Castries, Nov 21, 2005 (CDERA) – The National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) are hosting a one-day workshop tomorrow for media practitioners in Saint Lucia.

The aim of the workshop is to orient journalists to the strides being made in hazard mitigation at the national level, the whole concept of hazard mitigation vis a vis disaster preparedness, and how to cover disasters from the angle of actions to be taken to reduce loses before the next impact.

“CDERA and the CDB have been working with Saint Lucia to assist with the development of a National Hazard Mitigation Policy as well to enhance the existing implementation plan. Hazard mitigation involves everyone, it has implications for every facet of life and it is important that we orient journalists to it,” said Liz Riley, Project Manager of the Caribbean Hazard Mitigation Capacity Building Programme (CHAMP) which is also assisting Grenada, Belize, and the British Virgin Islands with the development and implementation of national hazard mitigation policies.

Ms Riley added that it is important that journalists diversify their reporting from only disaster or event-focused reporting to include the more sustainable and year-long hazard mitigation focus.

“This way, the media, as the watchdog of society, can assist the authorities in proper development planning which will benefit the country in the long term”.

CHAMP is implemented by CDERA with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency and technical assistance from the Organisation of American States.

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