Disaster plans vital

 By ELIZABETH MIAE

PROPER planning and coordination between central and local governments in the Pacific will help build resilient communities in response to the impacts of climate change, a forum heard. 

The subject was raised at the second day of the Pacific Local Government forum in Port Moresby yesterday. 

The morning session was centred on “Building resilient communities” – highlighting the local level government’s role in assisting communities to understand, respond and adapt to the impact of climate change. 

Honiara City Council clerk Charles Kelly was one the four panelists who presented on the topic.

Kelly shared the council’s experience in dealing with last month’s flooding which hit Honiara. 

He said it was the responsibility of local governments to pull together relevant agencies both local and foreign in the response to such disasters. 

He said policies on disaster response should state clearly the responsibilities of the central and local governments and relevant agencies.

He said in their case, they were more into coordinating rather then venturing into rehabilitation because they might overlap other agencies’ responsibilities.

Otheniel Tangianau, director of Pa Enua division of the Cook Islands explained what his Government was doing after the country was hit by several disasters.

He said the Government put together a National Development Plan that aimed at building a resilient and sustainable community.

He said national planning was important and must be inclusive.