Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are both exposed to multiple hazards, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, and have a long history of disasters. After the Haitian earthquake of 2010, the Dominican Republic, as a donor and transit country, played a central role in the facilitation of international assistance towards affected communities. Jamaica also contributed substantially to the response efforts.
Disaster managers in both countries know that a major disaster could just as easily hit them in the near future, and they have to be prepared. The Haiti example has also placed in stark relief the need for effective procedures to facilitate and regulate international disaster assistance.
“Good laws are essential” commented Gustavo Lara Tapia, General Director of Dominican Red Cross. “It is also crucial to ensure the practical implementation of the provisions of the existing legal instruments, and empower the government actors to take an active role during disaster response” he added.
To address this, the National Societies of Jamaica and Dominican Republic, with support from the IFRC, have launched projects to advise and support their governments on IDRL. The projects will consist of an analysis of the existing legal, policy and institutional frameworks in the countries in order to identify their strengths and areas of potential improvement with respect to international assistance, as well as consultations with relevant stakeholders and regional partners about their operational experiences of the existing regulatory frameworks.
By the end of the year, recommendations will be provided with an eye to closing any gaps in the countries' preparedness for regulatory problems.