Ex-ODPM head: Co-operation between civil, military key to disaster response

The effectiveness of disaster relief operations depends heavily on adequate communication and co-operation between civilian and military agencies, said retired Captain Neville Wint as he called for more dialogue with different stakeholders on disaster relief operations.

Speaking during a virtual workshop on civil-military relations on Friday, Wint who was the head of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) from 2017-2019, said in his experience relief operations were most effective when both military and civilian relief agencies co-operated.

He said the Caribbean has been identified as the second most hazard-prone region behind Asia.

Workshops and other exercises were also necessary, he said, in bringing different stakeholders together to formulate operating strategies and plans so that different agencies could work without hindering each other's activities.

"The military is not a non-governmental organisation (NGO), and as such they have a constitutional mission and executive orders to execute, which can be interpreted at times to hinder humanitarian operations while supporting those same humanitarian efforts.

"So it is imperative going forward that the state be invited at the table along with the military as we work to identify the opportunities to develop the strengths regionally, institutionally and to develop policies which will guide us towards humanitarian strategies.

"This workshop has also clearly demonstrated that actors in civil/military environments are not in conflict with each other in securing states, livelihood and lives."

Wint also said military forces will collaborate and assist relief agencies during times of crisis, but would still observe their core mandate to assist civil authorities in maintaining law and order, which may sometimes be threatened during disasters.

In another session on Wednesday, retired US Army General PK Keen also highlighted the importance of proper communication and co-operation between state and civilian authorities in disaster response.

Keen, who served as the commander of US military forces after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, noted several difficulties and lessons learned after the disaster and said military forces had to adapt their strategies to meet the challenges.

"It's incumbent upon everyone, whether they're a small NGO or a part of the government or another organisation, to clearly communicate your vision, create a shared understanding and be open and inviting for the UN and other agencies to exchange liaison officers to create alignment in what we’re doing.

"Everyone I found in most organisations is coming to this (situation) with different capabilities. To figure out where everyone would fit in this major effort is a challenge. The message is: everyone needs to work together."

Keen said US forces in Haiti had to adjust their protocols and operations on the ground to allow more open communication with relief organisations, with the introduction of liaison officers to manage resources.

The workshop was hosted by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Caribbean Disaster Risk Management (CADRIM) and the European Union.