The National Disaster Management Council kicked off its annual meeting Thursday by formalising two new partnerships officials say will help the territory respond better to various kinds of emergencies.
The memorandum of understanding signed with the BVI Insurance Association will help the Virgin Islands recover quickly and efficiently from a disaster, said Governor John Duncan, who leads the NDMC.
“One of the most critical aspects of a disaster management programme is that resource mobilisation. As a government, we cannot always provide all the resources needed to manage and operate a disaster management programme,” the governor said. “We must also look at partnerships with stakeholders in the private sector.”
He added that the MOU with the BVIAA will help government gather critical weather data that, historically, the territory has lacked.
In the past, government has signed MOUs with private companies such as the territory’s communications providers, said Philomena Robertson, the information and education manager at the Department of Disaster Management.
See the July 2, 2015 edition for full coverage.
{fcomment}