Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
WHITEMAN
CABINET YESTERDAY gave instruction for the drafting of legislation aimed at giving the disaster preparedness agency the power to order emergency evacuation of communities.
The new bill, the Disaster Management and Mitigation Act, will repeal and replace the Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management Act of 1993.
LEGALLY EVACUATE PERSONS
Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman, told yesterday's regular post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House that the legislation would address the need to legally evacuate persons identified to be at risk as a prevention measure.
He said the bill, will hope to accomplish the following:
Legally recognised existing organisational structures such as the national disaster committees and the parish disaster committees.
Legally establish a National Disaster Fund
Identify and describe high-risk areas, especially vulnerable areas, and the necessary action to be taken in such areas.
LIAISON OFFICERS
Senator Whiteman said the bill would require all Government agencies and departments to establish liaison officers to work with the director general in disaster management.
Similarly, he said the private sector would be required, on notice from the director general to do likewise.
Senator Whiteman emphasised the need for the legislation as he pointed out that, over the past 10 years, the face of disaster management has changed from one of preparedness and response to mitigation and risk reduction.
He said the legislation should be in place by the beginning of the next hurricane season in June.
