Outline and Analysis
For this report, we use Grenada’s experience with the 2004 Hurricane Ivan as a key reference point for our analyses and discussion of lessons learned, focusing primarily on the prevention, preparedness and response to natural disasters. For sections addressing both “prevention/preparedness” and “response”, we synthesize the general viewpoints of actors at multiple levels. We then focus on the opportunities and challenges of coordination between stakeholders. For the section on “recovery and rehabilitation,” we relied heavily on publicly available information which still allowed us to conduct a brief assessment and discuss knowledge gaps that may guide future research on the experience of the reconstruction process post-Ivan.
Emergency Preparedness
Since a natural disaster can impact the region as a whole due to the relatively small size of each Caribbean state, CARICOM has developed cooperative mechanisms to respond to disasters that acknowledge the need for regional disaster preparedness. Through this collaboration, as well as involvement with international NGOs, Grenada has created enormous opportunity for coordination between regional governments, national disaster management agencies and region-wide private sector actors.
In 2007, the Grenadian Parliament passed the Disaster Preparedness and Response Act, which adapted elements of the regional Model Draft legislation. This positions the Grenadian Prime Minister as the Chairman of NaDMA and the chief executive of emergency response during a disaster. The National Emergency Advisory Council (NEAC), which creates policies regarding national disaster preparation and implementation, includes the Prime Minister and NaDMA, but also representatives from other ministries and the private and civil society spheres.
International/Regional actors: AOSIS, CDEMA, IFRC
National Government and Civil Society actors: NaDMA, GRC, ART
Emergency Response:
Once an emergency has occurred, or the probability of one is highly likely, the Prime Minister will activate the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) to coordinate response and recovery throughout the island. In disaster response, Grenadian officials have contact with a large number of actors outside and within the country, who mobilize resources and respond to the disaster.
International organizations, individual country governments, and regional teams assist and coordinate with Grenada and other SIDS in many ways after a disaster strikes. These include building the capacity of government-led initiatives and community resilience; financing emergency teams; and assisting in insurance claims. International financial institutions such as the World Bank begin to take a role in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, which continues through the reconstruction period, while international NGOs become a critical component for disaster response through its role in receiving incoming relief supplies, preparing international funding appeals and conducting needs and damage assessments.
On the activation of the NEOC, the Grenadian governmental ministries and other major partners begin assessing the situation and preparing to respond to the disaster. The activation of the NEOC is based on the severity of the crisis as well as the scope. For smaller crisis or events, the island can be divided into smaller satellite EOCs that are able to isolate issues and handle them without siphoning off resources to other areas.
International/Regional actors: CDEMA, US Government, World Bank, IFRC, United Nations
National Government and Civil Society actors: GRC, Grenlec, NaWaSA, SWMA, local communities
Post-emergency Reconstruction:
Overview: the role of the Agency for Reconstruction and Development (ARD)
The ARD helped the Grenadian government increase its capacity to address the increased public service demands throughout the recovery and reconstruction process. It was established under Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell, on November 12, 2004 and conducted its operations from March 2005 to December 2007.The ARD aimed at monitoring and coordinating overall recovery and reconstruction efforts among the IGOs, NGOs, and national and local agencies, and providing technical assistance to the government ministries. One of the advantages of the ARD was the flexibility to employ staff of different nationalities, expertise, and working experiences, avoiding labor-protection regulations and procedures of the Public Service Commission (PSC).
The ARD produced several policy framework documents such as the National Strategic Plan and the Human Settlement Policy, and it oversaw various areas of government operations. However, there are mixed views on the ARD. Some argue that the existence of the ARD frustrated government agencies and demoralized public officials, and it failed to implement most of its projects since only a few were completed. In addition, some questioned the transparency of resources used by the Grenadian government and the ARD. One interviewee questioned the scheme to establish a coordination body outside the government, as it did not substantially contribute to the capacity development of the government officials to prepare for future disasters.
Areas for future research
During our stay in Grenada, we did not meet with officials from the Ministry of Finance or those who experienced working with the ARD. Most of the analysis was based on public information. In order to understand the role of the ARD, we need to analyze the decision-making process of the ARD since it involved various government projects. It would be helpful to assess the extent the ARD was independent from the Government’s influence, especially in the senior management level; this analysis would be crucial to understand the role of the government’s leadership. It would also be helpful to study the role played by government/ARD officials who had economic policy experience from working at multiple IGOs, including the World Bank/OECS, IADB/CDB, and CARICOM, to determine if their professional networks affected the decision-making process in the government and the ARD.