Final evaluation : Caribbean disaster mitigation project

The project conducted a number of pilot projects and replication initiatives in 11 different countries. Achievements were as follows: (1) Efforts to establish the framework for developing regional and national mitigation plans took place principally in St. Lucia and Jamaica and were successful. This activity should be supported in future Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) programs. (2) Efforts to support community- based preparedness and prevention initiatives were successful in the Dominican Republic, much less so in Haiti. Community- oriented activities should be a major future emphasis. (3) The project worked with governments, associations of electricity power companies, and the hotel industry to develop information, manuals, and model retrofit options to reduce the vulnerability of key lifeline infrastructure. This component raised awareness about the benefits of this approach; its most important lesson is the need to ensure that potential users are committed to using audit results. (4) Efforts to promulgate new building codes and the retrofitting of low-cost housing had mixed results. However, the project was able to initiate building code promulgation in four countries and to test a number of housing retrofit approaches. Future initiatives should be part of comprehensive efforts to alter basically the building culture. (5) The project successfully demonstrated the Arbiter of Storms (TAOS) storm surge model, but the regional seismic mapping effort generally suffered from many delays and has had limited country impact thus far. Hazard assessments need to ensure upfront government support. (6) Work with the insurance industry to reduce losses from disasters and mitigate hazards faltered because of regional economic realities, but has encouraged a number of private sector initiatives. (7) Post- disaster recovery mitigation efforts were a practical response to aid reconstruction while exposing victims to mitigation issues and tools. Integrating mitigation principles into post-disaster recovery efforts provided a number of lessons useful for future OFDA efforts. With continuing education, this component has the potential to become a part of the standard operating procedures of disaster management agencies. (8) The project worked closely with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the World Bank on mitigation policy development. These institutions will continue to support the policies adopted. (9) Training was a primary ingredient in all components and a key tool for raising awareness and for training a corps of Caribbean professionals. Most countries will continue with these activities, and OFDA should continue to support them. Programs that seem likely to continue on their own include: the community preparedness program in the Dominican Republic, the housing retrofit program in St. Lucia, and the mitigation policy work in Jamaica and St. Lucia. Modification of the building codes in several countries will also likely be successfully concluded by these countries. The vulnerability and risk audits stream, insofar as its shelter program and collaboration with the hotel association are concerned, will also continue. Further, the project's longer-term impact is likely to be more positive than is evidenced at this moment. The following are among the lessons learned: (1) The private sector can be a valuable part of the solution to disaster mitigation issues, but will be more effective if it operates within a framework established by the government that actively promotes mitigation programs. (2) There is an abundance of donors and major NGOs in the region, but little systematic coordination. (3) The project attempted to do too much with very few resources. This approach cannot substantially affect or jump-start similar initiatives in other countries. However, the sharing of information is important and serves to validate fledgling approaches. (3) To generate political will, a public relations effort should be a priority in future projects. (4) Since central governments are generally strapped for resources, there is a need to find outside drivers; the project attempted this with the insurance stream and through its work with hotel associations. Local community efforts and local authorities, with all their drawbacks, are also are potential avenues to explore. Contains country reports on Jamaica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Belize, Dominican Republic, and Haiti.