1 Impacts of hurricanes……………………………………………………..62 4.1.2 Atlantic hurricanes 1984 – 2005………………………………………….64 4.2 Questionnaire findings………………………...……………………………………68 4.2.1 Background information………………………………………………….68 4.2.2 Education…………………………………………………………………70 4.2.3 Housing…………………………………………………………………...72 4.2.4 Experience………………………………………………………………..76 4.2.5 Preparedness……………………………………………………………...77 4.2.6 Response………………………………………………………………….80 4.2.7 Recovery.…………………………………………………………………81 4.2.8 Perceived effectiveness…………………………………………………...82 4.3 Interviews with practitioners ………………………….…….……………………..83 4.3.1 Disaster management organisations: Windward Islands…………...…….84 4.3.2 Major hazards: interviewee’s perspectives ……………………………....86 A. Major hazards according to interviewees…………………………...87 vi B. Hazards responsible for most devastation……………......………….88 C. The most destructive agents of storms and hurricanes as perceived by interviewees…………………………………………..88 4.3.3 Communication of hurricane information …………………………….....89 A. Warning systems…………………………………………………….89 B. Percentage who receive warnings…………………………………...90 C. The functioning of the media………………………………………..90 4.3.4 Risk reduction…………………………………………………………….92 A. Views of work done by the authorities……………………………...92 B. Focus of risk reduction………………………………………………93 C. Challenges to risk reduction…………………………………………94 D. Funding for risk reduction strategies………………………………..95 4.3.5 Vulnerable groups ......................................................................................95 A. Most vulnerable groups according to practitioners…………………96 B. Addressing vulnerability……………………………………………96 5 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION ..........................................................................99 5.1 Hazards in the Windward Islands: perception of hurricanes by public and Practitioners ……. ....................................................................................................99