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Contact:
John Emmanuel
Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - Two weeks into the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane
Season, the Ministry of Tourism is pressing ahead in staging a series of
training sessions in disaster management for tourism partners. It is the turn of
small craft operators in the Castries basin to receive training schedule to
begin June 21st at the Glen Castle Resort in Gros-Islet.
The training, to be conducted by local experts in disaster preparedness
management, will attempt to demystify weather bulletins, while providing
critical information on disaster management techniques, search and rescue at sea
and other relevant topics.
Acting Director of Product Development in the Ministry of Tourism Anne-Margaret
Xavier says the training is part of moves at ensuring that the tourism sector is
sufficiently prepared to deal with inclement weather conditions. Small craft
operators Miss. Xavier says are particular susceptible to adverse weather
patterns and therefore need to incorporate disaster management mechanisms into
their everyday operations.
“Many of the small operators within the industry tend to treat disaster
preparedness and what comes with it as peripheral issues, but we believe that
it’s important for them to have the right attitude and take proactive measures
in ensuring that their businesses are able to operate in the event of or after
any disaster,” says Xavier. She went on, “We felt it necessary to provide them
with training in disaster management. We are also hopping that they will have
some sought of plan at the end of this workshop.”
A similar training session will be held for southern-based operators on June
28th, 2005. Under the Ministry’s training programme small hotel operators were
recently assisted in drawing up disaster management plans for their
establishments. Tourism officials say as the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane season
continues, additional training will be provided to other industry partners.
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