Vision
To lead, coordinate and facilitate a sustainable Disaster Risk Management System for Guyana that reduces risk and enhances resilience to all hazards and impacts.
Mission Statement
To reduce loss of life, damage to property and improve quality of life in Guyana by leading, coordinating and supporting the nation in the development and enhancement of a comprehensive Disaster Risk Management System involving preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery.
About Us
The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) was established in 1982, under the original purview of the Office of the Prime Minister, to make plans and conduct operations relevant to all types of disasters in Guyana. By 1985, a comprehensive National Disaster Preparedness Plan was documented and initiated. This Plan saw the CDC involved and at times spearheading Disaster Response and Recovery Missions such as coastal flooding and inland droughts. Prior to 1985, such responsibilities were handled by public authorities such as the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Fire Service, and various health services under the Ministry of Health.
In 1992, responsibility for the Commission moved to the Office of the President where a National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) was subsequently established. Due to Cabinet Note CP (97) 2:2, in February of 1997 the Commission was reconstituted, thus having a more modern and inclusive organizational structure. The following are terms that stemmed from the reconstitution:
- To identify disasters according to established criteria and classification;
- To produce plans for the management of national disasters;
- To identify and implement mechanisms for disaster response and mitigation;
- To maintain a permanent body, to enhance the national capacity for disaster management and response;
- To train human resources involved in disaster response mechanisms;
- To educate at all levels in the tenets of disaster responses
In September 2001 Standard Operation Procedures for the NEOC were upgraded to meet new challenges of the worsening domestic and international disaster situation. The NEOC is a multi-stakeholder platform operationalised to provide an enhanced coordinated mechanism that will prevent duplication of efforts, maximise resources and ensure all involved are working collectively as one team in tackling any disaster situation in Guyana. It includes representatives from several government ministries and agencies, the private sector, and civil society. The Civil Defence Commission receives support from organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the United Nations (UN), United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). CDEMA has 19 member states, Guyana being one, and aligns with the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Disaster Risk Management mandate.
Guyana is vulnerable to various natural and man-made hazards such as floods, droughts, high winds, earthquakes, mudslides, extreme temperatures, severe storms, oil spills, fires, epidemics, air and water pollution, structural damage, riots, and maritime, air and motor vehicle accidents. To combat such circumstances several plans and policies have been drafted and implemented by the CDC in collaboration with several stakeholders. These include but are not limited to; the Flood Preparedness and Response Plan, the Multi-Hazard Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan, Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis Plan, and the National Integrated Disaster Risk Management Plan (all of which and more can be found in our Documents Tab). The Commission is also accountable for, in partnership with national and community authorities, the management of shelters for those impacted by disasters and hazards; the monitoring and assessment of affected areas and structures; and the coordination of relief support to those affected.
All of the Commission’s plans, strategies and policies are aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030), which is a UN endorsed agreement of the post-2015 development agenda and provides Member States with concrete actions to protect development gains from the risk of disaster. There are 7 targets and 4 priorities which coincide with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency’s (CDEMA) Comprehensive Disaster Agenda.
Targets:
- Reduce global disaster mortality.
- Reduce the number of affected people globally
- Reduce direct economic loss in relation to GDP
- Reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services
- Increase the number of countries with national and local disaster risk reduction strategies
- Substantially enhance international cooperation to developing countries
- Increase the availability of and access to multi hazard early warning systems
Priorities
- Understanding disaster risk
- Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk
- Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience
- Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to “Build Back Better” in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction
This year Guyana, through the CDC, will focus on targets E, F and G by putting systems in place to sustain the feed of data into the Sendai Framework.