Source: http://sunstkitts.com/paper/?asknw=view&asknw=view,view&sun=494418078207132005&an=290746079511182005&ac=Local

Today has been earmarked for a review of an agreement between Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) and St.Kitts/Nevis. This according to Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Gail Gilbert who said the meeting will be held at 9 a.m. today.

The national consultation, comprising representations from ministries of National Security and Legal Affairs, the Amateur Radio Society, Red Cross, law enforcement agencies, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Sustainable Development, and NEMA, will address a decision taken by CDERA in the council meeting held earlier this year.

CDERA was established in 1991 by Caricom following the closure of the Pan Caribbean Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Project (PCDPP).

Gilbert said the consultation is imperative in order to review and inform on the revised agreement.

“It was necessary for a regional institution such as CDERA to be established,” she said, “so that response activities in Caricom member states could be applied logically, to our needs following the impact of a natural hazard.”

Gilbert added that CDERA became fundamentally important to the region as disaster management offices were being established in different member countries while simultaneously being impacted by several storms and or other hazards.

“A co-ordinating unit of CDERA has since been required to undertake the full range of disaster management activities, such as mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation,” Gilbert said.

The meeting takes place at NEMA Headquarters at Buckley’s Site.