PM – Government will continue to strengthen Guyana’s regional disaster management systems

Prime Minister, Mark Phillips on Friday said that his Government aims to continuously
strengthen Guyana’s regional disaster management systems. He said this will be done by
injecting more resources and enhancing training opportunities.
The Prime Minister noted that this approach will improve the response time and efforts at a
provincial level. Phillips uttered these comments during his featured address at the
commissioning of the first-ever Regional Disaster Management Centre in Lethem, Upper
Takutu- Upper Essequibo (Region Nine). “Today’s (yesterday) event is a significant milestone in
Guyana’s disaster risk reduction history, and I am honoured to be here in Region Nine to
Commission the first-ever Regional Disaster Management Centre—a facility that will not only
bring relief to the people of Region Nine but also build the Region’s capacity to adequately face
and react to the perils that so often come with disasters,” the PM said
Prime Minister Phillips said that along with aiding disaster relief efforts, the centre in Lethem
will serve as a shelter for displaced families. He noted that the centre will also house dedicated
areas for relief goods and capacity building and training in the region. “We recognise that there
must be sufficient structures and mechanisms in place to anticipate future disasters, especially
recurring ones like flooding. There must be capacity building, education and training with regard
to response efforts of the local authorities. There must be coordination of relevant agencies to
come up with contingency plans to deal with disasters. And most of all; there must be sufficient
funding,” the Prime Minister stressed
Phillips noted that the centre continuous training and the injection of other resources, along with
an active early-warning system, will enhance the regional capacity to reduce the loss of lives and
damages to assets.
Meanwhile, Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel
Kester Craig, who also spoke at the commissioning of the centre, noted that the development of
the facility in the region is a monumental achievement for disaster risk management locally.
“The Centre represents one of the largest direct disaster preparedness and response capacity
investment by the Government of Guyana at a cost of G$96M,” Colonel Craig said
The CDC Director-General noted further that the agency is committed and will continue to work
assiduously within the region to enhance the disaster risk management system. He promised that
this will be done while building institutional capacities and mechanisms at all levels.