Body set up to coordinate post-disaster management |27 July 2019

President Faure chairing the first meeting of the high-level national committee yesterday morning at State House

A new high-level national steering committee has been set up to better coordinate post-disaster management.

The high-level national steering committee together with three related sub- committees – one on local government matters relating to housing, one for matters relating to infrastructure and the other for drainage and flooding comprising key ministries, departments and agencies concerned with risk and disaster management – will oversee and spearhead the implementation and follow-up of existing and future disaster management cases.

President Danny Faure chaired a first meeting of the high-level national committee yesterday morning at State House. The meeting was focused on reviewing existing structures in place, assessing their effectiveness, auditing current disaster cases, and establishing a clear way forward.

The committee will also be responsible to review and make necessary recommendations to the cabinet of ministers on any policies or frameworks required to better manage risks and disasters in the country.

During the meeting yesterday, President Faure affirmed that there is a need for a more coordinated work approach at all levels, between the government and all relevant authorities.

He urged the representatives present to establish clear reporting structures and funding mechanisms that will ensure actions are taken within an acceptable timeframe and that the needs of citizens are placed at the forefront of all decisions. 

Other areas discussed included the need for budget allocation, public prevention and outreach programmes on disaster management, as well as the implementation of a communications mechanism to ensure all stakeholders are informed and updated on the progress with various cases and projects.

The Terms of Reference for the new high-level national steering committee is expected to be presented at the next meeting of the cabinet of ministers on August 7, following which actions for implementation will be finalised.

The principal secretary in the department of Risk and Disaster Management (DRDM), Paul Labaleine, is the chairperson of the committee while the principal secretary for climate change, Wills Agricole, is the vice-chairperson.

Speaking to the press soon after the meeting, PS Agricole said the meeting was important to take stock of all natural disasters that have occurred since 2013 until now.

He said their task now is to come up with a term of reference for the new committee to be presented to the August 7 cabinet meeting.

He went on to stress that the work and responsibilities of the different agencies has not changed with the setting up of the new committee but the structure within which they have been operating as well as a reorganisation in the way they have been working which is being strengthened.

He went on to add that the committee will also be tasked with implementing the Seychelles Coastal Management Plan 2019 - 2024 which was developed with the support of the World Bank. The Plan looks at the necessary actions required to reduce the impact of erosion, flooding and other adverse impacts of climate change on the country's coastline due to extreme weather events and the likes. The various projects and programmes within the plan will cost an estimated R180 million, and the World Bank has agreed to assist the government in raising the necessary financing under the institution's climate change mitigation and adaptation portfolios.  However, the government will put aside some fund every year in its Capital Budget to kick start the implementation of the plan.

Six years after Felleng and still there are families waiting for various disaster related issues affecting their lives to be resolved so what reassurance and hope do they have that this new committee will really and effectively address these once and for all?

PS Agricole said all the related financial aspects have been discussed and reviewed and a decision has been reached to allocate a certain amount of funds specifically to address all outstanding issues which mainly concern road access, proper drainage and other public infrastructure among others.

“We want to reassure people affected that outstanding problems since 2013 will have to be tackled first by the committee.”

Asked what had happened to the disaster relief fund set up soon after Felleng to bring relief to those affected, PS Agricole said the fund is unfortunately no longer active and there is a need to once and for all take action to resolve these outstanding issues.

Present  at yesterday’s meeting were the Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Wallace Cosgrow; the Minister for Housing, Infrastructure, Land and Transport, Pamela Charlette; the principal secretary for Infrastructure, Yves Choppy; the principal secretary for Energy and Climate Change, Wills Agricole; the principal secretary for Local Government, Marie-Céline Vidot; the principal secretary for Risk and Disaster Management, Paul Labaleine; the chief executive of SLTA, Parinda Herath; and officials from the Ministry of Finance, Irene Croisée and Jude Commettant.