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| Coordinator of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), Jeremy Collymore.(File photo) | |
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, November 17, 2008 - A new fund has been set up to support small projects that tangibly and practically reduce disaster risk in communities across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Coordinator of the Canada-Caribbean Disaster Risk Management (CCDRM) Fund, Leslie John Walling, described the new regional facility as "responsive, results-based and community-centred".
"This means you tell us what the disaster risk reduction problem is in your community, and design a project to fix it. If your project proposal is approved, the CCDRM Fund will provide between CAN$25,000 (US$20,311) and CAN$50,000 (US$40,622) to funding the project," he explained.
He stressed that the Fund supports "results", rather than "activities" and noted that "project proponents will have to show how they helped reduce the risk to a community from a particular type of natural hazard".
"People and communities are at the centre of disasters. Canada is pleased to be able to make this contribution towards assisting Caribbean communities mitigate disaster risk and in enhancing their resiliency," said Head of Canada International Development Agency (CIDA) in Barbados, Douglas Williams.
Coordinator of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), Jeremy Collymore, said that building community resilience is one of the priorities of the regional Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Strategy which is founded on a results-based approach.
"The Fund's support will allow for more involvement in addressing disaster risk management at the local level," he said.
The first call for proposals will run through January 15, 2009. Community groups, non-governmental organisations, and government agencies are eligible.
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