Department of Disaster Management

department of disaster Management

#3 Wailing Road MacNamara

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Ph. 284-468-4200 Fax: 284-494-2024

E-Mail:

COUNTRY STATEMENT TO THE REGIONAL PLATFORM FOR DRR

IN THE AMERICAS II SESSION – THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

Major Achievements in DRR in the areas of planning, policy and legislature, public investment, adaptation to climate change and involvement at all levels of intervention

·  Integration of Hazard Vulnerability Assessments (HVAs) and climate change adaptation measures into the planning and development process

·  The requirement for the development of disaster management/contingency plans for the operational and construction phase of major development projects

·  VI Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Policy, Strategic Planning Framework and Monitoring, Evaluating and Reporting (MER) System

·  Revision of the Disaster Management Act to allow for a more comprehensive approach to CDM

Major obstacles for moving ahead with a holistic vision of DRR as an integral component of national development processes

·  The absence of a complete set of data that will allow for a comprehensive approach to DRR. It is expected that the VI will obtain tsunami inundation maps and high resolution storm surge maps through the R3i Project. However, there are additional data sets that are required.

Main outlook for 2011-2013, as well as toward 2015 and beyond

·  The VI’s CDM Strategy and Policy recognizes the importance of and seeks to incorporate sustainability and environmental protection into the disaster management programme in the territory. Sustainable, often times contribute to hazard mitigation and risk reduction. The DDM will continue its capacity building program internally and society-wide to introduce sustainable concepts, practices, measures and initiatives.

·  The DDM will also continue to function on the Planning Authority and other environmental committees to ensure that risk reduction measures are incorporated into planning and development.

·  The DDM recognizes the importance of private as well as public sector participation and the need to ensure that CDM and DRR are filtered down to the community level. Several initiatives are included in the VI CDM strategy to address these areas.

·  Community profiles will be completed for all major community groupings throughout the Territory to clearly define of community needs and thus, a better design of community based programmes.