Development, Governance and Management of Recovery

advancing disaster resilience

Lessons emerging from the Rapid Review

of the Hurricanes Irma and Maria Response

Asha Kambon PhD

Public Policy Expert

PDNA Assessor/Trainer

December 4th, 2017 Nassau, Bahamas

The Caribbean and Disasters • Since 1950, the region has been hit on average, by seven disasters per

year, that have killed hundreds of thousands of people and affected millions more.

• Annual damage in the Caribbean accounts for 40 percent of global damage

• Caribbean small states have suffered more damage at greater frequency than both other small and larger states.

• Climate change is expected to exacerbate these effects by increasing the frequency and severity of natural disasters, affecting the livelihood of the populations, and harming the essential assets their insufficiently diversified economies rely on.

The recovery funding gap

The cost of uninsured losses from Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean is estimated at

between $7 billion and $15 billion.

The UK has committed £57 million to recovery in

Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the British Virgin Islands.

But in BVI alone, losses are estimated at $3.6 billion,

The combination recovery effort for Hurricanes Irma and Maria will cost Puerto

Rico $94 billion

A $36.5 billion disaster relief package has been

offered , of which 14% is a loan package

Hurricane Maria is estimated to amount to 224% of Dominica’s GDP

Recovery needs, amount to EC$3.64 billion (US$1.35

billion).

Hurricane Irma is estimated to amount to 9% of Antigua

and Barbuda's GDP

Recovery needs amount to EC$ 600.1 million (US$ 222.2

million).

US.1.3billion in Pledges for the Caribbean and US$1

billion in loans

common definitions

the capacity of individuals and

groups to make their own choices and

influence decision making

GOVERNANCE

adaptability and transformability

RESILIENCE

changes in social and economic structures that

restore facilities and livelihoods

RECOVERY

increasing citizens access

and opportunities

DEVELOPMENT

Selected Caribbean

Countries/Terrorities

Gini

Coeficient

Share of

Consumption by

the poorest

Share of

Consumption

by the rishest

Antigua and Barbuda 0.48 (2005/6) 4.5 56.3

Dominica 0.44 (2008/9) 2.0 37.2

Puerto Rico 0.531(2012) 5.6 60.0

Notes: CPA Dominica 2008/9; CPA Antigua and Barbuda 2005/6; Inequality

in Puerto Rico

https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/book/inequality-puerto-rico

Selected Indicators of Inequality

Inequality before

Hurricane Irma and

Maria

Differential rates of recovery from

hazards of weathy and poor

households

How recovery can widen the inequality gap wide

Emerging Lessons -

Irma and Marie

Disasters of such magnitude present an opportunity for real transformation in the social, economic and environmental arenas

What would such transformation look like

• Would treat with the root causes of lack of resilience

• Would address the growing income inequalities

• Would foster real inclusive growth

• Would demonstrate social justice for women, the differently abled and for the marginalised

• Would safeguard our environment and cultural heritage for future generations

Lessons: Governance

Free movement of people and goods

Strengthen regional

integration

Diversify our

economies

Recovery Response Regional

collaboration

Lessons - Governance

Greater reliance on evidenced based policy

How do we use available technology smarter?

1

Inclusive decision making /participatory democracy

Who is listening to Barbuda?

2

Gender equality and measures that reduce structural inequalities such as pre existing gender wage and skills gaps

3

Unequal Pay in the USA

Unequal Pay in the Caribbean (based on comparative analysis of Barbados and

Jamaica) 0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Barbados Jamaica

Average wage gap between men and women

Male Females

Hurricane Irma and Marie remind us to manage ‘the Commons’ Water and Electricity

The notion of the ‘tragedy of the commons’ is an economic theory of a

situation within a shared-resource system where individual users acting independently according to their own

self-interest behave contrary to the common good of all users by depleting or spoiling that resource through their

collective action

More carefully considered regulations when small island states are negotiating

sale or management of what could actually be defined as “commons” -

public utilities such as water and electricity.

Common property, eco systems and

social resources

Hurricane Irma and Maria challenge us to manage property, eco systems and social resources held in common differently

• Kalinago people in Dominica

• Persons of African descent of the enslaved population of Barbuda ( for all purposes can be regarded as the Maroons of Suriname and Jamaica)

What about our Environmental and Cultural heritage?

• In the aftermath of Irma and Maria the challenge in the recovery process is • To protect that which is authentic and

unique in our societies and our environment

• Not allow the tyranny of the urgent - under mistaken notions of ‘development’, ‘recovery or ‘building back better’ - destroy real and future possibilities for sustainable development

• Engage our rich social capital to safeguard our natural capital and cultural heritage

Recovery processes that empower women and men, strengthen livelihood capacities and offer a more just society for all

Processes that support the empowerment of people –

women and men - so they can be engaged in resilience

building and true recovery

Better Physical land Use planning and compliance

Smarter use of technology – as part of building resilience

and reducing risk

What is needed?

Investment in human capital

Emerging Lessons for Recovery

1 There is no quick fix to Recovery

2

Building resilience can not happen by just addressing the

symptoms of the lack of resilience – such as building back

better – it must address the root causes of our

vulnerability

3

Neo-liberal economic policy that second placed social development has not brought greater equality to

even developed countries – We have to dare to be innovative

Greater equality is key to peace and peace is key to

development

PPPs are useless unless you build partnerships with civil

society groups of women and men and with

communities

Thank you Questions ?