Carribean islands sign disaster relief deal wih Cable & Wireless
Jamaican telecommunications giant to evaluate Carribean Disaster Emergency Response Agency planning; deal may integrate C&W’s network into regional emergency management system
Despite the region’s reputation as a tropical paradise, the island nations of the Carribean Ocean pay a high price for clear water and endless sunshine: tropical storms that have caused more than $5 billion in damage over the last two decades.
In 1991, sixteen regional governments organized the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) to coordinate inter-island disaster relief efforts. This was a positive step, but it lacked a sufficient telecommunications aspect. In an effort to improve, CDERA has signed an agreement with Jamaican powerhouse Cable & Wireless (C&W) to study regional emergency planning and make recommendations for future CDERA initiatives. The deal also details areas of future cooperation, including the provision of emergency telecommunications services, training activities, coordination of disaster relief, and integrating C&W’s networks into national and regional emergency management programs.
-read more in this Jamaica Observer report ;C&W Web site; CDERA Web site
