GCCI President underscores need for public-private partnership in navigating disaster management
President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Mrs. Kathy Smith recently addressed stakeholders, including those from government agencies and the private sector, on the importance of collaboration—particularly in the areas of disaster preparedness and management.
At the Disaster Management Workshop, organised by Tropical Shipping in collaboration with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency on June 18 at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, Mrs. Smith reminded participants of the region’s climate vulnerabilities and Guyana’s experience with floods.
“2005 is a stark reminder of the impact of natural disasters. The country, particularly the coastland, suffered significant floods. Beyond everyday life, businesses and infrastructure were direly impacted. The agriculture industry also faced grave impacts. What did this teach us? Disaster preparedness is everyone’s business, and we need to not just prepare for disaster management but also preventative measures. And this is where collaboration comes in,” she stated.
Mrs. Smith stated that for the business community, natural disasters have far-reaching implications. Natural disasters are accompanied by potential damage to infrastructure and breaks in operations as a result of disruption to supply chains, and even negative impacts on demand for services.
“This is why preparation is key—not just in ensuring our offices are flood resistant, but by having contingency plans in place. And this is where public-private partnerships are needed…We, as businesses, also need to look at collaborating to equip ourselves with the knowledge and tools to prepare for disasters and mitigate negative impacts. The Private Sector also needs to be able to access data and information on navigating our vulnerabilities to these disasters,” she said candidly.
Further, she said that the private sector can also support with faster disaster response efforts—not just domestically, but within the region as has been seen when Guyana’s private sector mobilised disaster relief for its Caricom neighbours when disasters struck in the past.
