The Editor, Sir:

OF THE 14 parishes in Jamaica, St Mary, Portland and St Thomas are categorised as disaster- and hurricane-prone areas based on their locations. From past experience, these parishes suffered most severely from the aftermath of storms or hurricanes.

With the prediction that there could be between four and seven hurricanes this year, authorities in St Thomas need to move quickly to prevent major damage to the infrastructure or the loss of lives. As a volunteer community emergency response team member, who is very active during the stormy seasons, and can attest that we are badly in need of physical resources, I am concerned that the parish council remains a dysfunctional body which tends to be slow in responding to early-warning signs.

As a result, the people suffer undue hardship due to the fact that the disaster coordination activities appear to be very ineffective. As an example: before, during and after the passage of a storm or hurricane, whenever citizens request assistance, a common complaint from the disaster co-ordinator is that she does not have adequate resources or she does not have any at all. If such an assertion is true, then this region might have been marginalised by the Office of Disaster Preparedness (ODPEM).

In the past, Ronald Jackson, director general of the ODPEM, stated his intentions to decentralise the agency to have the parish councils take charge of their share of disaster supplies. From observation, the Red Cross and ODPEM have performed remarkably well during these times. However, I am of the opinion that serious internal problems existed at the St Thomas Parish Council.

In addition, the parish disaster co-ordinator is in need of help or advice. The Preparedness and Emergency Response Corps is part of a government initiative. The focus of the programme is initially concentrated on the flood-prone parishes of Portland, St Thomas, St Mary and St Ann, but I am yet to see any activity in this region. If we should see a category 3-5 hurricane in this region, may God have mercy on our souls.

I am, etc.,

CHARLIE BROWN

charliebrown1004@hotmail.com

St Thomas