The Policy and Planning Unit of the Ministry of Finance has teamed up with the Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA) to deliver Post Disaster Needs Analysis (PDNA) for Montserrat.
The four-day training workshop is funded through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Office for Barbados & the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, and delivered by Dr. Asha Kambon and Dr. Vincent Little.
Mr. Marlon Clarke, UNDP’s project Coordinator is leading the team, and stated that UNDP is the global cluster lead for early recovery and this training contributes by building capacity at the national level. He further noted that the current training follows similar recent activities in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis, led by the UNDP Barbados Sub Regional Office.
Participants are being exposed to presentations on definitions and concepts of PDNA, effects of disasters, and methodology for Damage and Loss Assessments, baseline data using results of damage and loss assessments to ascertain financial needs for recovery.
The workshop is interspersed with practical group work using the methodologies taught, with scenarios based on the Montserrat context.
A PDNA is a government led and owned exercise supported by the EU, the UN System and the World Bank. Through a PDNA, information is collected on the socio-economic effects and impacts of a disaster on key sectors, as well as the recovery needs, including the human development needs of the affected population.
The intent is to build local capacity to deliver needs analysis in the event of a disaster impact, and participants a cross section of government and one NGO are attending the sessions.
